My love-and-hate relationship with Fajr

Ok, I know this is a bold title for such an important prayer. Let me get it out there: I am not a morning person, and kinda more like a night owl. 

Hence the love-and-hate relationship. 

This doesn’t mean to say that I don’t value Fajr. Believe me, I never feel better than when I pray Fajr on time and feel extremely guilty when I sleep through it. 

I wish I were the kind of person with all their ducks in a row and never slips; life is super organized, and things get done on the clock. Unfortunately, I am not. I try my very best, and I’m in awe of anyone who seems (and is) very organized and time-disciplined. 

Now, back to that early morning struggle.  I tried a lot of things over time to pray Fajr on time. 

There was a time when I would wake up, not open a single light, even while making wudu, put my abaya and my scarf on, pray in the dark, and get right back into bed, hoping that the absence of light would allow me to go back to my snooze quickly. 

And then I understood that it defeated the purpose of praying Fajr; how could I feel Khushu’ when I was barely awake? How could I be present with my Lord and make sincere duaa when I only wanted to go back to sleep?

It’s kinda funny when I think of it. So, I am now on a new journey with Fajr. I will give it my full attention and am convinced I will be better off for it. Even when I was praying it poorly (not sure how to convey the sense of guilt I have about that), I would start my day feeling lighter, knowing that  I did what was most difficult for me, waking up before dawn and praying Fajr.

It was my first victory of the day.

I want to be positive because it’s by seeing things in a positive light that you can grow, improve, and do better. So let’s say not praying is level 0, and praying the way I used to is level, hmm, 1, I want to get to level 2. 

What’s level 2, you ask? – Wake up, open those lights! Make wudu mindfully and open my heart to prayer. Pray my two Ra’kats of Fajr and make sincere duaa in sujood. Take my time with it. And while I finish my prayer, make some dhikr - my bed can wait. Once I master this level, the next level will be to pray the sunnah prayer before Fajr. Oh yes, and let’s not forget the most important thing: not miss Fajr anymore; wake up for it every day.

I know I’m not the only one who struggles with Fajr; I see you 👀 All 50% of you that say so 🥺

I want to extend an invitation to you. To renew your bond with Fajr. Let’s challenge ourselves and commit for a month, not miss a single Fajr prayer bi idn’Allah (God willing). To help you in this journey, we’ve put together a beautifully crafted guide that will give you daily boosts, reminders, tools, and all the knowledge you need about Fajr.

Minara Rise & Shine - 30-Day Fajr Challenge

We also created a support group on the Geneva platform, where we will share our journey. I will post every day to say (insha’Allah) that I prayed Fajr on time and will remind you every night to set your alarm and intention to wake up for Fajr. The goal is to help each other become accountable for our Fajr prayer, stay committed, and see its benefits unfold in our lives. 

I am not saying that this will be a piece of cake, but let’s be real: fall and winter are the perfect time to establish Fajr as a daily unshakeable habit. 

The prayer comes in later in the morning, allowing you to wake up for it and pretty much get on with your day. It will still be dark when you wake up (that’s kind of how it works), but the later we get in the year, the more likely it will be the case for anyone who has school, work, or an early start. 

Now, it’s worth noting that I am not saying we should pray Fajr during this period of the year because it’s easier. However, if you do struggle with those early morning moments, this is a good time to make that intention and establish Fajr in your life. It will be a little bit gentler now, and building the habit for the months to come will make it easier to stick with it when it goes back to the 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. time… 

When we taste the sweetness of Fajr together and feel like we are fulfilling our obligation and building a connection with Allah, we ought to feel better for it. 

Now, will you take on this challenge with me? I hope so. No, I pray so. 💜

Love & Dua

Minara

Founder’s Prayer Journal