The holy month of Ramadan comes with great spiritual discipline which may prove tough for young Muslims. It鈥檚 during this time, the devil has been put on a leash and you鈥檙e solely responsible for whatever wrongdoings you commit.聽
While it might seem like most people have their shit together and lead a pristine month, there are others who find it hard to keep up with the demands of the holy month. You might learn a thing or seven from the stories of these young Muslims.
Ibrahim*, 30
Waking up for Sahoor is the hardest part of Ramadan for me. I鈥檓 such a heavy sleeper and even my alarm has the toughest job trying to wake me up. Left to me, I鈥檒l go on without waking up to eat sahoor. Unfortunately, the waking and eating bit also makes your fasting valid so you can鈥檛 decide to skip it. Thank God my younger brother is around. He鈥檚 been the one waking me up since we started.
Balikis*, 25
This might sound weird but the only thing I struggle with during Ramadan is this awful taste in my mouth. I can鈥檛 describe it. It鈥檚 sort of this bitter-ish taste you get when you鈥檙e about to come down with malaria. You should see my brushing after sahuur. I do everything鈥攆loss, tongue scrape, gargle with mouthwash鈥攜et it never leaves. I once spoke to a doctor about it and he said something about acid reflux. A friend suggested using chewing sticks to clean my mouth after every ablution, so that鈥檚 something I鈥檓 trying this month.
Kehinde*, 27
I don鈥檛 look forward to Ramadan because of the midnight cooking. It鈥檚 the hardest part for me. Growing up, my mum used to handle it and she鈥檇 only come to wake us up when food was ready. But now that we鈥檝e grown older, the baton has been handed down to me and my sisters. We鈥檝e devised a roaster to make it easier but I don鈥檛 think that does much. I still get to cook four times a week. My consolation is the reward from Allah and the prayers that follow when I serve my parents.
Mariam*, 27
Ramadan is the only month when it feels like I鈥檓 in a long-distance relationship. I cut down on visits to my boyfriend and even our communication isn鈥檛 all that. Islam doesn鈥檛 quite agree with the concept of dating, so it鈥檚 just one of those 鈥渟inful鈥 acts I tone down on during Ramadan. Does it take a toll on me? Yes. Because I don鈥檛 get to see the one person who babies me. But thankfully, he鈥檚 also a Muslim so he also understands. I can鈥檛 wait for when we鈥檙e married and spend Ramadan together as a proper couple.
Ahmed*, 24
Outside of Ramadan, it鈥檚 easier to form unlooking when you miss your salat or hear the call to prayer. It鈥檚 hard to do that during Ramadan. It鈥檚 constantly ringing in your head that your fast is void and unaccepted if you don鈥檛 complete your five daily prayers. As someone who struggles with five daily prayers, I like that this Ramadan makes me more intentional. Is it difficult? Yes. Would I rather skip prayers? Probably. But, deep down I know I鈥檓 getting my rewards for doing one of the most basic things expected.
Jamiu*, 28
Ramadan as a bachelor isn鈥檛 easy. I can鈥檛 even tell you the number of times I鈥檝e considered moving back home just to spend the month with my parents. It鈥檚 not just about the waking and cooking bit, there鈥檚 also the loneliness that makes the entire process hard on you. Back at home, Sahur is always a vibe. There鈥檚 the fun bit of seeing who wakes up first, we get to eat as a family and watch some of the Muslim shows that air around that time. But here, it鈥檚 just me, myself and I doing it all alone. Although I try to channel that feeling of loneliness into reading the Quran, listening to sermons and other things that can earn my rewards in the holy month.
Jumoke*, 30
There鈥檚 something different about Ramadan in the UK compared to Nigeria. Back home, there鈥檚 this sense of 鈥淩amadan is in the air鈥 you get. You don鈥檛 feel lonely in all of that experience of waking up to cook at midnight, going for tarawee and attending tafsir because there are so many people doing it around. It鈥檚 not like that here. This is my third Ramadan and I鈥檝e been slightly agitated since we started because I don鈥檛 know what this one will bring. I struggled during my last two鈥擭o friends, away from my family, missed so many fasting days and cried a lot. Now, I鈥檓 part of a Muslim community and it helps. But it鈥檚 still not like fasting at home.
Read next: How to Make Time Faster During Ramadan
