Feeling Like I'm Failing at the Basics and Don't Know How to Fix It
What kind of Muslim am I anymore? I truly love Islam and get so much joy from correcting misconceptions about it. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh! Just thinking about, say, a non-Muslim learning the truth-maybe about how Islam honors women-makes my heart leap. But then I can barely manage my own Salah and often don't pray except when joining my family for Jumu'ah. I feel like such a hypocrite and I'm terrified for my akhirah. Honestly, I mostly just recite Ayatul Kursi for protection from the evil eye and magic, say bismillah before eating and drinking, fast in Ramadan, and try to give a bit of sadaqah on Laylatul Qadr. That's about it. No one ever taught me *how* to build the habit of praying; I just learned the movements as a kid, and at puberty was told I had to do it. I'm grateful they didn't force me, or I might've resented it, but now I hardly pray at all. Once in a blue moon, I get a burst of motivation and pray one salah, but then I'm lost again. I've tried starting small-just praying 'Isha daily-several times and then just... stopped. I feel so drained even thinking about these basic duties, and knowing missing Salah is a major sin makes it worse. Sometimes I've even doubted if I can call myself a Muslim. Alhamdulillah, my brother reminded me that even if you're not praying, you're still Muslim; you're just sinning and struggling. That might've stopped me from giving up out of shame-SubhanAllah, he probably didn't even realize. I've cried to Allah SWT so many times, begging for help to draw closer again and remove whatever's blocking me, but it hasn't clicked yet. I really don't know what to do. I deeply *want* to pray five times a day. When I do pray, I feel so much calmer, happier, and at peace-even physically warmer. If I could just be regular in my salah, I swear I'd be the happiest person alive.