This article was written by a Kooth writer and contains the following themes: faith, identity, and Islam.

Lots of people feel connected to their faith for all sorts of reasons. Having faith might help people feel connected to their culture, their loved ones, and themselves, through their connection to God. Faith can be a really important part of someone’s identity.. In this article, we talk to Amara* about what Islam means to her. Amara is now an adult and explores how her faith has grown and changed over the years. Please remember that this is just one person’s journey in the Islamic faith.

*Amara is a pseudonym

For non Muslim readers, here is a glossary of words that you might not be familiar with.

• Allah: God in Islam
• Quran: a holy book in the Islamic faith
• Muslim: somebody who practises Islam
• Ayat: a verse in the Quran
• Zikr: a way to prayer, where someone repeats or chants phrases in order to connect with Allah

What does Islam mean to me?

If I could describe my faith using a metaphor, I would say that Islam is like a candle light in the dark. It illuminates my space when the light goes out and there’s no light coming in from anywhere, apart from this small flame that casts its glow to every corner of the room. This metaphor reminds me of a beautiful ayat in the Quran; “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. His light is like a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp is in a crystal, the crystal is like a shining star, lit from the oil of a blessed olive tree, located neither from the east nor the west, whose oil would glow, even without being touched by the fire.” [An-Nur, 24:35]*

*Information like this in brackets refers to different chapters in the Quran

Islam gives me a sense of identity and purpose that has really helped me through difficult times. In the Quran, it says, “He found you lost and he guided you” [Ad-Duha, 93:7] which really speaks to me. In the story of Prophet Ibrahim* where he challenged his father’s beliefs and used meditation and prayer to find what felt right for him, he found the beauty of Islam and Allah. Islam has helped me in similar ways and has helped me out of what has felt like real darkness many times. In the Quran, it says, “So Remember Me; I will Remember You” [Al-Baqarah, 2:152] and mentioned in the Hadith in Sahih Muslim [2687], Abu Darr reported, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) says; “Almighty Allah says, Whoever comes to me walking, I will go to him running.” I find words like these really comforting.

*You can read more about Prophet Ibrahim and other inspirational Prophets in our article [Faith and mental health: Three inspirational people from the Quran](add link here)

Islam has helped me feel connected. When you see another Muslim on the street and you greet them with the words “Peace be upon you”, it gives you an immediate companion. Islam also helps people feel connected all around the world; when praying in a congregation, whatever the colour of your skin, how you look, the language you speak, and where you are from, you are united in prayers.

Often I’m asked, “How do you find peace through Islam?” For me, there are two things – prayer and zikr. Prayer helps me feel really connected to my faith and to Allah. Prayer gives me a break from a hard day. Prayers and Zikr help relieve my mind of anxieties and worries. In the holy Quran it says, “Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts rest content”, which really is the case for me.

My connection with my faith has grown and changed lots over the years. As a younger Muslim in my teens, Islam felt a chore. I also experienced a blurring of boundaries between culture and religion. Sometimes parents and other people in the community have ideas of how children should be. This led me to have some resentment towards Islam. I thought, “Why is this religion so strict and rigid?” I’ve come to realise that often what we’re told is right and wrong isn’t the teachings of Islam, it’s rather cultural expectations which are sometimes quite different from religion. It can be really helpful to learn your religion rather than just take it as what other people do or say.

Islam in my teens, and even now, has given me a sense of ease and comfort. Islam is home and a sense of comfort. Islam has given me guidance and what can only be described as a moral compass pointing due north – no matter how lost I feel within myself, I have the anchor of my religion in my heart and soul. Islam is a home you find when you’re lost deep in the forest, and the light you look for in the darkness.

If you’re religious, what does your faith mean to you? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below?

The Muslim Youth Helpline provides faith and culturally sensitive support for young Muslims in the UK who require support from someone they believe will understand. You can also speak to a Kooth mental health practitioner anonymously by messages or live chat.