I recently heard someone describe Ramadan as a forced pause in our busy lives. That’s because we’re physically hindered during the day by lack of energy and brain fog (I am deeply jealous of people who feel lightness and clarity while fasting; I absolutely cannot relate), and so we become spiritually ‘locked in,’ so to speak. And while Ramadan is this beautiful reset that we’re so blessed to experience, with our focus shifted communally to worship and a greater awareness of how we spend our time, it can also feel stressful for some. Our hearts might yearn to slow down and take more time to sit with our Creator, but the reality is that work, school, or other commitments continue to operate as usual. So whilst in some places around the world, the working week moulds to fit around the timings of the Holy Month, for many of us in the West, we are left balancing our usual 9-5 with an added list of goals to achieve in just thirty days. 

Many of us are navigating early starts, deadlines, and a gruelling commute while aiming to read the Qur’an in its entirety, to understand the word of Allah ﷻ, to pray on time, and to dedicate a portion of our night to taraweeh, either at home or at the mosque. That’s before you get into having iftar ready right as the working day ends, waking up for suhoor each morning and trying to keep on top of the numerous online series such as Shaykh Omar Suleiman’s that became a cornerstone of Ramadan in the 2020s. 

Maximising the reward of this month, which contains in it a night that’s better than over 1,000 months (Surah Al-Qadr 97:3), is no easy feat for anyone, but if you feel like your mind is working against you like those managing ADHD, then these standard Ramadan struggles can start to feel insurmountable. 

Although neurodivergence has gained awareness and visibility over the past decade, diagnoses are still often delayed, and scepticism is rampant. What remains largely unspoken, however, is the quieter, more personal tension of navigating ADHD while striving for excellence in worship – and carrying guilt when focus, consistency, and discipline don’t come easily.

As someone with ADHD, I have long struggled to keep on top of basic elements of practising my faith that others seemed to come so naturally to those around me. Navigating ADHD whilst following a faith that requires a certain level of discipline and structure can look like missing prayers because you noticed your plants needed watering, and then while watering them, you decided to reorganise the bathroom cabinet. It’s forgetting which rak’ah you’re on because you’ve been replaying a conversation and drafting tomorrow’s to-do list mid-salah. It’s feeling overstimulated at the mosque, understimulated in solitude, or too paralysed to cook at iftar, and eventually breaking your fast feeling frustrated and nauseous.

When I  finally received my diagnosis, I was relieved because it gave me language for my struggles. What I didn’t expect, though, was how little grace people would extend to a disability they don’t understand – and how unequipped you can feel navigating life itself with ADHD, let alone fulfilling obligations like praying on time. During Ramadan, this can feel even more challenging as everyone strives to level up, whilst you’re left struggling to maintain the motivation and commitment to fulfil the basics. 

How Islam Intersects with Modern Science 

Interestingly, various studies have suggested that aspects of Islamic practice can actually support ADHD symptoms, so perhaps a solution to that tension is to see ibadah as conducive to the way our brains work, rather than an attempt to fit them into a socially constructed box.

Systematic reviews of past studies have found that mindfulness-based practices can improve attention, reduce impulsivity and aid overall functioning in both adults and children. These can look like yoga or meditation, or even dhikr (the act of remembering Allah, but commonly used to refer to the repetition of particular phrases) and salah – intentional reflection with repeated and rhythmic aspects which encourage presence of mind. 

Studies have also shown that having an accountability partner, or a ‘body double,’ provides external motivation and helps maintain focus, which reduces the paralysis people with ADHD experience when faced with tasks, sometimes even tiny ones. Whether in person, over FaceTime, or even with a YouTube video of someone talking, I’m personally a big fan of body-doubling. The seemingly insurmountable task of doing the dishes becomes less so when the activity is mirrored by someone else, or when the need for further stimulation, like aimless scrolling, is reduced. 

As much as solitude with Allah is emphasised, Islam is a very communal religion.

Congregational prayers like taraweeh can lessen the pressure of forcing yourself to stay focused on prayer alone for a long period of time, and I’ve found that following the recitation with a Qur’an in my hands gives my mind less opportunity to wander.

Getting together with friends to read the Qur’an or reflect on verses or ahadith can be another way that you’re able to maintain focus, and it is a great opportunity to gain new perspectives and deepen your understanding of Islamic practices. 

Spiritual practices have also been found to be useful intentional coping mechanisms to manage the stress or emotional strain of caring for someone with ADHD, but these same implications could be applied to someone living with it. Beyond the emotional comfort in being able to turn to Allah when feelings of frustration and ineptitude start to become exasperating, research describes spirituality and faith as behavioural and cognitive pathways people use to reframe stress, create supportive routines, and increase resilience. 

Structured routines, particularly around bedtime, have been known to reduce ADHD symptoms and improve quality of life in people with ADHD. Daily prayer times are inherently structured and fairly predictable from season to season, and this routine could help in regulating the cognitive chaos that comes with the disability. Though in Ramadan there is a will to perform more than the habitual acts of worship, particularly at night, it could be useful to outline a new, clear routine for the month that allows you to prioritise faith while still delivering in other areas – especially if you are managing exams, deadlines or early meetings during the Holy Month.

Navigating Ramadan with ADHD

Though some secular coping mechanisms can be tied to existing practices in our faith, navigating Ramadan can still feel daunting, particularly for those who haven’t mentally connected the concept of ibadah with their ADHD and feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of religious practices emphasised in this time. 

With the number of people diagnosed with ADHD on the rise, many of us likely feel this pressure right now. I spoke to three Muslim women to find out how they approach this holy month and to learn more about how we can navigate deep spiritual practice alongside chronic inattentiveness. 

Samia was only diagnosed with the condition a couple of years ago and is still learning what works best for her.

“One thing I try to be intentional about when I’m planning what I want to achieve is building flexibility into that plan. I’ll have goals, but I try to keep them open enough that if some days aren’t as productive or spiritually ‘strong’ as I hoped, I can still feel like I’ve shown up and tried. A big part of it is being gentle with myself.

I also try to take it day by day – balancing work, studies, and everything else. That means being realistic. I know I’m probably not going to complete the Qur’an five times over, or however many times some people aim for. And that’s okay. Even if all I manage is to deeply reflect on one surah for the entire month, that still holds value. For me, it’s about depth over volume, and intention over perfection.”

For Aayah, the biggest challenge in Ramadan is maintaining emotional regulation through the shift in routine. 

“Ramadan completely uproots the structure that usually helps me keep my mind calm and managed. Suddenly, the systems that support me shift – and on top of that, I’m trying to stay composed while being more sensitive than usual to things like hunger, thirst, and exhaustion.

Those physical states can very quickly lead to overstimulation. So a big part of the challenge is not falling into the trap of becoming overly frustrated or disappointed in myself – especially if I feel like I’m ‘achieving less’ than others who might be finishing the Qur’an or reaching big spiritual goals during the month.

I’ve had to understand that the challenge looks very different for me. Maintaining composure and emotional regulation is actually a personal achievement. And whatever I’m able to accomplish spiritually on top of that, I try to see as a bonus – something to be proud of, not something to measure myself against others by.”

Meanwhile, this is Eman’s second Ramadan since being diagnosed and her first on ADHD medication, so she’s navigating both the challenge of the condition and reliance on pharmaceutical remedies. She shares how she’s being kinder to herself this year, and some practical steps she’s taken to ease the pressure. 

“Even before medication, I relied on caffeine, so fasting means withdrawal and a deep, heavy exhaustion. It does get easier as your body adjusts – and shorter fasts at this time of year definitely help. Meanwhile, spiritually, I often enter Ramadan feeling unprepared. I set goals that may be realistic for others – finishing the entire Qur’an, attending the mosque regularly – but not always for me personally. In recent years, I’ve struggled with taraweeh simply because I was so tired. When you’re working and just trying to make it through the day, it can feel more like survival than reflection.

This year, I’ve booked annual leave for the last week of Ramadan so I can focus on ibadah without the constant mental tug-of-war with my professional life. Decision fatigue is a real challenge with ADHD, so removing competing priorities helps.

If you’re working, it also helps to let your manager know Ramadan is coming up. Flexibility – whether through adjusted hours or working from home – can make a real difference. And since religion is a protected characteristic, there are policies and support available if needed.

Finally, telling the people around you can help too – not as an excuse, but so they understand you may not be operating at full capacity. That awareness alone can lighten the load.”

Your Intentions are Rewarded 

Perhaps you’re struggling to get into a rhythm this Ramadan, or to ‘keep up,’ so to speak, but there are ways to make this time more enjoyable and spiritually fulfilling, without piling lots of pressure on yourself to sit alone and force your brain into silent worship that might feel challenging or downright impossible. Try reaching out to a friend to co-read Qur’an together over the phone, listen to a podcast (I highly recommend Heartwork from the Qalam Institute) while you do daily chores, join a Tadabbur club session to make the act of reflection a communal one, or attend taraweeh in the mosque and see how following along can help you stay focused – even if it means sitting to the side and reading along in your own language. Whatever it is, find a way to worship Allah and seek self-improvement without judging and chastising yourself for something that is out of your control.

Many of us are familiar with the hadith from our Prophet ﷺ, “Actions are [judged] according to intention…” (Bukhari 54), but how many of us actually apply it to ourselves when battling significant barriers like executive dysfunction? Yes, we should be striving to constantly improve our connection to Allah, but our faith teaches us that Allah values sincerity and that His mercy is limitlessly vast and all-encompassing. 

So, to my fellow ADHD girlies, try to extend some grace to yourself this Ramadan. ADHD and other chronic conditions are real, and they can genuinely impede us in ways that others can’t see, or even begin to understand. That shouldn’t mean that we don’t set ourselves lofty goals and strive towards them with our greatest might – but that also doesn’t mean we should berate ourselves when we see our friends seemingly achieving more than we have this month. You may not reach every goal you set, but with correct intentions, you can at least know you tried and that Allah, with His Grace and Wisdom, sees your efforts and rewards you for those intentions (Sahih 129). Keep in mind another hadith, that,

“The most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant, even if it were little.” (Bukhari 6464). 

If you can fulfil a consistent, small deed like reading a set number of pages of the Qur’an each day, an amount that is sustainable for you and can become a lifelong habit, then that could be more beloved to Allah than struggling to keep up with what your peers are doing.