The holy month of Ramadan is upon us and we wish all our observing members a Ramadan Kareem!
Many of us receive iftar and suhour invitations during Ramadan which provide great opportunities for networking. This year, it will be different due to the Covid situation and safety protocols and such events may be confined to much smaller groups and family and friends.
Ramadan is also a unique time for social media in this part of the world, with high levels of internet activity being recorded during this period and again, given the current pandemic, digital activity will be even higher.
But while the door may be open to business, it’s important to balance the advantages you may receive with suitable behaviour.
In order to respect the nature of the holiest month of the year, both professionally and in terms of cultural and traditional considerations, make sure to:
- Ask for advice about local customs and traditions associated with Ramadan, if you are not familiar with Islam and the culture.
- Show great respect for those who are fasting. If you need to have meetings during the day, schedule them mid-morning if possible, and avoid having them from 3pm onwards
- Use this time to strengthen your working relationship with your existing clients with patience and respect, and also to focus on your internal business activities
- Participate in charitable and community activities since Ramadan is a time to give back to the community
- Confirm your attendance and arrive on time, if you are invited to an iftar or suhour and decide to go. Apply the same etiquette as in a usual business lunch or dinner
All BNI Chapters will continue to meet as normal at the usual times and for safety reasons no Chapters are permitted to hold any iftars or suhours this year. We ask members to kindly abide by this and avoid inviting large groups of chapter members for any events. You may of course continue to meet on a one-to-one basis in-person to deepen your relationships.
Have a blessed and safe Ramadan.
