Beyond Ramadan Decorations: 6 Ways to Honor Muslim Community Members in Schools
For many Muslims, observing the holy month of Ramadan is an intimate experience that is central to who they are. It is a month that is revered, waited for, and cherished. For young Muslims who grow up in spaces where they are not the majority, navigating the holy Month is a delicate process. Muslim students in non-Muslim majority schools, for example, often feel varying degrees of perceived safety to actually explore their relationship to their faith and their participation in the practices of Ramadan. At home, they may be encouraged to meditate, strive to uplift their character through intentional truth-telling, restraint, and patience in the face of challenges. Yet, at school, it is business-as-usual, where most of their peers may even be oblivious to the various internal and external efforts being made. Ramadan, after all, is really about internal discipline and being able to rise to a higher version of oneself–no easy feat even for adults.
Beyond the physical demands of a month of abstaining from any food or drink until after sunset, waking before dawn to pray, and increasing acts of worship, the month of Ramadan can also bring forth other nonvisible challenges for those observing in non-Islamic environments. How much or how little Muslims feel they can participate in acts of worship can often be impacted not by internal choices, but by external factors such as the space and safety to fully embrace their journey in the schools they find themselves in. For many Muslims in these spaces, every day at school or work can feel like a negotiation.
Yet, many 21st century schools express a desire to celebrate and embrace all members of their communities. However, since many “secular” schools are inherently oriented towards Judeo-Christian holidays, oftentimes, well-meaning teachers and administrators attempt to show their care and support for Muslim students and colleagues by emulating the ways in which their own holidays are observed. Hanging decorative pieces in the office, newsletter mentions of “Happy Ramadan Kareem!”, and the occasional thoughtful question such as “are you celebrating Ramadan?” are all usually received with open hearts by Muslim students and staff. For many of these individuals, the feeling that their faith is unseen or misunderstood in their work and school environments has often become so normalized that any nod in the direction of their faith identity is appreciated. Yet, these efforts do not always honor the real experiences of Muslims during the holy Month. How, then, can caring and supportive adults within schools contribute to environments that give Muslim students (and staff) the right to safely observe the holy month of Ramadan? Well, it requires more than wishing Muslims a “Happy Ramadan”. And yet, it’s not that complicated either. A little understanding and intentionality go a long way…
Here are 6 Ways to honor Muslim community members in schools:
6. Respect prayer time. Prayer for practicing Muslims is obligatory. Muslims are required to interrupt their daily affairs five times a day to stop, perform ablution, disconnect from the events of their day in order to connect with their creator, and physically ground themselves through prostration. As contemporary wellness gurus can agree, this not only helps individuals observe their religious practice of prayer, but also helps to center their wellness and intentionality within the respective settings they exist in. Given that the mid-day prayer occurs while many are either in class or at work, Muslims must figure out ways in which they can honor their prayers in the margin of the days, or have to ‘make-up’ missed prayers when they return home, a process that feels like playing a gruelling game of catch-up for many. During Ramadan, prayer (and respecting the allocated prayer time) is of utmost importance. Accommodations for prayer times during the month of Ramadan help to facilitate access and avoid unintended complications around arriving to class on time. In fact, when we asked Muslim middle and high school students ‘what is the single most supportive thing teachers can do to accommodate you during Ramadan?’, the overwhelming response was ‘let us pray’. One high school student shared that his Middle School science teacher asked him so many questions about his request to pray after lunch, that he never asked again. “He interrogated me so much that it made me feel like I was doing something wrong, or trying to intentionally miss class. I felt like I was begging and pleading for something,” he said. And yet, most Muslim students who wish to observe prayer likely do not in fact wish to manipulate the system. When given the chance, most cherish the opportunity to connect with fellow members of faith in what feels like a special exception. Setting up clear systems during Ramadan, such as encouraging faculty who teach a post-lunch hour class that may collide with the mid-day prayer to plan for non-instructional time for the first 10 minutes of class to give grace for praying students can help students avoid missed learning and the need for ‘pleading’. Whether schools encourage student use of a prayer room during a specific time of day that honors the mid-day prayer time (Google the times for your region), or they allow for a grace period of 5-10 minutes for a class that begins simultaneously with the mid-day call to prayer, making accommodations for the holy month should not be viewed as a burden but rather a genuine indication of respect for diversity.
5. Create a designated prayer space. Beyond the importance of connecting spiritually, praying during Ramadan is also intended to strengthen a sense of community. In non-Islamic environments, Muslims often feel like an anomaly in buildings that readily deck the halls with bells of holly (literally) during Western holidays, yet rarely mirror the representation of Islamic cultures in their physical spaces. This sense of existing within spaces that don’t always center them is especially impactful for young people. Therefore, having a prayer room in schools where Muslims can see themselves and each other can feel both life-saving and life-giving. Without a designated, clean, and welcoming prayer space, the affinity provided through community connection may not exist within schools. Creating a clean and inviting prayer space, or “Multi-Faith room” where Muslims can pray alone or together, sends a clear message to students and staff: ‘This is a place where you can be your full selves, and… there are others here like you’. While ideally this space should exist all year long, ensuring the room is clean, aesthetically pleasing (a few plants go a long way), and accessible during Ramadan is greatly appreciated, especially for community members who make intentional efforts to renew their commitment to prayer during the holy month. (Pro tip: If you have access to a Muslim faculty member or parent, partner with them to create agreements on the room usage and management to ensure it is utilized safely and respectfully. Usually, they are more than happy to donate prayer mats, lanterns, or hijabs to help stock the room with what is needed) If nothing more, designating a space for students to pray makes room for Muslim community members to find balance in their day, connect positively with their peers, and feel a sense of harmony in school– a win for everyone!
4. Consider Ramadan in the annual calendar. In the same way that all major events are considered when planning school events, a quick online search to calendar in the month of Ramadan can help to prevent inconsiderate planning of events that either exclude Muslim community members who are fasting, or make their days more difficult. While many Muslims are well aware of and appreciate the fact that the non-fasting world must go on munching, being considerate of scheduling Parent Teacher Conferences, sporting events, farmer’s markets, PTO events, theater performances, etc. outside of the month of Ramadan when possible, allows Muslim community members to feel seen and more able to fully participate in such events. Needless to say, given that Ramadan is the 9th month of the lunar calendar, not all important events can be scheduled around its shifting dates each year, however, a quick Google search of Ramadan dates during annual planning meetings is both easy and considerate. By contrast, asking Muslim teachers and students, for example, to engage in multi-day meetings while abstaining from food or drink can create unnecessary discomfort for some, and a feeling of being excluded from consideration for most.
3. Understand linguistic nuance and avoid cultural projection. Language and culture are complex; not all expressions have an appropriate match in English or Western traditions. Muslims do not necessarily celebrate Ramadan in the way that one may celebrate Christmas. While “Merry Christmas” may be commonly used for those who celebrate, the equivalent expression of “Happy” Ramadan does not quite fit in the same way. While Eid Al Fitr (the Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan) does indeed emphasize happiness and joyful celebration, Ramadan is marked by striving, intimate spiritual connections, and quiet worship. Similarly, Muslims observe the practices of Ramadan, such as fasting, abstaining from backbiting, or increasing charity. Rather than asking if students or colleagues are celebrating, using language that more accurately conveys the experience of Ramadan for most Muslims demonstrates a genuine care or understanding. Asking, “Will you be observing Ramadan this year?”, or simply wishing Muslims a “Ramadan Kareem” (Generous Ramadan - referring to the abundance of God’s blessings) or “Ramadan Mubarak” (Blessed Ramadan), feels thoughtful and validating for many Muslims.
2. Tap into your community. The knowledge that exists within your community is your greatest asset. Muslim community members should not only be consulted about how best to support them through the month of Ramadan and beyond, but their voices should be centered. Many well-meaning institutions fall short at best, and sometimes cause unintended harm when they fail to elevate Muslim voices in the conversation. Given that these community members are the experts of their own experiences, they should indeed be leading efforts to include their faith-practices within institutions. This is not to say that the burden lies upon them to do all the work, but instead, schools and workplaces that truly value diversity all have the responsibility to do the necessary work. Rather, Muslims within a community are the best partners in helping to truly honor the rich diversity that exists.
1. Empathy above compliance. Curiosity over assumptions. Above all else, the single most important thing that can be done to support Muslim students and staff during the month of Ramadan is to be empathetic and curious. When the students we surveyed said that being permitted to pray was the most accommodating support, they expressed that it was less about the permission granted, than it was the manner in which teachers approached the issue. It was the emotional after-taste of often being met with skepticism that led to a feeling of isolation. Most Muslims who work and live in non-Muslim environments will agree that we do not wish for sympathy or special allowances but rather, we wish to be able to practice our faith without feeling the weight of exceptionalism. Many members of “secular” school communities may not be overtly aware that the entire Gregorian calendar from which we operate, serves to accommodate holidays such as Christmas and Easter. It is important, therefore, to remember that if you have never had to ask for a day off to commemorate your most beloved holiday, you may not be aware of the struggle for many practicing Muslims to hold on to what we cherish most. Approaching Muslim students and staff with empathy by understanding that we face a daily challenge to preserve our practices, helps us feel that while you may not navigate the same obstacles, you stand alongside us. The student who asked his science teacher to pray, was in fact granted that permission. However, it was the suspicion and lack of empathy that led him to no longer want to pray at school. Yet, contrary to what many teachers may fear, making room for various faith practices when possible does not lead to over-leniance or loss of control. Teachers should instead function from a place of curiosity, ask questions about nuances that may be unclear, and build trusting relationships with students and colleagues. Mistakes and misunderstandings will happen in multi-faith environments. The truth is, whether you fumble an interaction or say “Merry Ramadan Kareem”, how you make others feel is what matters most. Just as the month of Ramadan is referred to by Muslims as the month of Forgiveness, empathy leads to the grace we all desire.
