For Muslim reverts/converts, getting used to all of the changes that come along with practicing Islam can be extremely overwhelming at first. Everything changes – from the way you eat to the way you dress to the way you groom yourself, and most importantly, the way you pray. These changes can be exciting for some people, but for others, they can be disorienting and even make Islam feel a bit difficult and discouraging.

However, the Prophet (S) told us that "this religion is easy," so you should never despair or feel discouraged. No one needs to overburden themselves with Islam, and most of the time, adapting to the changes in Islam ends up being so much easier than we think it is going to be. It just takes some creativity and a little bit of patience to establish new habits. Luckily, in today's global world, there are countless tools and resources to help make things easier for you as you begin practicing Islam (or even for long practicing Muslims!) Here are 6 new Muslim hacks that will help make practicing Islam the easy, joyful experience it is meant to be!

1. Adhan Pro Prayer App

Praying the five daily prayers, and praying them on time, is something that all Muslims strive and struggle to do. After you convert to Islam, you may be shocked to learn that the prayer times are constantly changing, and it can be difficult to be able to tell what time a certain prayer is based on the sun alone. Never fear! There are awesome prayer apps that will help you to stay on top of your prayers and make praying into an easy and rewarding routine.

Athan pro is probably the most popular prayer app, and it allows you to check off each prayer you accomplish and give yourself the rewarding feeling of tracking your progress. It also allows you to set alarms so that you can choose to hear the call to prayer when it is time, or just to get an alarm notification (be careful to set this to the silent setting before going to work or to class – or else you will hear the call to prayer sounding out of your bag in the middle of a work meeting... something every Muslim has probably experienced at one time or another!)

The prayer app also has a Qibla finder, so you can always figure out what direction you need to turn to for your prayer, and a Quran reader available with English translations, so you can read or recite the Qur'an on the go. There are tons of different prayer and Quran apps, so play around with them until you find something that is comfortable for you.

2. Saffron Road microwavable entrees from Whole Foods and Kroger

Holy Halal! Finding meat to eat is one of the biggest struggles converts face after converting to Islam. While for some city dwellers, finding great ready-made halal food is as easy as going to their neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant, rural converts aren't always so lucky. If you are a convert and you are struggling to find quick, easy halal options that don't involve trekking out to your closest halal butcher to create a home cooked meal, you're going to love Saffron Road.

Saffron Road is a 100% halal food company that has ready-to-eat microwavable entrees at most local supermarkets. You can find them at Whole foods, Kroger, Meijer, and more. Their entrees are delicious, and not limited to Middle Eastern cuisine; they have Indian, Mexican, Mediterranean, and Thai options as well.

Probably the best thing about Saffron Road's food, other than it being extremely convenient, is that it is very ethically conscious. The meat isn't just halal, it also comes from humanely raised livestock and the company uses fair trade ingredients whenever possible. If you are missing the convenience of ordering your favorite drive-through burger and are craving something fast, satisfying, and halal, Saffron Road is a great option you can really feel good about.

Photo Credit: Visual Dhikr

Need I say more? I'll never forget discovering these pocket-sized, super thin prayer mats. Your days of spreading your winter coat out awkwardly onto the floor to pray are over.

Ramadan is most Muslims' favorite time of the year, but for new converts, the thought of fasting for a month can be downright terrifying. Especially in these long summer months, staying energized and hydrated during Ramadan takes a little bit of strategy. Suhoor, or the pre-dawn meal before your fast begins, is your saving grace during Ramadan, and it is a tool you can use to prevent yourself from feeling bogged down and hungry during the day.

As great as Suhoor is, you will probably find that gulping down water and cramming your stomach with heavy protein at 3 o'clock in the morning is a little bit difficult, and it can even lead to nausea if you aren't careful. For a successful suhoor, make sure that you wake up early enough to give yourself time to eat slowly, calmly drink a few glasses of water, have some hydrating fruit, a few dates, and maybe even a few sips of coffee so that you don't have a caffeine crash during the day. Also, make sure you leave enough time to brush your teeth before the Athan sounds! Sleep is important during Ramadan, but nothing will replace the added energy and nourishment of a balanced and unrushed suhoor.

I was given this pocket-sized translation of the Quran by a local mosque right after I converted, and it quickly became my favorite Quran translation. I was able to keep it in my purse, took comfort in the way it was formatted similarly to the Bible (since that was the only other religious text I was used to at that time) and loved the way that the translator made the English translation come alive and sound very natural, much more than other translations I had read. This Quran is a great translation for converts to read while they work on learning Arabic, and it is also a great Quran to pass out to friends and family who want to read it but don't know where to begin. It's such a great Quran that I actually don't have mine anymore because a non-Muslim friend fell in love with it and wanted to take it home!

I remember when I first looked up how to pray and my mind was blown by how difficult it seemed. However, looking back, praying was actually one of the easiest, most intuitive things to learn how to do, as long as you give yourself a little bit of time to practice, you should be comfortable praying in no time. This "How to Pray" Youtube channel is a great resource for new converts and can help you to learn how to pray at your own pace with a clear, easy to understand steps. I used to play this channel and watch it as I prayed (the video would differ depending on the specific prayer) and I would also put a copy of the transliteration of the prayer next to me on my phone so I could read it out loud as I learned. By following along with the video and using transliterations, I quickly had the prayer memorized and was able to do it alone.

Hopefully, these hacks will show you that you are not alone, and that are tools and resources that have been created by your Muslim community that will help to make things easy for you. If you are a convert who has discovered an essential Muslim hack, please share it below!