Nabil Qamar shares his thoughts as a Muslim security professional working as a Security Officer in OCS Group UK.
Q: What is Ramadan?
A: Ramadan is a celebration and one of the Five Pillars of Islam – five principles which Muslims believe are compulsory acts ordered by God. Fasting (no food or drink) during daylight hours is an act of worship, which enables Muslims to feel closer to God and strengthen their spiritual health and self-discipline. Ramadan is a time when Muslims are encouraged to give to charity, strengthen their relationship with God, and show kindness and patience. So, although it does come with some challenges, it is a very rewarding time too.
Q: What are some of the challenges you face?
A: It is a challenge going without food or drink for such a long period of time. As you can imagine, it does have an impact on your energy which consequently can make daily duties that little bit more difficult. However, I ensure it does not impact on the quality of security I provide, as there is still a required standard to maintain. In contrast, because we are to show more kindness and patience as a part of Ramadan, you will find the customer service aspect of my role is enhanced as we are really focused on it, which is a positive impact. In addition to my reduced energy, I personally have issues with regular headaches, which seem to be an issue with the change of routine. Again, I don’t allow this to impact my day job, which is especially important in my customer facing security role where I interact with a high number of individuals every day. This also includes my own security team, who are very understanding during Ramadan and support me in preserving my energy.
Q: What changes are there to your daily routine?
A: You do have to adapt during Ramadan, in terms of taking opportunities to rest when able to. Take for instance your scheduled breaks, where usually you may sit and chat with others during this time, instead I will seclude myself and take that time to sit down and not speak to regain some energy – every minute becomes important and emphasised. It is a difficult one though, as although I try to preserve energy, I can end up using more through my eagerness to demonstrate my kindness and patience, going above my daily routine as a Security Officer to provide an enhanced service.
Q: What do you miss the most during the day?
A: A cup of tea! I regularly miss being able to have a cup of tea or coffee during the day, it is often the regular essentials that we take for granted that you miss the most. Although, when you have gone for so long without them during the day, the first cup of tea after Ramadan is all that more rewarding and worth it.
Q: Do you think it has an added benefit to your current security role?
A: Yes, without understanding it can sometimes be hard to see what positive impact it could have, given the sacrifice we make. But in terms of my role, a front-line security service that is dependent on communication and a high level of service, it has its added benefits. Sometimes we do have difficult customers and it often diffuses situations that could be a risk, as it is difficult for these individuals to become aggressive towards someone who is being particularly kind, patient and willing to help.
