As Ramadan comes to an end, over a billion people around the world - colleagues, neighbours, family members, friends - prepare for one of Islam's most joyful occasions. This feels like a good moment to pause and reflect on Ramadan and what this season is actually about.
In the words of Pencil’s Ali, a Product Manager:
"Ramadan is a time for focus, reflection, and deep gratitude. As the month draws to a close, we carry those values into a celebration of community and togetherness. From all of us at Pencil, we wish you a blessed Eid Mubarak. May your day be filled with joy and quality time with family & loved ones."
For those less familiar with the rhythm of the month: during Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours. No food or drink from sunrise to sunset.
Before dawn, a meal called suhoor sets people up for the day. After sunset, the fast is broken with iftar, often a communal meal shared with family, friends, and neighbours.
Some people observe strictly, some more casually, and the month looks different for everyone - but that daily rhythm of restraint and release runs through it all. It also means that during Ramadan, many people around us are going through their working day without eating or drinking. This is something to be mindful of when it comes to things like lunch meetings or eating in shared spaces. Nobody expects non-observers to fast of course, but the awareness and consideration is always appreciated.
There's a lesser-known detail worth sharing. Within Ramadan's final ten nights is Laylat al-Qadr (translated as ‘the Night of Power’ in English) which commemorates the first revelation of the Quran. Islamic tradition holds that this single night carries more spiritual weight than a thousand months. Nobody knows exactly which night it is. Observers seek it across multiple nights in a state of quiet vigil and reflection.
Then comes the long-awaited "festival of breaking the fast" - Eid al-Fitr. When the crescent moon of the new month is sighted, Ramadan is over, and celebrations can begin.
This is a joyous day; people dress in their best clothes, families and friends gather for celebratory feasts, children receive gifts, and the greeting Eid Mubarak - "blessed celebration" - is exchanged everywhere.
Part of preparing for Eid is Zakat al-Fitr - commonly translated as the “Charity of Breaking the Fast.” Zakat al-Fitr is traditionally given before the Eid morning prayer, It's usually given in the form of food or its monetary equivalent, and it's not optional; it's built into the fabric of the occasion itself. The gesture ensures that no one is left out of the Eid celebrations.
If you're not sure whether it's appropriate to say anything to colleagues who observe, it absolutely is. A greeting of “Eid Mubarak” is always welcome on this holy occasion.
For those of us working on campaigns that touch Ramadan or Eid, the most valuable thing we can do is work alongside colleagues who actually observe it. The nuances of tone, timing, and imagery are easy to get right when the people in the room include those for whom this is simply lived reality.
Eid Mubarak from all of us at Pencil.
