In preparation for the greatest day...

Assalaamu’alaykum, 

As we approach the most sacred day of the entire year, a day when the greatest number of souls are freed from the Hellfire, when Allah descends to the lowest heaven and boasts to His angels about His devoted servants, when fasting expiates the sins of years past and to come and as we gear up to finish strong, I want to invite you to remember one more thing.

While we prepare for the essential spiritual rituals of this blessed day; the fasting, the prayers, the duaas, the dhikr and more…it’s just as important to turn inward and scrub our hearts… deeply and deliberately.

Just as we spring clean our houses usually once a year, giving it a deep clean (don’t come at me, I deep clean more frequently than that ;) we want to grab hold of this day and all the opportunities it brings to give our hearts a deep clean too. 

A cleanse in hope that Allah accepts the condition of our hearts and enables them to remain purified long after these ten blessed days have passed.

How do we deep clean our hearts? 

Here are a few questions to sit with, allowing yourself to become fully present to what comes up in stillness. No rushing. Just honest observation… and a firm resolve to review, renew and refine:

1. What is the quality of my words to others? What intentions fuel what I say?
2. Where does my ego whisper loudest? In my need to be right? In my hunger for recognition? In my fear of being seen as flawed?
3. How much care do I take in how I make those closest to me feel? When my private door is shut to the outside world and my guards are down?

With rigorous sincerity and honesty, spend time with the reflections above. Notice what surfaces, recognise the good, tend to what needs repair and remain in a state of deep istighfar throughout. 

Because without the mercy of Allah, not even a single leaf will move.

We’ll be continuing our journey into raising self-awareness as a powerful means of self-purification, InshaAllah.

I pray we’re granted the unimaginable, unquantifiable gift of witnessing the Day of ‘Arafah and that its miracles, mercy and blessings take root in every corner of our lives.
Ameen ya Rabb al-'Aalameen.

Reflection of the Week

Think of a habit or mindset you don’t want to carry with you into the Day of ‘Arafah.

If today was your chance to lay it down and walk lighter towards Allah, what would you release?

Dua of the Week

The best duaa for the Day of ‘Arafah, as taught by the Prophet ﷺ, is:  

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs all dominion and all praise, and He has power over all things.