Rise and Shine!

Salaam Minara Family,

Welcome to our thirty day Rise and Shine Fajr challenge where we bypass the snooze on our alarms and instead greet the dawn with welcome [if a little sleepy] arms.

GIF inspiration of the day ⬇️ aiming for this kind of energy! 😉

Over a hundred of our wonderful Minara community joined us last year for our very first Fajr challenge and this year, we are so excited to host again, some familiar faces and perhaps some fresh ones too.

So what’s it all about?

Well, there’s no denying that Fajr is a tough cookie to master. Summertime Fajr is super early and in the winter, getting out of bed is a Baltic experience, putting it mildly!

But the early bird really does catch the worm and Fajr is the proverbial bird that catches the sweet song of the morning sparrows, the serendipitous yawns of a sleepy sky and the calming embrace of an earth shyly emerging from the blanket of the night. Most of all though, Fajr is the proverbial bird that catches the treasured secrets of spirituality and unlocks the blessings of a purposeful, mindful and full-of-gratitude kinda day!

Minara’s mission is to help you connect with and cherish this sacred prayer.

Let’s create our own Fajr miracle morning crew!

So…who’s in? Minara’s founder shared her thoughts on Fajr last year here and in the spirit of constant betterment, with other members of the team, is partaking in the challenge too. Because Fajr really is tough for some of us out here! If you’re one of us, consider this is your call to action friend 😄.

Can you make yourself a promise to commit and actualize your personal pledge by replying directly to this email with a ‘Fajr miracle morning crew’ or a simple ‘I’m taking part in the challenge too!’

(Just hit the little reply button anywhere on the email).

We are so excited to hear from you 💗.

Read on as we share tips to improve your Fajr practice and give you access to a lil discount code for Minara’s exclusive Rise and Shine 30 day Fajr Challenge guide.

We have collated some of our favourite tips from Minara’s Fajr guide. We hope they help you craft the best Fajr experience possible in sha Allah.

1. Set your intention the night before. Convince your heart and mind that you really do intend to get up the next morning. Let your intention be more than just a scattered thought of a ‘maybe’; instead, anchor the vague possibility to a concrete anticipation of meeting Allah al-Wadud Who will be waiting for you in the morning. ⚓

2. The key to rocking Fajr starts the night before. Try unplugging from gadgets an hour before bedtime, engage in the sunnah practice of making wudu before sleep, dive into some soothing Surahs, or sip on calming chamomile. When you snooze in peace, you wake up ready to seize your Fajr.

3. Du’a before dozing off. Read the bedtime du’a [e.g. this version]:

   اللَّهُمَّ بِاسْـمِكَ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا

   “O Allah, in your name I live and die.”

   Allahumma bi ismika amutu wa ahya

4. Reflection is so so important. What’s stopping you from reading your Fajr? Perhaps you do awaken for Fajr but it’s all a big fumble in the dark, the ambience set to ‘gotta get back in bed, gotta get back in bed…’ . Reflect on the small wins in your day when you do read Fajr and consider how amplified these would be if your Fajr was recited with just a smidgen more of devotion! 💟 Our Fajr guide [link below] has great questions and ample space to guide your reflections and journey.

5. Levelling up your Fajr from a 100% attendance? [Wow ma sha Allah!] Dedicate a little time post prayer for reflecting on Allah’s majesty or engaging in some morning dhikr. Make du’a for our ummah, for those in need and want and for the goodness and guidance of all. This is also the perfect time to read Surah Yasin [Chapter 22-23] of which it has been said to be a prescriber of fulfilling one’s daily needs when recited in the morning. Let your Fajr truly be a source of light for you.

6. Revel in its rewards! The Prophet [peace be upon him] emphasized the immense value of the two Sunnah Rak'ahs before the Fajr obligatory prayer [Sahih al-Bukhari 619]. These two units of prayer before the Fardh are said to be better than this world and all it contains [Muslim 112]. Scholar Shah Waliyullah explains that while the world exists in a perishable state and its blessings are not free from fatigue, the reward of performing the sunnah of Fajr persist and never become stale.

7. And finally, accountability! Observe and reflect. Speak to friends about your journey, your goals, your hardships. Challenge your loved ones to join you in your journey. Struggling to get them motivated? Steal a little supplication time for them after your own Fajr. Still feel alone in this journey? Remember Minara is here for you. Tag Minara with your pictures and posts, follow our stories, share in the DMS [we promise we reply to each one] and bask in a community of fellow Fajr-goers in sha Allah. We got you! 💗💗💗

Fajr holds a unique position in the life of a Muslim. Allah Himself says, "Observe the prayer from the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night and the dawn prayer, for certainly the dawn prayer is witnessed by angels." (Qur'an 17:78).

The time of Fajr is blessed; it's when the earth is quiet, the soul is tranquil, and the connection with the Creator is free from the distractions of daily life.

There’s so much more to say but so little time [and space]! Head over to myminara.com where you can purchase your own copy of our Fajr Challenge Guide thoughtfully designed to encourage, navigate and challenge you through your Fajr journey. Consider us your bffs as we traverse this space together in sha Allah. Don’t forget to use the code FAJR2024 to receive a 50% discount - link here.

And lastly, head over to our social media to share your story and inspire our little community. 💟 Miracle morning crew in the making in sha Allah. We got this!

See you in the morning! 🌄

With warm wishes,

The Minara Team