Salaam friends,

How great are the results of last week’s poll? Three actions all tying at 22%!

But ultimately most are turning to the Qur’ān to feed their souls.

O Allāh, place barakah in our mornings, make the Qur’ān the light of our hearts and the anchor of our days, and allow us to begin each dawn drawing closer to You.

Amīn yā Rabb.

Before we proceed, we’d love to hear your little wins. What’s been working for you in your mornings? Anything you’ve tried that’s made a difference? Anything you’ve taken away from our weekly communication?

Just hit the reply button or leave a comment… let’s share and learn from each other 🩵.

Right, this week, we want to ask a sorta uncomfortable question:

What happens between Fajr and the morning we meant to protect?

Most of us don’t wake up wanting a distracted, rushed, heavy start to the day.

And yet (somehow!) we end up there.

Why?

Because there are habits, small and subtle, that drain the barakah or blessing we’re trying to build.

So this week, let’s just talk about what might be getting in the way.

Personal disclaimer: today’s morning hasn’t exactly been productive… and yes, it’s because I went back to sleep. 😒

So we’re using number one as an opportunity to reinforce the beauty of the blessings in the morning.

Miss the morning?

You’ll find yourself chasing the day. (At least I know I am!)

Ibn al-Qayyim notes that the early generations (the salaf) disliked sleeping in the time after Fajr, even when tired or travelling. If they did need to rest, they would delay it until after sunrise (Madarij al-Sālikīn, 1/459)

Why? Because they wanted to capitalise on preserving the day.

So although you’ve prayed your Fajr and caught the barakah of the prayer, what you do next determines whether that barakah carries into your day.

Source unknown but we came across this metaphor that Fajr is the dawn of your day just like youth is the dawn of your life.

Notice the parallel between beginnings?

Just like youth is a stage where habits are formed and trajectories begin, Fajr is the point where the day takes shape.

So while the comparison sounds very poetic, its also a wonderful reminder that not seizing the morning is often where our barakah first begins to slip.

Hands up if the first thing you do as soon as you’re awake is check your phone?!

It’s such a curse isn’t it? We don't mean to. Most of the time, we don't even want to and there's definitely resistance there.

Yet, somehow… we still reach for it.

The Prophet ﷺ made dhikr the first act after ṣalāh because what enters the heart first shapes what settles in it.

So when the first input after Fajr (or even before your feet hit the floor) is your phone, not dhikr or Qur’ān, you’re altering the state of the heart those ten minutes were meant to protect.

Our hearts were truly designed with a need.

And though our bodies and brains have been trained to look for it in our phones, in reality, the need was and is always meant to be met by Allāh and His remembrance.

“I’ll read Qur’ān after breakfast.”
“I’ll make du‘ā on the way.”

Eeek… sound familiar?

Hey, maybe you really do said thing later alḥamdulillāh.

Though 'later' sounds harmless, something else has taken precedence in the moment. Every 'later' is, in some way, a statement of priority.

Truth is friends, we aren't guaranteed the later. Delaying a good act or intention assumes continuity in time, energy and even willingness.

So Islam trains us to act within what is certain: the present moment. It would be fair to say then that part of not delaying is actually about truthfulness with time.

In the words of the Prophet ﷺ, hasten to do good deeds! (Muslim, 118)

We think that the mornings begin at Fajr. In actuality? They begin the night before.

In his works like Madarij al-Salikin and Al-Jawāb al-Kāfī, Ibn al-Qayyim consistently argues the principle that actions:

So the state we may wake up in is a continuation of the night before. A night filled with distraction, overstimulation, or heedlessness will naturally affect how spiritually receptive our hearts are.

Why is why Fajr and a blessing-full post-Fajr routine can feel impossible.

So when the morning feels off, it's worth asking yourself: where did my morning actually begin?

If our morning mini-series is something that's aligning with your intentions, a little reminder that we do have a free 30-day Fajr challenge sitting there waiting for you 🤍.

Grab it here:

Wishing you mornings that feel a little more intentional, and days that follow with barakah.

Until next week then friends where we’ll conclude with Week Four of our mini-morning series.

Love and du’ās,

The Minara Team