Born to a Muslim mother and raised by a Christian father, it was not until Jonathan Kibira moved from Uganda to the UAE that he truly found himself.
Mr Kibira, 32, moved to the Emirates in January last year to take up a job at Dubai International Airport.
It was his first opportunity to immerse himself in Islam.
His mother left the family home when he was 4 after the breakdown of her marriage and he was brought up as a Christian by his father, who had 31 other children to 11 women.
"I was surrounded by people of many faiths but the majority were Muslims," Mr Kibira said of his move to the UAE.
“What triggered my mind to think about is it how people practise what their religion asks them to do.
“How do they follow the teachings of their religion every day? I wondered and started asking Muslim workmates.”
The Dubai resident recalled the words of a teacher during his childhood as he faced a crucial decision.
“One of my teachers back in school was a Muslim and I remembered a line he used to say about Islam,” he said.
“He told us: 'Islam is about seeking knowledge,' so I started seeking knowledge about Islam itself from different Muslim people around me.”
He embarked on a long journey of discovery about the faith before coming to the decision that he wanted to convert.
“I asked one of my flatmates about how I could convert,” he said.
His flatmate was happy for him and provided him with the number for Zayed House for Islamic Culture in Ajman.
“When I called them, they asked me several questions to make sure the decision was my own," Mr Kibira said.
In January, he became part of the global Muslim community and could look forward to his first Ramadan.
Initially, fasting during the holy month was a struggle for him.
Five hours into his first day observing Ramadan, he broke down and drank water.
“It wasn’t easy for me, I tried and I couldn’t," he said.
But after an early stumble, he remained steadfast and said fasting hours now passed easily for him.
Zayed House for Islamic Culture provided him with foods that he and 20 others use to cook meals and share throughout the holy month.
“We break our fast by drinking water and eating a banana, then we go to pray before we eat our iftar," he said.
As a good student of his faith, Mr Kibira knows he still has much to learn.
Sometimes after iftar, his colleagues teach him sections of the Quran.
“I take online classes by teachers from Zayed House for Islamic Culture,” he said.
“I learnt about the holy month, the angels, the messengers and also how to pray.”
He said Ramadan purified his heart.
Mr Kibira said no one in his family had a problem with his conversion and that his mother was happy with his decision.
“So far, I see Ramadan as a month that draws us closer to Allah, it's the month of bonus where every good deed is multiplied and that brings one closer to God," he said.
"It's about many things, like discipline, compassion, love and doing good."
Ramadan in the UAE:
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People visit the Ramadan Reflection room at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. The room is filled with hanging lamps and mirrors. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Men attend Friday prayers during the second Friday of Ramadan in Dubai. EPA -
Ramadan decoration at The Dubai Mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
A Sri Lankan community group distributes 300 meals to workers at the Fakhruddin Camp in Sonapur, Dubai, with the help of Al Watani volunteers and the CDA. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Masjid Rawda Al Abrar is seen with the Burj Khalifa in the distance just before sunset in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National. -
The cannon firing in front of Qasr Al Hosn, in Abu Dhabi, marks the end of day's fasting. Victor Besa/The National -
Customers buy delicacies hours before breaking their Ramadan fast in Dubai. Getty Images -
An abra driver prepares an Iftar meal, in Dubai. Getty Images -
Ramadan decorations at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A minaret stands among the skyscrapers in Barsha Heights, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Flowers outside a mosque in Jumeirah, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The crescent moon appears above the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque at Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Visitors look at a display of Ramadan lanterns in the main lobby of Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Ramadan decorations at Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Nancy Safy, an artist in Dubai and founder of To Infinity & Beyond, a business known for hand-painted art, gives a demonstration during iftar at Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf. Pawan Singh / The National -
Men pray at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai during Ramadan, a month-long celebration of self-purification and restraint. Getty -
People visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah on the second day of Ramadan, the month of fasting. AFP -
A man prays at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai as Muslims across the world observe Ramadan. Getty -
A view of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, on the first evening of Ramadan. Victor Besa / The National -
A view of the Omar Ali bin Haider Mosque in Deira, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
The interior of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah. AFP -
Worshippers at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai as the faithful mark Ramadan, a month-long celebration of self-purification and restraint. Getty -
A worshipper at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Getty Images -
Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah is lit up on the second day of Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Ramadan decorations on City Walk in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Ramadan cannon at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah signals the end of fasting. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Masjid Bani Hashim in Dubai after sunrise on the third day of Ramadan. The mosque was built as a replica of Palestine’s Dome of the Rock. Victor Besa / The National
