Ramadan follows the lunar calendar, so the dates shift each year. In 2026, it is expected to begin on Tuesday, February 17 and end on the evening of Wednesday, March 18. Eid al-Fitr, the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan and one of the two major holidays in the Islamic calendar, is expected to begin at sundown on Thursday, March 19.

Muslims who observe Ramadan will fast from dawn until dusk (approximately 6:30AM to 8:30PM in the Niagara Region). Fasting means no food and no water. During Ramadan, gatherings and prayers often last late into the night; people may be up past midnight for prayers and then awake at 4:30AM to eat before dawn.

During this time, individuals may be hungry, tired, and dehydrated, particularly during the late afternoon and evening. Workplace accommodations on religious grounds are made in collaboration between the staff or faculty and their supervisor, and with the support of the Office of People and Culture. Academic accommodations on religious grounds are made in collaboration between the student and individual instructors.

Brock University has a duty to accommodate the creed-related needs of students and employees under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Creed is broadly understood as a continuum of religious beliefs and practices that govern an individual’s way of life. In the context of Ramadan, this means that the University has an obligation to adjust practices or requirements so that Muslim students, staff, and faculty are not disadvantaged. 

Religion, spirituality and faith are unique to everyone. Some practices and traditions require its participants to follow guidelines that may conflict with tasks and expectations in the workplace or academic environment.

A religious accommodation requires the University, its students, and its staff to work together in providing accommodations when an individual’s religious observances or practices create a conflict with their work or learning environment, or their schedule. Instead of providing special privileges or advantages, accommodations provide equitable resources for all individuals to ensure they are included, respected, and able to engage in full participation in their community.

Examples of religious accommodations for students in the context of Ramadan could include:

• extending deadlines
• adjusting the scheduling of academic commitments
• offering flexibility in attendance requirements.

Faculty members have discretion in determining appropriate academic accommodations.

Please visit the links below to to learn more about Ramadan, and how to accommodate Islamic religious practices in the workplace:

• What is Ramadan? – Live Science
• An Employers Guide to Islamic Religious Practices- National Council of Canadian Muslims
• Brock University on Academic Accommodation for Religious Obligations

Thank you for listening. This is page is a public service announcement from Human Rights & Equity, Brock Muslim Students Association, and Brock Faith and Life Centre.

Ramadan Mubarak! (Happy Ramadan!)