Ramadan: Guidelines for College Tutors and Staff

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Content Introduction Page 3

Background:

-Ramadan & Fasting Page 3

-Ramadan & Prayer Page 4

-Ramadan & Eid-ul-Fitr Page 4

-Ramadan & Worship Page 5

Meeting needs during Ramadan Page 6-7

College Provision during Ramadan Page 8

Future Dates Page 9

Contacting the Chaplaincy Page 10

Acknowledgements Page 11

Further Reading & Information Page 11

Notes Page 12

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Introduction Observing the fast of Ramadan is a highly important aspect of the Islamic calendar year and as a religious responsibility it is important that all students and staff are supported while continuing with normal college life. These guidelines are intended to assist tutors and staff in offering the appropriate support and practical arrangements during the month of Ramadan and the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr that follows. Built upon established good practice in schools, colleges and LEAs both nationally and locally these guidelines are intended to offer some brief background information as well as practical advice and suggestions for tutors and staff to consider.

Background: Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is considered to be the holiest of the twelve. The Islamic calendar itself is calculated according to the lunar cycle so Ramadan officially begins when a new moon is sited. As a result Ramadan starts and finishes at different times each year. For a rough idea of future dates please see the guide on page 9 of this document.

Ramadan is of particular religious importance to Muslims because it involves important religious observances of which fasting is a main obligation and one of the five pillars of Islam. During this time all healthy Muslims over the age of puberty are required to fast from sunrise to sunset. The Month of Ramadan is also when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation"

Ramadan & Fasting Fasting is an important act of worship and its purpose is to encourage all who participate to overcome feelings of greed and selfishness and to display self-control and discipline. It entails total abstinence from food, water, smoke or anything else that may be inhaled or passed through the lips. As well as physical things the actions of lying, slandering, denouncing, back biting, anger and such are also to be abstained from. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship, purity and contemplation.

Each fasting day begins with a pre-dawn meal (Sehri) and at the end of the day the fast is broken traditionally with either dates or water and then followed with prayer and a meal called the iftar. In the evening following the iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning

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Ramadan & Prayer Muslims are required to pray five times daily. This is another one of the five pillars of Islam. The essential times for prayer are:

Prayer Name Time Fajr Between dawn and sunrise Zuhr Between midday and afternoon Asr Between mid-afternoon and sunset

Maghrib Immediately after sunset Isha Between nightfall and dawn

If it is not possible to make the prayers at their appointed times they can be made as soon as possible afterwards. Colleges can therefore be flexible around their own timetable when agreeing times available for prayer. Appointed rooms are set aside on each of the main college sites for prayer (ask reception for details). Where there are no such rooms one will be made available where possible (please contact the Chaplain for your site).

Muslims do not generally require a leader to make the prayers, although normally there would be a leader at the Mosque. Congregational prayers are preferred but are not essential. Such prayers would not require the whole of the lunch break and where large numbers are involved it is usually possible to allocate slots over the breaks. It is usual for males and females to pray separately but if not convenient they may pray together but in separate groups. Senior pupils or Muslim staff may be happy to help with the organisation of prayers. For more information the Chaplain for your site should be contacted to put you in contact with the appropriate person.

During Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid (Mosque) and spend several hours praying and studying the Quran. In addition to the five daily prayers, during Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer after the regular Isha prayer called the Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The length of this prayer is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily prayers. Some Muslims spend the entire night in prayer. Prayers are often performed in a congregation, particularly in the evening but it is not essential.

During the last ten nights of Ramadan, Muslims customarily increase their evening worship and prayer. On the evening of Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power) it is believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. This can fall on the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th or 27th evening of Ramadan. When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated for three days in a holiday called Eid-ul-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking).

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Ramadan & Eid-ul-Fitr Eid-ul-Fitr is the festival that takes place to mark the end of Ramadan and celebrates breaking the month of fasting. For rough dates of the festival please see the guide on page 9 of this document noting that all dates are subject to the sighting of a new moon. The first day of Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated by dressing in new clothes and attending special congregational Eid prayers at the Mosque. Such is the importance of this festival that a special charity, Zakat-ul-Fitr, is paid to make sure that the poor can also take part in the celebrations. Muslims greet one another by saying, Eid Mubarak, which essentially means happy Eid or Eid greetings/blessings. Eid celebrations usually last up to 3 days and are an occasion to visit close friends and relatives, eat special meals and give one another gifts. The nights before, women in particular traditionally decorate their hands with Henna (Mehndi) in preparation for the festivities.

Ramadan & Worship Observing the fast during Ramadan is one of the highest forms of worship (ibadah) and if the fast is performed with the sincere aim and heart to please God it is much more than a physical endurance test. For many Muslims, Ramadan signifies an enriching act of utmost spiritual dedication and a time of heightened sense and consciousness of Allah (taqwa). The hours of fasting and dedication are seen to aid the worshipper physically and spiritually as they direct their lives focus to God through prayer, reading the Qur’an and abstaining from wrong doings and negative actions. Through fasting Muslims also have the opportunity to share in the experience of hunger and poverty experienced by the poor and destitute in the world. Material possessions are often shared with the needy during this time and financial welfare offered (Zakah). These are all experiences that promote increasing generosity of living and a sense of personal gratitude for all the gifts of life. In addition to the very personal benefits of endurance, compassion and self-discipline which Ramadan confers, there is also the large communal benefit to the Muslim community as a whole. Muslims throughout the whole world observe the festival of Ramadan at the same time in the calendar year, in the same manner and with the same motives. So Ramadan in also about a heightened sense of community and belonging both within the local family and within the worldwide Muslim community as a whole.

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Meeting Needs during Ramadan The following section has been included in order to give college staff and tutors the best guidance possible in order sensitively to meet the needs of Muslim staff and pupils during Ramadan. All guidance offered is based on authentic information from Islamic educational sources:

• As fasting is a responsibility as well as an obligation in Islam it is important that students and staff are supported whilst continuing with normal college life. It is equally important that students realise that Ramadan is not an opportunity to try and gain special individual rights within the college.

• Staff and Tutors should avoid giving the impression that fasting is ‘a

nuisance, disruptive to college routine and work’, but should view it as something positive. Fasting is an intensely spiritual activity and Ramadan is a critical time during which to demonstrate the college’s commitment to equal opportunities and to valuing each other’s beliefs and practices.

• All staff, including non teaching staff, would benefit from being more

aware of the issues surrounding Ramadan included in these guidelines as well as knowing which students and staff around them are fasting and what this includes so they can offer empathy, support and encouragement.

• College departments may wish to recognise and celebrate the

importance of Ramadan with their Muslim students and staff through the curriculum, collective events, displays, notices, presentations, visits, staff training or other opportunities.

• All staff need to be aware that the effects of prolonged dawn to dusk

fasting can cause sleepiness, mood swings and headaches. A family’s sleep time alters dramatically during Ramadan and those fasting may begin to feel particularly susceptible by the mid afternoon and as such could be reluctant to take part in strenuous activity. Sports staff especially may want to use their discretion regarding physical activity during Ramadan by for example, re-scheduling strenuous practical lessons, tournaments, physical examinations or by making alternative arrangements for Muslim students.

• Avoidance of swimming during Ramadan is also generally advisable

since no water should enter the mouth during fasting, except for performing ritual washing (ablutions). Note: If liquid is swallowed inadvertently the fast is not broken as the intention was not to drink.

• Any oral medicine or injection cannot be taken by a person who is

fasting. Such medications can be taken after the fast is over. In serious conditions advice should be sought from the one’s GP and Imam.

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• During Ramadan students and staff may want to familiarise themselves with the arrangements and facilities available for prayers on their site. Everyone should know where prayer rooms are and if indeed a suitable room is available for use. Students will require access to washing facilities and males and females generally pray and wash separately.

• Sites may consider making special provision during Ramadan over the

lunch breaks for those who are fasting, for example by making available a quiet room where Muslim staff and students may pray, rest and avoid having to watch others eat if they so choose.

• As Islam is based on the lunar calendar that moves each year it is

inevitable that some examinations and practicals may clash with Ramadan. Staff should be aware that some pupils may find the rigour of preparing for an examination whilst fasting difficult and at least may not perform to their best ability. Please see the section on future dates for appropriate planning.

• Fasting is difficult for both adults and young people and the timing of

the fast, from dawn to dusk, means that all food preparation and consumption must take place over a few hours every evening or very early in the morning. This makes it difficult for parents and students to attend meetings or other functions in the evenings during Ramadan. If it is possible to avoid evening meetings or events during Ramadan while continuing to provide close and effective home-college relations the benefits are considerable.

• College should be aware that Muslim students and staff are likely to be

on authorised absence to celebrate the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. For the rough future dates of this please see the guide on page 9 of this document. For more information the college HR or Personnel department should be contacted.

• Where food is involved, as a matter of respect it is good practice to try

to avoid, where reasonable, working lunches, events with food and drink or generally eating around those who are fasting (within reason).

• Try to use Ramadan as a platform for greater cross cultural

communication. Be creative and open to ideas about sharing good practice and maybe even throw an event after Eid-ul-Fitr to celebrate the end of Ramadan which both students and staff can attend. For example, see the section about the Chaplaincy T42 event under the College Provision during Ramadan section (page 8).

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College Provision during Ramadan The Manchester College Chaplaincy makes a number of plans and arrangements each year to support Muslim students and staff during the festival of Ramadan. A number of these are highlighted below as examples of good practice:

• Prayer Rooms are available during Ramadan on each of the main college sites. For directions please ask at the main reception for your site. Each room contains space to pray, prayer mats, Qurans and the direction of prayer should be marked quite clearly. Where rooms are not available the Chaplaincy should be contacted to make arrangements. Mats, compass and Qurans can be made available upon request.

• For communal Friday Prayers a number of sites have alternative

arrangements to use a larger room or sports hall. For details of the arrangements for your site please contact the Chaplaincy.

• Each year the Chaplaincy celebrates the festival year through a

calendar of Displays on a number of our college sites. Ramadan display will generally celebrate the festival using information, posters, poetry and pictorial images. Look out for the display on your site and those wishing to add or comment on the displays should contact the Chaplaincy. Other sites of The Manchester College desiring to arrange their own displays are encouraged to do so and may also contact the Chaplaincy for ideas and materials.

• Each year the Manchester College Chaplaincy holds its T42 Unity

Event. This is a simple event that encourages both students and staff to invite someone they don’t know from a different faith, culture or background to a free lunch. T42 events are generally and when possible tied into the end of Ramadan and will run at various sites. For dates, times and details please contact the Chaplaincy or look out for promotional posters and flyers. Other sites wishing to run a T42 or similar event should contact the Chaplaincy for support, advice and materials.

• During Ramadan the Chaplaincy is happy to support staff and students

who want to know more by organising Tutorials, Talks and Visits. The Chaplaincy has a number of Islamic faith contacts and materials for loan which it would be happy to pass on to interested groups. The Openshaw LRC also hosts a large Chaplaincy collection of books and materials for further reading and tutorials including a comprehensive Islamic artefacts box and lesson plan. For further details please contact the Chaplaincy or the Openshaw LRC.

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Future Dates The following dates for Ramadan are subject to moon sighting in the lunar calendar (see www.moonsighting.com) and may vary slightly:

Year 1st Ramadan (Fasting Begins)

Lailatul-Qadr (Night of Power)

Eid-ul-Fitr (End of Ramadan)

2008 September 1st September 26th October 1st 2009 August 22nd September 16th September 20th 2010 August 11th September 05th September 10th 2011 August 01st August 26th August 30th 2012 July 20th August 14th August 19th 2013 July 09th August 03rd August 08th 2014 June 28th June 23rd July 28th 2015 June 18th July 13th July 17th

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Contacting the Chaplaincy Directions and information about Chaplaincy may be found on each main campus and in each Chaplaincy room. For further information or to contact us please use the details below or pass on a message via Reception, the Guidance Service or by First Class e-mail. In an emergency the Chaplaincy can be contacted via the Chaplaincy mobiles (details below) or through Centre Managers, Switchboards or Receptions. There is usually a Chaplain available at The Manchester College during both term time and college holidays. We offer pastoral care, support for those wishing to explore their own spirituality and faith, links to outside faith communities and agencies, maintain Chaplaincy rooms for prayer and contemplation, facilitate faith meetings and events and co-ordinate a variety of resources such as display materiel and tutorial materials.1 Scott Fellows scott.fellows@themanchestercollege.ac.uk Mobile: 0791 765 8872* Jamie Mackenzie Jamie.mackenzie@themanchestercollege.ac.uk Mobile: 0791 739 6457* * Please note that the Chaplaincy mobile numbers are NOT available to be used or given out to students except by the chaplains themselves or with permission of the Chaplaincy.

1 For a full description of services offered by The Manchester College Chaplaincy please refer to the Chaplaincy Statement of Service available on request or through the college intranet under the Support for Students Folder/ Chaplaincy.

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Acknowledgements The Manchester College Chaplaincy would like to acknowledge the following documents and resources used to create this guide: Guidelines for North Lincolnshire Schools on making arrangements for Muslim pupils during the month of Ramadan- North Lincolnshire Council Muslim pupils in Hertfordshire Schools during the month of fasting- Hertfordshire County Council Guidance to schools on arrangements for Muslim pupils during the month of Ramadan- Hounslow Lea and Hounslow Central Mosque Advice to schools on Ramadan- Hackney SACRE Muslims, Ramadan and the Workplace- Kwintessential Ltd Shap Calendar of Religious Festivals

Further Reading & Information For more information and resources see: Meeting the Needs of Muslim Pupils Publisher: IQRA Trust Fasting in Islam Publisher: IQRA Trust Islam: Faith and Practice Publisher: The Islamic Foundation (Publications Unit) The Muslim Guide Publisher: The Islamic Foundation (Publications Unit) Faith Communities Toolkit: www.faithregenuk.org Multi faith Resources and Materials: www.articlesoffaith.co.uk General info: www.bbc.co.uk/religion/islam General info: www.islamonline.net/english/index.shtml

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Notes Please note that this document has been produced by The Manchester College Chaplaincy and should not be reproduced or used without expressed permission. For further copies or information please contact us:

The Manchester College Chaplaincy, Openshaw Campus, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw, M11 2WH

Jamie.Mackenzie@themanchestercollege.ac.uk

Scott.fellows@themanchestercollege.ac.uk