Mumbai Imagine a Hindu woman asking her neighbour to bring back a handful of soil from Mecca for her to preserve as a memento of the birthplace of Prophet Mohammed. Or think of an entire office giving a send-off to their Muslim colleague bound for Haj.
In his former office, Zamirul Hasan, technical officer in a government outfit, used to offer namaz in a space made especially available to him by a colleague who, he discovered, was a follower of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). After he left, his colleague lamented that that space had been turned into a makeshift bar by some fresh Hindu recruits.
Many stereotypes were shattered as speakers shared their experiences on the theme `Muslims and the Workplace’, at a discussion hosted by activist Ghulam Arif’s Community Talking Platform at Khilafat House on Saturday.
With Muslims in a minority in most workplaces, being faithful to their religious identity at work could be a challenge. The speakers had been able to do so, but only after sticking to one ground rule: developing a genuine respect for other faiths.
A vivid illustration of this was provided by Dr Vasika Seliya, head of department in a private medical college. A first generation professional from the Chiliya community, who are known for their non-vegetarian restaurants, she preferred carrying vegetarian lunch from home so that she could share it with her colleagues. When she did take non-vegetarian food, she didn’t use the microwave that was used by everyone.
“I don’t see this as a compromise,’’ she said. “It’s just the minimum adjustment I can make for colleagues who wait for me while I offer namaz and who abstain from alcoholic drinks while seated on the same table as me.’’
Mohammed Ali Shaikh, an IT executive, felt that Muslims could maintain their religious identity at work without compromise as long as they recognised it as a professional space. “I’ve sat at a table abroad with clients where the most delicious meat has been ordered, but I couldn’t partake because it wasn’t halal. I’ve nursed a soda while others have downed a bottle of wine,’’ recounted Shaikh. However, he said that none of this had affected his relationships with colleagues.
Decades older than him, retired Nuclear Power Corporation of India executive director A M Desnavi had come to the same conclusion as Shaikh: the need to see one’s religious culture as distinct from the culture at the workplace. He had worked 12-hour days through Ramzan, breaking his fast with a solitary date while colleagues refurbished themselves with tea and refreshments. Retired ATS cop Iqbal Shaikh recalled breaking his fast with a date often while travelling inside a police vehicle.
“Identity without conflict’’ should be the goal, said the speakers. For that, an exposure to diverse faiths was an advantage. Dr Seliya had grown up among Christian and Parsi neighbours, and attended both English and Urdu schools; Shaikh had selected a convent school for his children rather than an Islamic one; while Zamirul Hasan had chosen to live in a mixed locality.
Had none of them faced anti-Muslim prejudice given the current political climate? While Dr Seliya pointed out that not all Hindus were anti-Muslim, Shaikh spoke of “jokes’’ cracked in the canteen, offensive statements and the unpleasantness triggered by the film Kashmir Files. “You have to develop a thick skin,’’ he said.
At the same time, both he and Desnavi pointed out that anti-Muslim prejudice and right-wing radicalism were on the rise across the world. “As Muslims, we need to be prepared to deal with that,’’ said Desnavi, “as much as we need to prepare ourselves for women joining the workforce in droves.’’