The Muslim population in the UK has increased from 4.9% (2.7 million) in 2011 to 6.5% (3.9 million) in 2021, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. It is estimated to be close to 1.8 billion globally.
November is recognised as Islamophobia Awareness Month. TellMama, a charity that reports on anti-Muslim abuse, recorded 4,971 incidents of anti-Muslim hate between 7 October 2023 and 30 September 2024, the highest total in the past 14 years.
Given that context, let’s delve in to what it means to be a Muslim, and some of the ways in which you can support your Muslim employees.
Read more: Faith and the workplace: How employers can be more inclusive
What does it mean to be Muslim?
A Muslim is a person who adheres to the religion Islam, which is guided by five pillars:
● Shahadah: the belief in one God and the last prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him)
● Salah: the performance of prayer five times a day
● Zakat: a yearly obligatory charitable donation
● Sawm: fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan
● Hajj: a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
There is now more awareness about Ramadan and Eid. Being a Muslim is part of a person’s identity. Practicing the faith is individualistic and will vary from one person to another.
Read more: Losing (and gaining) religion in the UK – adapting to changing needs
You can support your workforce in many ways. Let’s take three of the five pillars of Islam to look at what support you can provide.
Praying five times a day (Salah)
There are prescribed times where each prayer needs to be prayed.
- Fajr: performed at dawn, before sunrise
- Dhuhr: performed after the sun passes its highest point, around midday
- Asr: performed in the late afternoon, between noon and sunset
- Maghrib: performed at sunset, or just after
- Isha: performed at night, between sunset and midnight.
These timings will change throughout the year. For example, at the height of summer, the morning prayer (Fajr) should be performed somewhere between 1am and 4am; while in deep winter it will be between 6am and 8am. In the winter, three of the five daily prayers will take place between midday and 5pm, and so having a space to pray at work – and permission to dip out of long meetings – are very helpful. Muslims wash their face, arms and feet before prayer so having facilities to do so is also important.
Fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan (Sawm)
Fasting is prescribed for those who are healthy and are of, or close to, adult age, and takes place from dawn until dusk during Ramadan. No food and water can be consumed during these times. The Islamic calendar is based on the cycle of the moon, comprising 354 or 355 days, so it moves back nine or 10 days every Gregorian calendar year. Ramadan lasts 29 to 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. Now Ramadan is entering the shorter hours of fasting as we move into the winter and spring seasons.
Read more: D&I clinic: Celebrating faith in an increasingly non-religious society
Time off for Eid (30 or 31 March in 2025), regular breaks, working from home, flexible start and finish times are all helpful ways to support Muslims at this time.
A pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca (Hajj)
This happens in the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah (expected to start on 28 May in 2025). It takes around two weeks to fulfil the rites of the pilgrimage. Approving annual leave requests for this time is the biggest support that can be provided. There is also a second Eid (6 to 10 June 2025) during the Hajj period, which is also widely celebrated.
So what’s the top tip to help your Muslim workforce? Help your line managers to manage inclusively. This will enable them to have supportive conversations at an individual level to identify their employees' needs around faith and be able to support them.
By Idris Arshad, head of people at Asthma and Lung UK
