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Ramadan Announcement from the Muslim Bar Association
of New York
This year, Ramadan will begin on or around July
19th. Ramadan is a holy month that affects the lives of many
Muslim colleagues throughout the bar. In this month of engagement
and rejuvenation, Muslim attorneys across the United States
will be observing the fast, reflecting in prayer, and trying to do more
to better their communities and families.
During Ramadan, which this year will run until August 18th or
thereabouts, Muslims who observe the Ramadan fast from dawn to dusk
and will abstain from eating and drinking, among other things.
Typically, Muslim legal professionals will strive to perform their
prayers at five prescribed times during the day and will break their
fast and have something to eat at sunset. Such observances rarely take
more than five to ten minutes but they can occur during business hours.
That said, Muslims across America have been fulfilling their Ramadan
obligations for years and rarely has it disrupted their professional
responsibilities.
We believe that many law firms, corporate legal departments,
government entities, judicial chambers and other organizations may not
be aware of the religious observances followed by many Muslim lawyers
during Ramadan. We are confident that if informed, legal employers would
be more that willing to provide whatever minimal accommodations might be
necessary to assist their Muslim colleagues. While each person’s
needs are unique, such accommodations are often as simple as briefly
excusing a colleague from a meeting so that he or she may break their
fast or offer prayers. For example, summer interns who are
observing the fast may opt out of lunches or other engagements.
In addition, the end of Ramadan is marked by the joyous holiday of
Eid ul Fitr, and many Muslim lawyers may seek to take the day off to
attend services and spend the day in celebration with family and
friends.
The Muslim Bar Association of New York (www.muslimbarny.org) welcomes any comments or
questions you may have.
Ramadan Mubarak! (Happy Ramadan!)
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