Doing Business in Ramadan

“The holy month of Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a month of fasting, worship, service, gathering and spiritual development.” Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and a month when Muslims are required to abstain from eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset.

This can come as a shock to those experiencing their first-ever Ramadan. Some people express surprise and wonder, ‘how is that even possible?’ as a physical feat. I too would probably have a similar response myself. But as someone who observes Ramadan, I would say that you’ll be surprised at what you can do when you really put your mind to it. Ramadan is so much more than not eating or drinking. It’s a spiritual month, or as I like to see it, a ‘reset’ where we become so much more conscious of our thoughts and behaviour. It’s a month when Muslims exercise mind control over their urges, which results in a higher level of self-awareness, patience and self-discipline. All highly beneficial characteristics to master.

It is believed that the reward of good deeds is multiplied in Ramadan, and it is a time when priorities change for many. Muslims make a conscious effort to spend more time with family, in prayer, doing charity work, and avoid activities that might detract from the spiritual experience.

Aliya Rajah Personal & Professional Development Coach IG: coach_aliya

So

what is the impact of this when it comes to work, especially for a business owner?

According to the economist, Samer Sunnuqrot, “The productivity of employees declines in the holy month by 30-50% as a result of shorter working hours and the change in behaviour.” So it is to be expected that business may not be carried out as usual. Muslims spend extra time in prayer during the evening hours, and then wake up for Suhoor (the morning meal before sunrise), affecting the quantity and quality of sleep. Energy levels amongst those who are fasting will be lower, impacting performance and outcomes. You might want to consider changing working hours to accommodate this. The luxury we have as self-employed business owners is the ability to be more flexible with our schedules. Some businesses thrive during Ramadan ( i.e. the F & B sector ), whilst others can experience a slowdown due to the nature of their business.

Every business owner is different, but for me personally, I choose to wrap up meetings by 4pm latest during Ramadan - as I know my energy and focus significantly decrease after that. Some days I schedule meetings and coaching sessions later in the evening, after Iftar. This also suits the clients and colleagues I have who are also fasting and would prefer to meet when they have more energy and focus. Employers are also required to shorten the working day of their employees, with many finishing by 2pm. This can pose a challenge to the many businesses that still have to meet the demands and expectations of their clients in a much shorter time frame.

In the buildup to this Ramadan, many of the business owners I spoke to were ready to embrace this time of year. Most are long-time residents who talk of, “discussing/starting this project after Ramadan” - as there is a general understanding that people’s priorities may change during the month. Business will be slower, which will then be followed by the Eid holidays. So they’re happy to hold off on pitching or embarking on a new project until working life resumes as normal.

As Ramadan is a month of introspection, patience and self-discipline, developing a change in perspective is key. While your initial response may be to experience stress or anxiety at the thought of your business potentially becoming impacted by Ramadan, you can choose to focus on the opportunity it brings. Many Muslims use it as a chance to step out of their day-to-day and reflect more on what truly matters in life beyond work and the demands of the modern world.

And just because certain parts of the economy may not be running as usual, it doesn’t mean that the month can’t be productive. Ramadan can be a great time to focus more on planning, reflecting, and catching up on important admin tasks that may have been neglected. If anything, being out of the normal rat race can be a highly effective time to zoom out and see the bigger picture. That can be really hard to do when you are so caught up in the day-to-day running of your business.

I’m a huge fan of starting small and setting 1-2 goals and then building on it from there. Because it’s by starting small we feel accomplished and therefore motivated to do even more.

Ramadan is a unique and individual experience for each person. I’ve decided to dedicate the month to improving my knowledge, prayer, decluttering various areas of my life, and being conscious about how I can give back more.

Let Your Good Deeds Echo Around The World

In the holy month of Ramadan, your support can help bring hope and assistance to those who need it the most: children affected by the earthquake.