I am a new Muslim, and never in my life before have fasted. I want very much to fast, but am finding it very difficult. How do I get my body to become adjusted to fasting? How does one teach their bodies to fast?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

First of all, all perfect praise be to Allaah, Who guided you to Islam and we ask Him to enable you to fast and perform the night prayers during this blessed month. We also welcome you in our site.

As regards how to fast, fasting is to refrain from eating and drinking and abstain from all other things that invalidate fasting from dawn to sunset, but one should have the intention of fasting. This is an easy matter. Indeed the young and old Muslims fast this month without any difficulty. Feeling that it is difficult to fast could be because you are a new Muslim and did not fast beforehand. So you have to fast and seek Allaah's Help in doing so. It is only a matter of few days and you will be accustomed to fasting Inshaa' Allaah (Allaah willing).

It is important that you eat before dawn in order to strengthen yourself for fasting. Eating before dawn [having Suhoor] during Ramadan is a recommended act and there are blessings in it as it fortifies the fasting person for the rest of the day. Please refer to Fatwa 86920 for the etiquettes of fasting and Suhoor. Among other things that help you in your fasting, is to remember the reward that Allaah has prepared for the fasting people, which is forgiveness and mercy. The Prophet said: "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with faith [believing that it is an obligation by Allaah] and seeking the reward from Allaah, his previous sins will be forgiven." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]  For more details please refer to Fatwa 85392 entitled 'why do we fast?'

What will help you as well to fast without difficulty is not to carry out any difficult task (work) during the day and engage yourself in acts of obedience. Finally, it should be noted that supplicating Allaah to enable you to fast or do any other acts of obedience is the best thing that one may do.    

Allaah Knows best.