It is a typical cafeteria found in any modern office. Brightly lit, walls painted in vibrant colours. Sipping chai , a group of professionals is engaged in conversation in one corner. In another, a handful of techies, some wearing skullcaps, put tables together that will serve as a large iftar dastarkhwan (a table spread to break the fast during Ramzan). It is quarter to seven in the evening, almost time to break the day’s roza (fast).
Soon, a group of rozedar (those fasting) – both men and women – walks in and gathers around the dastarkhwan . Some have brought bowls of sliced fruit, including dates, others carry home-cooked food. At 6.50 p.m., they break the fast and share food.
Faith, fast, work
“For those working in the IT and ITeS industry, Ramzan is all about managing time. We have to make time for iftar and prayers in congregation without compromising on work. All are equally important,” says Abdul Qadeer, an operations manager with a banking corporation in Hitec City.
Syed Abdul Wasay (name changed), a network specialist, points out that those who work the day shift take fewer and shorter breaks so that they can assemble for offering zohar (afternoon prayers), asr (pre-dusk prayers) and maghrib (evening prayers). “We have an hour’s break every day. Of course, there’s no question of tea breaks when one is fasting. This gives us the opportunity to save the first 20 or 30 minutes for each prayer and the rest for the iftar,” he says.
Those working night shifts have to only offer fajr or pre-sunrise prayers. This leaves them more time for sehr or sehri , the pre-dawn meal.
Prayer in groups
Since namaz in congregation is central to Ramzan, some offices designate a prayer room for the devout. Others permit larger congregations in other parts of the office building.
Depending on business requirements, the management allows the rozedar to take, for example, a half-hour extra break for the prayers and compensate for it by working for an equal amount of time.
“The management of this facility allowed us to use a portion of the parking lot for offering prayers in congregation. A space is clearly demarcated. Professionals from offices nearby also come here and pray. The best part is, in keeping with the egalitarian spirit of Islam and Ramzan, professionals and cab drivers pray side by side,” says Mohammed Abdul Samad, a customer service executive.
