I was born into Islam, yet I spent years praying and reading Quran without understanding a word of it. This is the story of learning Arabic as an adult, and finally finding my way back to my Deen.

Learning has been a constant thread in my life, from childhood right through my studies in my early 20s. But I got married before I finished studying, and family responsibilities took over the time I used to give to it. What I didn't expect was how long it would take me to find my way back, not because I stopped caring, but because I genuinely didn't know where to start. It would be years before learning Arabic as an adult finally opened the door I'd been looking for all along.

For me, my religion was, and still is, a big part of my life. So I was always looking for ways to study my Deen. Unfortunately, at the time, I didn't know where to go to learn, since there weren't nearly as many classes available where I used to live as there are today. The little I knew came from whatever the weekend madrassah classes had taught me.

After some time, we decided to move to the UK, since there were more opportunities to learn Islam here. But settling in brought its own challenge: learning English. I couldn't understand a word people were saying, and I remember feeling anxious and frustrated most days. I enrolled in college to learn the language, and there I met a French revert sister who had spent five years in Egypt just to learn Arabic well enough to understand the Quran.

I sat with that for a long time. I kept asking myself: here I am, born Muslim, not knowing a word of Arabic, reading the Quran without understanding it, not knowing what my Creator was actually saying, praying and fasting without fully realising what any of it meant. I was genuinely ashamed of myself.

Once I finally had a handle on English, I started joining Arabic classes here and there. I also discovered Bayyinah TV, where I learned so much. The way Ustadh Nouman delivered his lessons was easy to follow, and I found myself mesmerised by the Tafseer lessons, before that, I'd never even been properly exposed to the word "Tafseer." I remember listening to the Tafseer of Surah Al-Kahf and being completely overwhelmed by the power of Allah (swt), and by the beauty and eloquence of His words, a unique, powerful way of speech. SubhanAllah.

Some time later, I continued studying with al-Huda Online, where I learned different subjects that opened up a much deeper understanding of my Deen. That knowledge has helped me, and still helps me, navigate life's ups and downs instead of just guessing my way through them, or despairing when things get hard.

And now I'm planning to join more structured classes to continue my studies, in sha'Allah.

Learning our Deen is crucial in this modern world. Why? Because the alternative is letting someone else, often a stranger online, teach it to us instead.

What Learning Islam from Social Media Taught Me

Before I started studying properly, I did what many of us do. Whenever I had a question or wanted to learn more about a topic, I would search Google and accept whichever confident-sounding answer appeared first, without ever checking the source. With social media expanding so rapidly, it is easy to end up following someone who sounds like an expert without actually knowing anything about who they actually are.

I'm not saying this applies to everyone online. But I had to get honest with myself about who I was following, and why. The answer, when I actually sat with it, was not quite right: I assumed I simply knew less than them, so I accepted what they said without question. But something in me wasn't satisfied with that answer, so I did my own research and found the opposite of what the online source said. The truth is, none of us really know who's behind the screen. Once I started studying my Deen properly, I stopped needing to search for quick answers from strangers.

How I Started Fitting Arabic and Deen Study Into a Busy Life

Learning Deen has become far more accessible for anyone willing to seek it. There are weekend classes, evening classes, and online platforms, more ways than ever for learning Arabic as an adult and studying Deen alongside a full schedule.

I took it one small step at a time. I started with the subject I enjoyed most, for me, that was Arabic. The evening classes I found rarely ran more than two hours, and weekend sessions were about the same, so it slotted into my week without tipping everything else over. That small, manageable commitment ended up paying off far more than I expected.

Before committing to anything, I also made sure to look into the establishment properly, what school of thought they followed, what kind of study they offered, the same due diligence I'd give anything else I was about to invest my time in.

Educating the Next Generation Starts With Us

Studying Islam and gaining that knowledge isn't just for me. It's what actually allows me to teach my own children—because if I don't, friends and social media will happily do it for me.

I'm grateful to Allah (swt) for choosing me to study this beautiful religion.

For all my teachers, may Allah (swt) forgive them, protect them, grant them good health, increase them in beneficial knowledge, pour unexpected barakah upon them, bless them with righteous children, and elevate them to the highest ranks. Ameen.

Which subject would you start with?

Drop it in the comments, where you're starting from might be exactly the nudge another Muslimah needs to take her own first step, in sha'Allah.