The Civil Service is a diverse workforce tying together a myriad of people to deliver the best outcomes for the public. Within this cohort, we see many that practice faith. I value the Civil Service for enabling me to bring my whole authentic self to work by accommodating for the sensitivities I require in practicing my faith.
In striving for remembrance and dikhr, it is important for Muslims to perform their duties in the best manner they can- not as performative acts, but with diligence and integrity. As a Muslim, I remember that Allah (SWT) honours all halal work; the earnings we make from our work are indeed Allah’s favours upon us. Understandably, it can seem daunting to ask for accommodation. Often Muslim’s fear being a burden on their workplace and we try to undermine our needs in efforts to not be ‘othered’ at work. However, in doing so, we do a disservice to our spiritual self. This blocks potential blessings and denies us of a closer relationship with our Creator, a habit that I am also guilty of.
To me, the first step to amalgamating Islamic values at work is sincererty in your intentions in wanting to practice your faith to the best of your ability for the sake of Allah (SWT), even in the work-place.
To start, one of the core values in our religion is: salah/prayer. In the Quran, Allah decrees the significance of prayer; and even advises, that once prayer has been performed, to go out and resume working.
He says, "And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed." [Al-Jumu'ah, 10].
In essence, I am all too aware that I cannot neglect my spiritual duties for my work, especially when these same spiritual duties bring me closer to Allah, who then blesses me with the bounty of my work.
As a Civil Servant, I am grateful for the efforts my department makes in supporting me to practice my faith. There is a secluded multi-faith room in our offices where Muslims can pray, complete with wet rooms for ablution. Additionally, I am privileged to be able to take a few minutes out of my day for prayer breaks and I pray Jummah on Fridays as I am able to block my calendar during this period and go to do so.
In order to benefit from these adjustments, I had to take the step and have honest conversations with my managers and my team about my needs as a Muslim woman in the Civil service. In turn, this helped my managers understand best practice for other Muslims in the team too.
I realised I had worried more than I needed to when all I needed to do was have open frank conversations about my religious and spiritual needs with those I work with, which ultimately helps me to perform better at work.
For me, spiritually, these prayers provide calm during the chaos; I come back to work feeling refreshed and restored after each prayer. In remembering God, I find myself grateful, and ready for the challenges ahead of the day.
Whilst I am not by any means the perfect Muslim, I appreciate the spaces created where I can strive to better myself intentionally, faithfully and constantly.
Taz,
Head of Digital Oversight & Data Strategy
Department for Health and Social Care
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