The goal isn’t to just make it through this month, but it’s to leave it a better person than when we had entered it. In Episode 13 of Season 2, we’re joined by Fatima Shendy to talk about purifying our intentions, understanding Allah’s infinite mercy and all things in-between. When Ramadan comes around most of us expect a miracle to occur. We suddenly expect our connection to God and to our prayer to strengthen overnight, but when that doesn’t happen we’re left feeling empty and disappointed. Fatima explains that sometimes that disconnection comes from the struggle to understand the true purpose of the month and just who our Creator is.Building a solid relationship with Allah starts with the intention to do so. Fatima talks about the importance of purifying those intentions in order to discover where that disconnect lies. It’s crucial to sit down with yourself and ask, “why do I want to be closer to Allah?” and “am I truly practicing the religion, or am I going through the obligations, robotically?” It’s a blessing to be able to memorize Quran - but do you know the meaning behind the Surahs you are reciting?  Learning Islam on a deeper level can help bridge that gap and bring you closer to Allah. We discuss the importance of understanding word for word what we are reciting while we perform our daily prayers. This brings us to the guilty conscience that leaves us with a pit in our stomach and an unnerving feeling we just can’t seem to shake off. But as Fatima explains, that guilt is a blessing in disguise - it is a gift from Allah to remind you that there is hope for you to follow the right path. So, if you missed a prayer or find yourself further distant from the faith than you would like to be, use that guilt as a way to pull yourself back onto the right path. Fatima also discusses the importance of forgiveness. While often times we are slow to forgive friends and loved ones who do us wrong, we are even slower in showing remorse toward ourselves. Allah is the most forgiving, so why do we ignore his calls to seek His forgiveness? We end this episode by diving into topics like envying another person’s spiritual journey, tips on how to make the most of the Holy month and simple ways we can inch closer to the kind of Muslim we hope to be. No matter where you are at on your spiritual journey, we hope that this episode can help get you to where you wish to go. Ramadan Mubarak, and may you achieve all you set your heart on this month! Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfilteredFollow Fatima on Instagram: @fatima.shendy