New Muslims fast for the first time in Ramadan

The first Ramadan fast is exciting. The experience is much more
exciting for men and women who have just convertedto Islam and are
beginning their first fasting experience in their 40′s.
What do new Muslims say about Islam and Ramadan? How did they perceive
Ramadan before their conversion to Islam? What are their feelings now
that they have become Muslims?
"I used to make fun of Ramadan" says Ahmed Moamen
I USED to make fun of Ramadan and the notionof Islamic fasting. I used
to ridicule those Muslimswho torture their bodiesby fasting," said
Marcos-now-turned-Ahmed Moamen, a Filipino.
"I lived in the UAE for nine years as a traditional Christian
whoirregularly goes to Church. For me and my colleagues, Ramadan was a
nightmare. It was a month in which we were all confined to our homes
as all bars remainshut," he recalled.
"This was not the only thing I detested about the Ramadan fast, but
also this tough treatment of both body and soul. I used to believe the
body has desires that should be met. Therefore, I only perceived of
fasting as an unjustifiable and illogical torture," Moamen said.
"Those were the bad old days."
"The Almighty Allah guided me to Islam," Moamen continued. "I had a
long time roommate, who once converted to Islam, tried hard to lure me
into it. He used to discuss Islam and gave me some translated books
about the faith until the Almighty finally opened up my heart. And
here I am having my very first fasting experience in Ramadan," Moamen
said.
"After Allah guided me to Islam and after havingfasted several days of
Ramadan, I found out that all my previous ideas about the rights
ofone's body were not true and that straightening our bodiesonce a
year is of great wisdom. That is why Allah ordered us to fast one
month of the year and not the whole year,"said Moamen of his new
spiritual experience withRamadan.
"It [fasting] brings the Muslim closer to Allah. I do not exaggerate
if I say that I feel a serenity Ihave never before felt inmy entire
life," Moamen concluded.
"Ramadan has its own sense of spirituality" saysAbdul-Rahman Yousef
Abdul-Rahman Yousef, a Lebanese who was named Tony before embracing
Islam also experienced his first Ramadan.
Sounding delighted about the new fasting experience, Yousef said he
was overwhelmed by joy and that fasting helped him feel the serenity
that only fastersenjoy.
"Ever since Allah guided me to Islam, I've become used to the habit of
fasting every Monday and Thursday [following in the footstep of
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to make up for my sins which I
committed before Islam," he said.
"But, fasting in Ramadanis a totally different experience because the
holy month has its own sense of spirituality and serenity that is
absent from other days and months," Yousef asserted.
"Even prayers in Ramadan are different from the usual prayers," he
said, adding that Allah magnifies the gooddeeds of Muslims in Ramadan
and spares them from Hell.
Yousef lamented having wronged Islam and Muslims in the past,
especially during the civil war in Lebanon, and prayed to Allah the
Almighty to forgive his previous bad deeds.
"When I read the Quran, I found answers" - Fatma
Muslim woman reading Quran.
Carol Anoi was brought up in a Protestant Scottish family. She spent
her childhood in the countryside which gave her a chance for
contemplation and meditation.
After she finished school in London, she got a job in a UAE hotel and
spent several years there until she got involved with anArab Muslim.
"I loved him so much and he started talking tome about Islam. I began
with him a search journey. We read most of the books on Islam in
English," said Carol-turned-Fatma Al-Zahra Mohammad (the name of one
of Prophet Muhammad's daughters).
"I realized that Islam is the right faith that dignified the human
being and catered for the rights of man, woman and child," she
stressed. "I found it a religion in harmony with human nature," Fatma
said. "When I readthe holy Qur'an, I found answers to all questions
haunting my mind and soul. Eventually, I converted to Islam and we
(she and her Arab Muslim friend) got married," she recalled.
"As for Ramadan, I cannot describe to you how delighted I am to fast
Ramadan this year. "Ramadan's atmosphere makes us feel closer to
Allah. And since it is a month of worship, we are keen on getting
closer to the Almighty through prayers," Fatma added.
"I cannot describe my happiness while performing Tarawih prayers with
many otherMuslim women," she said, lamenting that in ordinary days one
wouldnot find so many worshipers in prayers.
Amnah found peace in the body movements of the prayers
Amnah Jordon, once Caroline Jordon, from South Africa said it was that
unique peace reflected in the body movements during prayers that
attracted her to Islam in the first place. "Fasting is a fine way of
spiritual and psychological elevation and these were the things that
guided my way into Islam," said Amnah.
"Fasting and Ramadan are the most joyful religious rituals and the
closest to my heart," she added.
"I spent years of my life searching for a way for spiritual satiety. I
adoredcontemplation sessions and read a lot in orientalphilosophy but
never reached satisfaction," she underlined.
"I completed my study inthe UAE and happened to live by some Muslim
neighbors who always performed their prayers by the book.
"I used to sit and watch their Rukou'a [kneeling] and Sujoud [the
positionwhen a Muslim worshiper's head touches the ground during
prayers] and it was very touching because Rukou'a and Sujoud are
magnificent body and spiritual sport," Amnah said.
She recalled performing prayers and practicing Rukou'a and Sujoud even
before converting to Islam.
"I felt a kind of serenity Ihave never experienced before, and since
that very moment I began a quest to explore Islam until Allah guided
me into becoming a Muslim and I was overwhelmed by spiritual peace,"
Amnah concluded.