It is heartening to see Ramadan being so widely celebrated and shared - and encouraging to see a genuine interest in people wanting to participate and learn about this regardless of what faith they may or may not associate themselves with. Over time these wooden creations have been elevated to become a chaotic array of colours, now displayed across the entire country, spreading light during the Holy Month. Known as Gergaoon in Bahrain, there are other variants throughout the Gulf such as Karkee’aan in Saudi Arabia, Gargee’aan in Kuwait, and Hag Al Leylah in the UAE.

Ramadan remembers the month the Quran (the Muslim holy book) was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).This was my opportunity, together with my fellow curious Deloitte colleagues, to not only walk in the shoes of others, but to learn more.

Hisham lbn Urwa said, “I have never seen anyone who could have knowledge of an ayah, an obligatory act, a Sunnah act, poetry, history, lineage, judgement, or medicine better than Aisha. For our family, knowing that we cannot stop our every-day lives to dedicate it solely to religious practices, we try to fit in the intent behind Ramadan in a more practical application whenever we can. Food is at the centre of the day with the menu being planned with precision and very much influenced by my favourite dishes!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 predicted to begin on March 23, and to end April 21 with Eid al-Fitr celebrations. My team celebrate Eid Ul Fitr – they understand how challenging it has been and want to be as inclusive as possible.

It begins the day after the committee spots the new crescent moon, which can be tricky since it’s quite faint and can be seen for only about 20 minutes.

All of this has helped to bring huge awareness in respect of all religions and the associated religious events. In fact, fasting this year has been relatively easier due to this unusually cold weather that we’re currently experiencing.

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. For any queries, please contact the Chaplaincy team, or either of our Muslim Chaplains, Imam Abdul Mumin Choudhury or Romana Kazmi. Muslims believe it was during this month that Allah (God) revealed the first verses of the Quran to Mohammed, on a night known as "The Night of Power".

Lunch time’ – my Muslim colleagues advised me to use my ‘lunch’ break wisely – so I scheduled an hour away from meetings and my computer to go for a walk.