My Experience With Ramadan

Gihan Hassan

Being born into Islam is one thing, but learning to fall in love with the religion you were born into is such a beautiful transition. When I was younger, I saw how important Ramadan was through the lens of my parents. Their excitement towards Ramadan heavily influenced me in a way that made me restless every night leading up to the holy month. But because I was living through my parents, I experienced Ramadan more as a 30-day celebration that brought people together, rather than it being something that could enrich my imaan.

The whole 30 days felt like a holiday even before Eid had arrived. When I look back to how younger me felt about the arrival of Ramadan, I couldn't wait to share the moments with my family, with the community, and with the whole world. Being young and being excited about Ramadan was because it meant I could spend time with my family and gather weekly to see my friends for Iftar. From waking before the sun to gathering at the kitchen table after the sun had laid to rest for the day. When I was a child, the concept of Ramadan excited me for a completely different reason than how it excites me now.

Now that I am a bit older, I use Ramadan as a time to commit to myself and my imaan. The difference between being young and being older and experiencing Ramadan is that I revisit falling in love with Islam and how impactful the month is every year. It's almost a battle with who I was last Ramadan, and how much I can push myself to become a better Muslim and continue that until the next Ramadan. They say the biggest enemy you can meet is yourself and Ramadan shows me that every single year. The reason Ramadan excites me now is that it gives me an opportunity to grow and become a better version of myself. It teaches me to prioritise, to fight the temptations of this world, and to fight with my nafs. It is my best teacher and I pray that I never stop learning from it.

Hilal Newsletter

Gihan Hassan, Contributer

Gihan Hassan is a podiatry student who enjoys reading and learning new things. She has a passion for literature and history as it presents opportunities to step back and understand the world we live in. Reading is her go-to pass time where books surround the tables and floors of her room.