Salaam Minara Family,

We’re drawn to ‘once upon a time’ in fairy-tales and legends and we’ve certainly given some thought to it at the Minara headquarters - the way we begin the chapters of our lives and the stories of our days [speaking of Fajr; setting goals for the Islamic new year; beginning Ramadan fruitfully etc.] - but what about the happily ever afters?

Yes, we know, we know! Happily ever after = cliché of the century: no marks for originality there! But since we’re here [sorry, we tricked you 😝], let’s think about that happy ending anyway. 

Question for you: typically what does the end of your day look like?

Whatever your ending looks like, let’s think about Islam’s prescribed ending for the day: ‘Esha. 

Now today’s content was inspired by something Minara’s founder said about the ‘Esha prayer and it goes something like this. 

Whatever the difficulty in waking up for Fajr, acquiring the prayer regardless feels wonderful. You never regret the tiredness or the struggle. Wake up, make wudhu, pray Fajr. No phone, no distractions, no nothing. Just starting the day with Fajr on the prayer mat. The absolute first thing that you do. 

Beautiful subhan Allah. 

In the same vein, there’s something incredible about the ‘Esha prayer being the very last thing you do in the day. 

No work, no book, no phone, no mindless activity. 

‘Esha and hit the sack. 

Ending your day with the ‘happily every after’!  

And actually:

There are SO many benefits to getting to bed straight after 'Esha! Let’s take a quick look below ⬇️.

The early bird catches the worm - we’ve all heard this idiom. But Islam taught us this hundreds of years ago! So much of what you do in the day, depends on what you did the night before. So to give a prayer oriented example, if you get to bed early having slept straight after ‘Esha, then the easier it will be to awaken for Fajr, well-rested and in positive spirits. 

Let’s not forget, your body and your brain have a right to sleep too.

It’s not merely about feeling well-rested. Getting sufficient sleep during the dark hours is actually a core biological need that affects almost every system in the body. During the night, especially in deep and REM sleep, the brain clears out metabolic waste, consolidates memories, processes emotions, and strengthens neural connections. This is when learning is solidified and mental clarity for the next day is built.

For the body, night-time sleep allows hormones to regulate properly: a growth hormone is released for cell repair, the immune system ramps up its activity, and blood pressure, heart rate, and metabolism all enter restorative cycles.

When we consistently sleep late or cut sleep short, these processes are disrupted, leading to reduced concentration, impaired decision-making, weaker immunity, hormonal imbalance, and long-term risks like cardiovascular disease and mood disorders.

Simply put: night is when the body and brain quietly repair, reset, and prepare you to function at your best the next day. Skipping or delaying that rhythm is physiologically costly. 

And none of us can afford to spend what we don’t have!

The inclination to go to sleep only and only after reading ‘Esha is an arresting one. 

But what happens when ‘Esha becomes delayed because of this inclination? This is the concern Minara’s founder raised - we woke up for Fajr alhamdulillah and now we want to end the day with ‘Esha.

We wear so many hats and are juggling so many balancing acts in the day - in fact, well into the night. 

So now ‘Esha becomes delayed because you’ve told yourself ‘Esha must be your happily ever after. 

It’s a beautiful sentiment ma sha Allah - you never regret your Fajr do you despite the struggle in waking up, and in the same way the night just feels more tranquil having concluded the day with ‘Esha and then straight to bed!

But what is actually the preferred time for offering ‘Esha and when does such a sentiment actually become a bit of an unfavourable habit despite the best of intentions?

Prayer invites us to follow Allah’s timing, not just our own. That is the essence of ‘Ibadah - following the say so that Islam has gently written for us in spite of our wants and whims and needs and nots!

The question now is: what we can do to find that sweet spot between praying ‘Esha on time but also ensuring our day’s end is a good one? 

Because that happily ever after still matters. 

You’ve prayed your ‘Esha because you wanted to catch it in the sunnah time. [Don’t forget, that in itself is an act of ‘ibadah in addition to the actual salah you have offered]. Then you’ve completed your to-dos.

Side note: Don’t be upset by this; the Prophet ﷺ himself would stay up until late at night with his Companions teaching them and counselling them about the affairs of the Muslims. 

‘Umar narrates: “The Prophet ﷺ used to stay late at night - at Abu Bakr’s home - to deal with the Muslims’ affairs. [Ahmad]

This of course, would be after the ‘Esha prayer.

And the Prophet ﷺ’s compassion wasn’t confined to the public sphere. With his family, he was gentle and present, giving of his time, meeting their needs, and making them feel seen and cared for. It is not difficult to imagine then that after ‘Esha the Prophet ﷺ would care for his spouses [may Allah be pleased with them] by conversing with them and in marital acts of intimacy. 

In sum: constructive things are totally fine after the ‘Esha prayer. In fact, if you can’t get to bed because you’re attending to family affairs, chores in the house or working on your passion projects, with the right intention, all of these are actually acts of ‘ibadah ❤️.

Now you’re faced with some choices. The usual 21st century ones! Usually related to pulling out your phone and listlessly scrolling social media. ‘Esha’s prayed and hey that’s what matters right?

👂🏽 Hear this:

Every night, a devil and an angel are sent down to prompt you. The angel says ‘Ikhtim bi khayr’. And he says this a total of three times

And the devil? Well he says:

The choice is yours. 

Sleep is a sort of death - a minor death - wherein our souls return to Allah. So just as our last moments count in the way we live our lives before our final return, our last moments before we sleep matter too. 

Consider this your little guide to hit that sweet-spot between offering your ‘Esha on time, completing all your to-dos and ending the night on Allah’s prescription!

Did you know that when you do this for the purpose of going to sleep, Allah sends an angel that seeks forgiveness for you? He says, “O Allah, forgive your servant as he slept in the state of purification.” Aameen to that!

✨ Application tip: Keep a small towel nearby to make it feel easy and less of a chore.

2. 🍁 End with Dhikr: Light on the Tongue, Heavy on the Scale

The Prophet ﷺ would regularly recite certain adhkar before sleeping. These include:

✨ Application tip: Keep prayer beads or use your fingers for the tasbeehat. 

A simple nightly self-check-in is a Prophetic practice. Before sleeping, many early Muslims would mentally ‘review’ their day: what went well, what slipped, and what to seek forgiveness or make duʿa for.

✨ Application tip: Think of it like a spiritual journal in your mind.

The moments before sleep are a precious, quiet space for duʿa. The Prophet ﷺ advised us to make duʿa in various states, including before sleeping. At the end of the day, hearts are soft, distractions are minimal, and it’s a beautiful way to end the day in conversation with Allah.

✨ Application tip: Choose one heartfelt thing you want to speak to Allah about - no script required. 

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him.”

^{[Bukhari & Muslim]}

They [verses 285-286] are a protection, a source of reward, and a spiritual shield for the night.

✨ Application tip: Keep them bookmarked on your nightstand or set a phone reminder [before putting it away!] to build the habit slowly.

6. 📖 A Page Before Pillow

Instead of a social media scroll, try reading a few verses of Qur’an or a page of a beneficial Islamic book. This can gently redirect your mind to something nourishing and send you to sleep with good words in your heart.

✨ Application tip: Keep a small mushaf or book by your bedside. Even 2 minutes can change the tone of your night.

Our favourite.

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged letting go of grudges before sleeping. There’s a narration about a man the Prophet ﷺ described as a person of Paradise because he went to bed every night without malice towards anyone.

^{[Musnad Ahhmad 12697]}

✨ Application tip: Each night, make a conscious intention to forgive those who wronged you and ask Allah to forgive you too. It’s a powerful way to cleanse the heart daily.

🌌 7. Righty Right!

The Prophet ﷺ would sleep on his right side, placing his right hand under his cheek, facing the Qiblah.

^{[Bukhari & Muslim]}

It’s a small, beautiful sunnah that turns a simple act like sleeping into a form of ‘ibadah.

🌟 Optional: Set an Intention for the Next Day

This isn’t directly from a specific hadith, but many scholars recommend going to sleep with a sincere intention to wake for Fajr, to do khayr [good], or to serve others. Even if you oversleep, Allah rewards intentions. It’s like spiritually “planting” the next day.

If you end your night well, and your return has been written, then you will return in sha Allah in a state of remembrance. What a beautiful way to go. 

And if you wake up in the morning, you wake up already oriented to Allah, ready to cling to those things you went to sleep with, so you can continue your pursuit towards him.

“Actions are judged by their endings.”

_{[Buhari 6607]} 

How can we apply this to every-day life?

Whether it’s cleaning, cooking or a work project, the impact is in the final result. Finish the task and finish it proudly. This doesn’t mean not making mistakes - it means being brave enough to complete anyway.

Even if a conversation starts awkwardly or feels disagreeable, end it with a smile, a kind word or a sweet salaam. We don’t always have to agree but we can always remember to be kind!

Tidying up a shared area after using it - whether at home, work, or a public restroom - shows respect. Even if you made a mess while working, cleaning it properly at the end is all part of our Islamic teachings. Oppression isn

💜

Love and du’as,

The Minara Team