This is that time of the year when their office kitchenette is often found to be filthy, with unwashed utensils and mold forming on the kitchen table sides. This time round, the whole office has to take a lot more time than just a few minutes to negotiate around the dirty cups, plates and pans in the sink; and dishes, grime and food stuff stashed on the kitchen counter – basically the kitchen is nothing but a mess.
Asked why she leaves the kitchen cluttered at this specific time of the year, Rukiyah had just this to say: “nanti, it is Ramadan, so I can not work the way I normally work!” It being a law firm, her response disarmed her colleagues in fear of furthering a conversation that would ultimately seemingly question a spiritual observance vis–à–vis ‘earthly work’.
That aside, Rukiyah’s response is being replayed in many work settings in diverse versions. At another workplace, Fathia now clocks in later than the official reporting time and spends a greater part of the day coiled under her table – sleeping. The reason being, she has to conserve the ‘little energy’ in her body as she awaits iftar (to break the fast),nanti it's ramadan! In this way the production rate of the entire office has to ‘understandably’ fall because ‘we are fasting’! Had this been the same mindset in the United Arab Emirates, for instance, then many of the Kikubo shops here in Kampala that solely depend on products from that side of the world would be closing shop every time we clock into Ramadan.
But surprisingly, this is not how Hajji Aziz operates! Be sure to find Hajji Aziz at his petrol station in Kawempe at 7:00am, full of energy, wearing his ever-pleasant smile; he will not settle in his office to ‘conserve his energy’ waiting for iftar. He will many times pace out of his office to serve motorists at the pump – thereafter he will dash back to his office and take care of many arising administrative issues. He does this from 7:00am to 7:00pm without a wane in his energy. Hajji is loyal to this routine all-round the year – but he is also a devout seventy-year old Muslim who takes fasting so seriously and sincerely. Hajji’s outlook towards work is exactly the same as that of Saudah – my friends’ housemaid. Notwithstanding the fact that she too is fasting, am told Saudah will be up as early as 5:00am, have her pre-fast meal (Suhoor) and perform her daily house chores with diligence and focus.
Now, when I consulted my faithful friend, Google and her cousin, Wikipedia, they both were in agreement that fasting (in this case Ramadan) has numerous health benefits, including: improved brain function, alertness, reduction in stress levels, reduced blood pressure among many others. My layman’s interpretation of the net result of the benefits listed should at least be a certain level of vitality and verve amongst those fasting.
With the exception of certain categories of persons who are exempted from fasting, for those who fast, work must continue as usual. Actually, during the fasting season, be it Lent or Ramadan, we must strive to work better than we always do because this should be an opportunity for us to perform as many acts of worship as we can. Good work is an act of worship!
So guys, we must strive to work doubly hard during the fasting periods; it's good for the soul, it's good for the body!
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