My First Ramadan as Someone New to Islam
Assalamu alaikum, I’m at a point where I’m learning about Islam but still figuring things out-I believe in one God, Allah, and that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His final messenger, but I’ve only read part of the Quran and am not sure how to pray yet. This Ramadan, I told myself that even if fasting is tough, I’d use this time to learn how to pray properly. I’m keeping my faith private for now because my family and friends aren’t familiar with Islam at all, and I worry they wouldn’t understand. Also, fasting at work has been a challenge since I rely on coffee and nicotine to get through the day-I’m sure others can relate to that struggle. Alhamdulillah, I managed to fast from Fajr to Maghrib today, which felt amazing but really hard without caffeine or nicotine. I’m proud of myself and know I couldn’t have done it without remembering Allah. After breaking my fast, though, I slipped up and bought a vape, even though I’d thrown mine away last night-quitting for good is tough, but I’m determined to try my best, and I also aim to avoid drinking during Ramadan. I don’t have many people to share this with, so I wanted to put it out here, both the good and the not-so-good. Any advice on taking these small steps would mean a lot-I’m even getting emotional just writing this😭