COLUMBUS, OHIO, 11 October 2006 — Kaufmann’s, a department store in Polaris Mall, closed last week. The other one at Tuttle Crossing Mall has now become Macy’s. The store seemed to have been a kind of a landmark for the Muslims here who affectionately dubbed it Musalman’s instead of Kaufmann’s; there are so many “visible” Muslims working there.
The hijab-clad women are spotted right away: Hodo from Somalia, Tasleema from Bangladesh, Tehseen from India and the newest addition, Samar who moved back to the US from Saudi Arabia after eleven years.
There are many men too: Osman, Mohammad and Abdul are all from Somalia and Abdul Aziz is from Bangladesh.
Kaufmann’s was taken-over by the New York-based retail-giant Macy’s. Despite this change, this year you can still spot the Muslim sales associates (as the cashiers are called). You can find them praying in stockrooms, lounges and fitting rooms.
During Ramadan, you may come across them eating sambousas, burgers and pizzas in lunchrooms or food courts. Though they are all fasting, not everyone is able to get the same time off to break his or her fast.
“In Saudi Arabia, I was pretty impatient to break my fast. However, here I really discovered the challenges of fasting,” Samar told Arab News. “Now I only have time to slip in a date or sip some water while I continue serving customers. Living here has taught me to be more patient.”
“The fasting experience in America makes me real happy and gives me an idea of the beauty of Islam. You can fast anywhere in the world, under all conditions.
So many of us Muslims working here do not get time to eat properly after breaking our fast, yet all of us make efforts to pray on time,” she added.
The managers and other employees have learned a lot about Islam from the Muslim associates. “I almost fainted. I went to my stockroom and saw Tahseen sprawled face down on the floor. Do you need help, are you OK? I asked and got frightened when I did not get a reply. I was about to help her when she got up. I was really wondering what was happening. Then she told me she was praying. Now I am used to that sight,” said Manager Sarah Wiley.
Now, many customers know about fasting, thanks to the growing Muslim population. I heard one customer say to a Muslim sales associate, “Ah, Ramadan is here again. Don’t know how you guys do it. I could never stay hungry for so long. I love my food too much.”
The sales associate smiled and replied, “Yes, you could. If a billion of us Muslims can do it so could you and you would love the feeling of spirituality.”
“Scheduling time off for all the Muslims for Eid is a tough one,” Ymillia the HR manager said. Since Eid is such a big celebration for Muslims, she tries to accommodate everyone.
“The fact that we are not sure which day Eid is, really confuses the managers in the beginning and when you explain the lunar calendar, they find it fascinating.” Shahin, another Muslim sales associate said.
One associate, who preferred remaining anonymous, said, “My concentration often lapses, especially at the beginning of the fast. I’ve even made simple mistakes where I’ve forgotten to take money from a customer.
“Good thing is that the honest customer reminded me,” she said. “Now, I make an extra effort and I count my money twice because I don’t want to give out the message that Muslims cannot work properly if they are fasting.”
Despite the tough circumstances of working during iftar and Maghreb time in a non-Muslin country, these Muslims have maintained in high spirits during fasting.
This serves as a great example of the ability God gives Muslims when we set out to fulfill out religious obligations.
Samar said, “If I think about it on a regular day, I feel like I wouldn’t be able to do any of this. But Alhamdulillah, Allah gives us the strength.”
