For ladies, having a good day in the Islamic way is a good place to start with. Wake up in the morning with gratitude in your heart.
Express gratitude that all your limbs and faculties are intact and that Allah has blessed you with another day to serve Him.
You could’ve woken up with a bad headache or aches and pains, but if your health is in order, give abundant praise.
Gratitude promotes abundance in one’s life, as Allah states in the Quran:
“If you are grateful [to Me], I shall most certainly give you more and more.”(Quran 14: 7)
Make an intention to spend the day in Allah’s obedience.
Thus, refrain from sin and any haram acts that may severe your relationship with Allah, and ask Him to grant you the ability to serve Him well.
Sacrificing the comfort of a warm bed to worship Allah is one of the most beautiful ways to express your love for Him.
So strive to make the Tahajjud (late-night prayers) prayers a priority in your day.
There are enormous blessings bestowed at this special time when Allah draws His servants so near and graciously grants them whatever they desire.
Even if you wake just 20 minutes before Fajr (dawn), pray it. Try not to skip it.
If you have little kids who often clamor over you while you pray, Fajr may be one of the prayers that you are able to perform with concentration and devotion.
Therefore, take advantage of this opportunity to offer a beautiful prayer to your Lord and be spiritually rejuvenated in return. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“Whoever performs the prayer before the rising of the sun (Fajr) and before its setting (‘Asr), will not enter Hell.” (Muslim)
If possible, complete as much Quran reading and dhikr at this time as the blessings of it will be scattered throughout your day.
The Prophet (PBUH) has stated that if a person recites surah Yaseen (chapter 36) early in the morning, then his needs for the day will be fulfilled (Mishkat).
There is a popular saying that, “The father may be the head of the house, but the mother is the heart.”
Mothers are the ones who set the emotional tone in a house. So wake up your kids in a pleasant manner.
Kids, especially little ones, crave loving connections, and a loving mother is a beautiful mother.
While mothers usually have a load on their minds in the morning, strive to give your kids a good dose of positive attention, as this will foster co-operation.
Our Prophet (PBUH) was very affectionate, merciful, and even playful with kids, and he set the best and most beautiful example for us.
With this in mind, when waking them up, climb into bed and snuggle with them for a few moments, fill their emotional cups, and just enjoy seeing their fresh little faces.
A scholar once made a profound statement when he said that there is little difference between a Muslim mother and an atheist mother.
They both have similar mundane tasks for the day, except that the Muslim mother has the opportunity to spend her entire day remembering Allah.
Therefore, keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah. As you pack lunches, get the bags ready, and let your heart find contentment in Allah’s remembrance for verily, in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest. (Quran 13:28)
Strive to pack your family healthy lunches and serve them a healthy breakfast so that they have the stamina to face the day.
Serve dates, honey, and milk, as these are sunnah foods and will earn you spiritual rewards.
Encourage your family to eat with the intention that these foods strengthen their bodies to serve Allah for the day.
This act of eating and enjoying halal foods then becomes ibadah (worship).
It is a fact that men want to feel loved and cared for just as much as women do, so do not underestimate the positive effect a little love note can have.
Pop one into your hubby’s lunch box with the intention of enhancing the love between you.
Alternatively, a sweet text message or an email while hubby is at work can stir heartfelt emotions and will set the mood of your relationship for the day.
Make sure there are some positive connections between you and your kids before they leave the house.
A good long hug or wishing for a good day are simple ways to establish positive vibes.
Umm Zaynab, mother of 4, says she likes to send her daughters a flying kiss at the door before they leave. If you are dropping them off, use the drive in the car to connect.
There are many delightful reports of moments of humor shared between the Prophet (PBUH) and the sahaba (companions).
Sharing jokes in the car can be a fun and lighthearted start to a serious day.
Alternatively, use the time to give them some simple Islamic advice while their minds are still fresh.
Tidiness and cleanliness are an intrinsic part of being Muslim.
“Verily Allah is Pure and loves purity, Clean and loves cleanliness, Noble and loves nobility, Generous and loves generosity. So, keep your courtyards (of your homes) clean, and do not resemble the Jews.” (Tirmidhi)
These household chores are part of the daily grind, so why not turn them into acts of ibadah (worship) you can earn rewards for.
Make the intention to do it for the sake of Allah, as He loves cleanliness and order.
In the same vein, beautifying your home for Allah’s pleasure and to bring comfort to your family can also earn you rewards since Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. [Muslim]
While cooking can be a real labor at times, turning it into ibadah (worship) can be a motivating factor to get that pot on the stove.
Our bodies are a trust from Allah, and one that we should nourish and care for, so cook your family wholesome foods.
Beautify this daily act by keeping up with the remembrance of Allah while you stir your pot, add your spices, measure your flour, etc.
When opening your fridge, express gratitude for all that Allah, your Raziq (Provider), has bestowed on you.
Reciting Allah’s name, Ya-Wadudu (All-Loving) and blowing onto the food can facilitate loving relationships amongst family members.
This is a great way to douse sibling rivalry, for sure!
So now that you have your mornings beautifully organized, let’s look at how we can have a good afternoon and evening the Islamic way.
If you fetch your young kids before Dhuhr prayer, a good idea is to set a quiet ‘after school’ rhythm for them.
Take out calming books or set up some water play activities while you pray in as much quiet as possible with young kids around.
Qaylula is the nap or rest (even without sleep) taken at midday or when the sun is at its peak.
This can be done even before Dhuhr prayer unless the salaah is held early (in the beginning of its time), in which case it may be done afterwards.
This power nap has been proven to promote learning and increase performance. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Take a nap, for the shayaateen do not take naps.” (al-Tabaraani)
Encourage your little ones to nap with you else. Put on some nasheeds or audio books to keep them entertained.
Afternoons are for relaxation and fun.
If you have older kids to fetch from school, try to connect with them while taking the drive home. Enquire about the ups and downs of their day. Ask about homework and projects.
This is a good time to play with little kids, as we are encouraged to do.
In fact, playing with our kids is considered nafl ‘ibadah. If we look through hadith, we will find many accounts of the Prophet (peace be upon him) acting playfully and sharing moments of light-heartedness with small kids.
He did this despite having the most important task on his hands. Playing with our kids strengthens bonds and reduces the stress of the day.
“I will say, I may not always feel up to playing with my 4-year-old but once I get into it, I find it rather therapeutic,” admits Umm ‘Umayr.
After ‘Asr prayer, which is usually the time most fathers come home – try to take a family walk out in nature.
Being out in nature has a magical way of shifting our energies to a more positive and refreshing one.
Just enjoy the end-of-the day bustle that usually prevails at this time and reflect on how Allah has made a time in the day for everything – this time being one where His creation prepares itself for the night ahead.
Point out to your children how the birds flock together in trees to take a rest and how flowers close their petals on another day only to open them again the next day.
This happens all through the Power and Wisdom of Allah.
Try getting homework and other major responsibilities out of the way so that at least there is some time left for an enriching family activity.
If it’s summer, why not take your dinner outdoors and enjoy a lovely evening meal in the mild coolness as evening arrives?
Try to adopt as much of the other sunna’s of eating at meal times, such as beginning in the name of Allah and praising Allah after eating, eating with the right hand, not finding fault with food, and licking the fingers clean.
Remember, here too is an opportunity to connect as a family, so talk about daily happenings or quiz your kids on Islamic knowledge.
It’s so easy to get caught up in life’s daily stresses. Children are there to remind us not to take life too seriously!
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was known to be humorous at times, so follow his example and share some jokes with your kids as you enjoy your meal.
If you have little ones, just take care to be indoors before Mahrib sets in, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“When night falls, keep your children indoors, for the devils are out and about at this time. When an hour of the night goes by, you can let them go.”(Bukhari).
Set a lovely evening rhythm by playing Qur’an recitation just before Mahrib sets in.
With little ones, this time is usually one that is considered somewhat stressful as kids’ and parents’ energy and patience levels reach their limits.
With Quran in the background, an aura of tranquility can prevail.
If you are able to, try to perform Maghrib prayer as a family and do some Qur’an recitation collectively as well.
After the kids have bathed, snuggle with them closely and read them good bedtime stories.
Stories from the Prophets’ lives can be quite captivating. You will find that kids tend to be more open to sharing parts of themselves at this time.
They also seem to ask a lot of questions at this time – try to indulge them for a while – you can never underestimate the value of connecting with your kids, even if it’s just a few extra minutes.
When the kids are asleep and a sense of calm prevails, once again make your ‘Ishai prayer with much devotion and close up your evening’s ‘ibadah with some dhikr.
Just sitting still with your eyes closed and remembering Allah within yourself can be spiritually nourishing and therapeutic for the soul.
It’s very easy to let technology become the third person in your marriage, so this is an ideal time to spend some time catching up with your husband instead of sauntering off to switch on something.
Have a snack together, share a can of something together, taking care to sip from the same spot hubby has. This was the sunnah of our prophet (peace be upon him) and it brings love between a couple. Listen to a lecture or unwind together with some nasheeds.
Before you sleep, take yourself into account. This can be a very effective exercise in taking stock of your life.
If you are guilty of backbiting, lying, or any other sin, make some istighfar and affirm not to repeat the same again.
Cleanse your heart by forgiving anyone who has wronged you. This little act earned a companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Jannah.
Say your du’as before sleeping and sleep with the intention to reviving your body to worship Allah another day. Then thank Allah for the beautiful day He has blessed you with.
SOURCE: https://aboutislam.net/family-life/your-society/ladies-good-day-islamic-way/3/
