Diversity Digest

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King's College London

Tag: religion and belief

Ramadan Reflections: Ehsan

March 22, 2023 /

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and traditionally begins and ends based on the sighting of the new moon. This year, Ramadan is expected to run from Wednesday 22 March to Thursday 20 April 2023, which falls in the revision and assessment preparation period for many students. 

Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims and commemorates the Qur’an being revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and many Muslims will be abstaining from food and drink during the sunlit hours.

It is also a time when Muslims are encouraged to increase their good deeds, from acts of charity and community engagement to increasing good values such as generosity, solidarity, kindness, patience and forgiveness.

During the month we will share some Ramadan Reflections. As Ramadan commences we hear from Ehsan Khan, a Senior Lecturer in Nurse Education at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery. 

Ramadhan used to be a time of trepidation and caution for me when I was young.  I am a big foody and not being able to eat or drink during the daytime hours FOR A WHOLE MONTH! was daunting.  However, I always used to get through it. What I learnt over the years is that Ramadhan is like no other month, there is a collective spirit in people partaking in this annual blessing, people are blessed with patience during this month that helps them endure the fast.   

Ramadhan is a core practice in Islam and Is mandatory on all able-bodied and minded people.  There are many exceptions related to health and medication, as well as dispensations for travel.  The duration of the fast is from the dawn till sunset. It is desirable to wake up in the morning before the dawn to eat something before the fast begins.  The fast should be finished promptly on sunset. 

Although the focus of the fast tends to be on abstaining from food and drink, people fasting also need to abstain from other activities which are mainly considered morally undesirable or religiously sinful.    

Ramadhan starts and finishing with sighting of the new moon, this causes some uncertainty on when Ramadhan may start and finish.  As Ramadhan is linked to the lunar calendar, the start date shifts by approximately 10 days each year. Therefore, for countries far from the equator, fasting can range from 12-odd hours in the winter to up to 21 hours in the summer, as the start date is earlier every year.   

One aims of this month is to recharge the person spiritually, so there is an attempt to spend more time in prayer and acts of worship.  There is a special prayer called the Tarraweh, that is offered after the evening prayer.  This prayer can be offered in congregation or at home.  Thus, this month provides a Muslim with time to return to their religion and establish or re-establish acts of worship that will carry them through the year till the next Ramadhan. Ramadhan is also a time for charity.  Any act of charity during this month is magnified in value.  There is a small mandatory charity paid during the month of Ramadhan to ideally reach the needy by the end of Ramadhan.   To celebrate the end of Ramadan there is a day of festivity known as Eid,  this entails a morning prayer and then gatherings with friends and family. 

Overall, the month helps the Muslim to gain self-control and discipline,  experiencing hunger and thirst teaches empathy and consideration for the less fortunate in society. Importantly linked to this, for many, Ramadhan is the deadline month for payment of Zakat a mandatory charity of 2.5% for those who are eligible to pay.  This money is ring fenced for the needy and less fortunate. It is ideal to give this money to those close to you first, such as friends or family that fit the criteria for receiving zakat. 

If you would like to share your own reflection of the holy month of Ramadan please email diversity@kcl.ac.uk

Supporting students and staff

At this time of year, fasting throughout the day combined with disturbances in normal sleep patterns can leave individuals feeling more tired than normal, particularly mid-afternoon and towards the end of the day. It is also the case that towards the latter part of the day some individuals who are fasting might feel a little light-headed.

We have produced resources on the support available for Muslim students and staff during Ramadan and guidance on maintaining health while fasting, along with more information on the month and how staff can support our Muslim community.

You can also find guidance on support for students on Student Services Online:

We should all be mindful of this important event for the Muslim community and be respectful of colleagues and students who are fasting and some of the challenges they may experience.

Supporting students preparing for assessments during Ramadan

Ramadan will have ended by the time Assessment Period 2 starts, so it is not likely that students will be affected during exams as a result of fasting. However, staff are encouraged to be aware of students who could still be affected, especially in revision classes and the revision period.

Students who are on clinical placements may also need specific support to ensure that they can meet their clinical learning and assessment requirements whilst maintaining their religious observances.

Where an assessment or revision class has a specific timing, this should not clash with the time of breaking the fast in the UK. However, if you are in a different time zone then this may be a problem – please contact the Dean’s Office as soon as possible if this is the case.

For any queries, please contact the Chaplaincy team, or either of our Muslim Chaplains, Imam Abdul Mumin Choudhury or Romana Kazmi.

Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

Islamophobia Awareness Month 2022

November 7, 2022 /

This November marks the 10th anniversary of Islamophobia Awareness Month being founded. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Project Officer, Safyan Rahman, explores this years IAM theme ‘Tackling Denial’. 

Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) is a campaign founded in 2012 by a coalition of Muslim organisations. It aims to highlight the impacts that misconceptions and discrimination can have on Muslims and showcase the positive contributions Muslim communities make within society. November 2022 marks the 10 year anniversary of IAM which has spent the last decade rapidly building engagement with supporters, putting on hundreds of events across the country and embarking on several profile-building media campaigns.  

Each year the campaign adopts a theme, with this years’ specific focus ‘Tackling Denial’. It aims to raise awareness of the denial of Islamophobia within political and social spaces, highlighting the dangerous and pervasive impacts such denial can have on Muslims around the globe. Denying or diminishing the existence of Islamophobia, whether institutional or in day-to-day interactions, prevents meaningful conversations on how to tackle Islamophobia. IAM aims to spotlight this theme as a means for generating uncomfortable yet valuable conversations and collective education.  

Islamophobia has a pervasive impact on communities around the world. Opinion polling by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) found that 22% of Britons had negative feelings towards Muslims and that 33% believed equal opportunities had gone too far when it comes to Muslims. In October 2020, the Home Office published data showing that over 50% of the UK’s religious hare crimes had been targeted towards Muslims in the preceding year. In 2014, the Office for National statistics found that Muslim men were up to 76% less likely to find UK employment compared to white, male British Christians of the same age and carrying the same qualifications. Muslim women were 65% less likely.  

These attitudes and actions do not manifest within a vacuum and are often influenced by narratives presented about Muslim communities by national policy-makers, media broadcasters and other prominent media forms, demonstrating that what are traditionally considered ‘overt’ and ‘covert’ acts of Islamophobia are inherently linked. This is evidenced by a 2019 study conducted by the MCB which concluded that the UK coverage of Muslims was predominantly negative, with 59% of industry coverage of Muslim-based stories containing negative themes.  

Islamophobia Awareness Month encourages people to educate themselves on the context of Islamophobia within the UK but also to think proactively about their role in tackling it. Islamophobia will inevitably affect a large portion of King’s Muslim community (staff, students and visitors), making it more important that as a community we actively seek to continue educating ourselves and understand the importance of this campaign. As a starting point, we encourage all members to explore the following resources:  

Educational resources 

Internal resources  

  • Sign up to Active Bystander training on SkillsForge to learn how to become an effective ally for all marginalised communities against bullying and harassment.  
  • Book the the newly updated Diversity Matters training to increase your knowledge on the importance of a diverse workforce.  
  • Contact diversity@kcl.ac.uk if you would like us to put on a Tackling Microaggressions training session within your staff group, directorate or Faculty. Separate sessions for students and staff can be held.  
  • Read the Religion & Belief Policy which outlines our expected behaviour of all members of the King’s community in relation to religion and belief. 
  • Use Report + Support to report any incidents of islamophobia, bullying or harassment, and to receive support.  

For further information on how to get involved with Islamophobia Awareness Month and, be kept up to date on events happening in your local area, and how to spread awareness of the campaign, visit the IAM2022 webpage.  

At King’s we affirm our commitment to the safety of all staff and encourage all to use this month to reflect on how they can further their self-education and get involved with Islamophobia Awareness Month.  

You can also follow the organisers of IAM on Twitter. 

Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

Why Ramadan is my favourite month

April 13, 2022 /

King’s College London staff member (Sustainability Projects Assistant) and former KCLSU VP Welfare & Community 2020/21, Tasnia Yasmin, shares what the Islamic holy month of Ramadan means to her.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened.”  (Sahih al-Bukhari 1898)

Every year I think the ‘not even water?!’ joke is outdated, but every year I get asked the same thing.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (we follow the lunar calendar which means Ramadan goes back 10 days every year) and is a month in which Muslims abstain from food and water and bad habits. From sunrise to sunset, we do not consume anything and engage in spiritual enlightenment.

sunrise is at 5am now so not as bad.

Spiritual enlightenment:

I saw something on Instagram recently about how sometimes an automatic reaction to someone asking about why we fast is to talk about food and the health benefits. There’s an abundance of research showing how intermittent fasting is beneficial, but that is not the reason Muslims fast.

We don't fast because of medical benefits- cellular repair or lowering rick of diabetes. We fast to please Khaliq. Let us not secularize our fasts. There is no freedom or liberty of the body, because our body is rooted Divine ownership. Bringing utility-driven models to our fasts only limits the horizons for our fasts. We imitate the unseen, the unveiled. Our amana, and Khilafa, surpass the secular limitations on worship and ritual.

translations – Khaliq (creator), Amana (fulfilling/upholding trust), Khalifah (leader).

There is really no other feeling that you get until the Holy month of Ramadan is here – when you dedicate all your time and attention on God; to thank him for what he has provided, to ask to get closer to Him and to pray for the less fortunate and the oppressed. It is a spiritual cleansing of the soul and a month where you dedicate your time and energy to bettering yourself and engaging in good habits.

Narrated By Abu Huraira : The Prophet said, “Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1901)

Oh sadness! Depart from my heart for the grace of God has arrived! Oh heart! You should depart too for the Beloved has departed! - Mawlana Rumi.

Rumi has become completely secularized in the West, most of his poetry of love and devotion is about God and our relationship with Him.

Every Muslim is on their own journey through this Holy month. Many use it as a time of spiritual recharge, building habits that they can incorporate throughout the year, re-incorporating practices which they may have stopped. We do engage with these acts throughout the year, but the soul yearns for Ramadan – a special month where your good deeds are multiplied and where you are shown the mercy of God. What is brilliant about Ramadan is that no matter where your imaan is, as long as you talk to Allah and engage with him during this blessed month, He will give. Poor, rich, ‘Ramadan Muslim’ or a Muslim who engages with regular acts of ibadaah – we are all the same under the eyes of God. Ramadan equips me with the tools to continue sustain these habits, to become a better Muslims and to refresh my mind, body and soul.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.” (Sunan Ibn Mājah 4240).

The enormity of my sins vs His Mercy.. My Lord, my sins are enormous, but a little of Your forgiveness is greater than all of them. O Allah, so erase with a little of Your forgiveness the enormity of my sins.

Charity:

When Maghrib hits, silence is met in households whilst everyone gulps down their water and stuffs dates in their mouth. But this month reminds us about the rest of the Ummah who are unable to be met with a fabulous spread of food and an array of choice. Muslims across the world are suffering because of the environmental crisis, war, Islamophobia and much more. In the UK alone, the cost of living crisis in the UK has meant that an estimated 50% of UK Muslim’s are living in poverty. One act of worship which is heightened in Ramadan is charity – giving to the less fortunate and those who need it most (one platform alone saw over £10 million in donations across the last 10 nights of Ramadan). Here is a list of food banks  and mosques to donate to and a charity initiative I’m working on (completing a school that we have built in Gambia – we raised over £60,000 over the last 2 years, mostly in Ramadan!).

Muhammad, upon him be peace, said: “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased).” (Riyad as-Salihin 1383).

And of course, to celebrate the end of Ramadan we have Eid-al-Fitr; it is a day of joy, happiness, getting together with family and friends and celebrating the month.

Over 100,000 Muslims praying the Eid prayer in one of the most holy sites in Islam, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestine.

To those who are celebrating, may Allah accept ours fasts, our good deeds and our charity. Ramadan Mubarak!

You can view the Ramadan timetable for this year here.

Key terminology

  • Ramadan Kareem/Ramadan Mubarak – how to wish someone a blessed Ramadan.
  • Fajr – the first prayer of the day (out if 5) just before sunrise – Muslims will wake up to eat their morning meal before this prayer.
  • Maghrib – the 4th prayer of the day at sunset and when Muslims break their fast.
  • Suhoor – the morning meal before Fajr.
  • Iftaar – the meal where you break your fast.
  • Ummah – the collective Muslim community.
  • Imaan – faith.
  • Ibaadah – worship.
  • Eid Mubarak – how to wish someone a happy Eid.

New Dharmic Prayer Room at King’s

March 25, 2021 /

Former KCLSU Activities and Development Vice President (2019/20) and current final year BSc. International Management student, Nakul Patwa, pens a blog about the opening of the new Dharmic Prayer Room at King’s, and what it means to him and other Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Buddhist students.

I remember vividly my first day at King’s College London and, like everyone else, I was very excited, a little overwhelmed, and still getting familiar with the ins and outs of the enormous institution. It was only by chance that I came across the Chaplaincy at the Strand Campus. Tucked away under a staircase, it was almost as if it was a world of its own. Little did I know then that this space would become an inspiration for what I was going to achieve at King’s. I would later go there to meet fellow international students, over the “international lunches”, have numerous enriching conversations with the Chaplain, meet some of my closest friends – it almost became a sanctuary of sorts for me, as it did for so many students during their time at King’s.

picture showing the new dharmic prayer room

The new Dharmic Prayer Room which has recently opened at Guy’s Campus

My experiences with the chaplaincy inspired me to champion the cause of this institution that was a cornerstone of the essence of King’s. I wanted to give back in a way that would allow many more students like me to engage with the chaplaincy – that is where the idea for a Dharmic Prayer Room for students following Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Buddhist faiths was born. I felt the need for a dedicated space because of my conversations with student groups and hearing the challenges they faced while practicing their faiths.

It was one of the first things I wanted to achieve when I was elected as the Vice President of King’s College London Students’ Union. Having garnered widespread support of the student body and various student groups, I was optimistic that this was something that would provide a safe space for students whose faiths have not historically been equally represented. Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has brought about, I am delighted to have achieved this for King’s. I believe that this project will add more value to the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion projects for the institution as well as the King’s Vision 2029.

I believe that this project is a milestone, not only in the illustrious history of King’s, but also in the history of UK universities. It is an important step towards honouring and fostering the diversity of our membership. I am extremely proud that I could turn my dream into reality, and my hope is that more institutions across the UK would take a cue from King’s to establish spaces that would enable their population to express themselves in a manner that enhances their vibrant ecologies.

picture of Nakul Patwa

Nakul Patwa, former KCLSU Activities and Development Vice President (2019/20) and current King’s student.

‘Yes, not even water!’

May 11, 2020 /
Jayada Begum, Programme Officer from King’s Business School, pens a blog about the meaning of Ramadan and shares personal reflections on the Holy Month.

 

‘Deeper meanings’

With the month of Ramadan under full swing, and approximately 1.8 billion Muslims around the world currently fasting, this holy month comes with its fair share of questions and annual chuckles.  Muslims around the world are always asked by their non-fasting colleagues ‘What! not even water?’.  Yes, that’s right! Not even water! The look of shock and awe on their faces when they learn of this, is rather entertaining.

So, you may be wondering, what exactly is Ramadan and why is it important to your Muslim colleagues? Is it just a month where Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink from dawn till sunset? The answer is ‘no’, it is much more than that.

There is a much deeper meaning than merely staying hungry.  In this act of fasting, Muslims from all over the world, from all ethnicities and financial backgrounds, leave aside their most basic needs and turn their attention to God, acknowledging that none besides Him can provide.  It is the time when the rich feel the pangs of hunger and thirst of the poor, and thus sympathise with millions of unfortunate people and increase their charity giving and their expression of gratitude to their Lord.

Fasting is truly an effective means for the purification of the soul, for strengthening one’s morality, self-control and deepening one’s consciousness of God. God states in the Quran:

“You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God”. (Quran, 2:183).

The fact that fasting is a means to moral elevation is evident because God not only forbids his believers from eating, drinking and abstaining from other desires from dawn to sunset, but also exhorts the faithful to refrain from foul acts such as backbiting, indulging in foul speech, telling lies etc. It is almost like an annual training programme to refresh our mind, body and soul, where fasting provides us with discipline and training, to keep away from the many things that tarnish good conduct.  This inevitably allows us to strengthen our character and connection with God, and act upon His guidance.

The month of Ramadan is permeated with piety and devotion to God.  Muslims disconnect from worldly pleasures and exert their energy and focus on their prayers and increase their good deeds and charity. I personally devote this month to intense supplication and recitation of the Quran and reflect on the purpose of this life and our existence.

‘Man says, What? Once I am dead, will I be brought back to life? But does man not remember that We created him when he was nothing before? (Quran, 19:66-67).

‘The similitude of the life of this world is like this: rain that We send down from the sky is absorbed by the plants of the earth, from which humans and animals eat.  But when the earth has taken on its finest appearance, and adorns itself, and its people think they have power over it, then our commanded comes to it by night or by day, and We reduce it to stubble, as if it had not flourished just the day before.  This is the way We explain the revelations for those who reflect’. (Quran, 10:24).

‘A night better than a thousand months’

During this month, there is a night which is said to be ‘better than a thousand months’ and this night is called Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power), and it occurs during the last ten days of Ramadan. This night commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad and is a night of great importance; where Muslims dedicate the entire night to prayer and seek repentance of their sins.

Every year, in order to attain a spiritual epitome during these days, I usually travel to Makkah and Madinah or Al-Quds (Jerusalem) to spend these blessed days in devotion and away from the hustle of daily life. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this will not be possible this year. Below are a few pictures from my previous travels:

Ramadan in Masjid al-Haram in Makkah (Saudi Arabia) 2018

The Kaaba (House of God) is the first place of worship dedicated to the one God, built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.  Muslims all around the world, face towards its direction when praying.

Ramadan in Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah (Saudi Arabia) 2018

The mosque was established by Prophet Muhammad, and is also his final resting place.

 

Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Masjid in Jerusalem 2019

Third holiest site in Islam and the place from which Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven during the Night Journey mentioned in the Quran.

Breaking of the Fast

In this special month, you will see the Muslim community burst into life.  The month brings forth beautiful moments, where Muslim homes are filled with a beautiful atmosphere of thankfulness, love and compassion, with families, friends and neighbours coming together to break their fast with dates and water in unison.  Below are a few images of the iftar meals that I have made and enjoyed with my family:

For those of you who are observing the fasts this month, I want to wish you a blessed Ramadan! May all your fasts and prayers be accepted! And for those of you who are not fasting, I would like to invite you to perhaps try fasting for a day and tell us all about your experiences!

Whilst writing this, it has highlighted the importance of promoting good communal understanding and sharing respective experiences.  Thus, if anyone is interested in learning more about the Islamic faith, please feel free to click on this linked PDF to access the translation of the Quran.

Ramadan Mubarak Everyone!

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