A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MUSLIM
WOMAN
Normal, every day activities become acts of worship if they are
done for the sake of pleasing Allah. And among these deeds, the
regular, consistent deeds are best. Aisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) said
that Allah's Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said, "The
deeds most loved by Allah are those done regularly, even if they
are small." (Bukhari and Muslim). This means that we do not need
to do anything spectacular in our day to obtain rewards from
Allah, but we should establish some type of routine that
incorporates not only salah, but reading Qur'an, duaa, thikr, and
other good deeds. This will increase the serenity, patience, and
enthusiasm of the believer.
EARLY MORNING
This article is aimed at bringing the spiritual side in the
everyday life of married Muslim woman:
Wake at night to perform Tahajjud.
The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said, "The best (most
rewarding) salah after the obligatory salah is tahajjud, night
salah." (Ahmad and Muslim). It is best to do this toward the last
one third of the night as the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam,
said, "When the last one third of the night remains, our Lord, the
Glorious One, descends towards the earth and proclaims, "Who is
there who supplicates me, so that I may grant his supplication?
Who is there who begs of Me, so that I may grant it to him? And
who is there who seeks My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"
(Bukhari and Muslim). It is even better if the husband and wife
perform the tahajjud together. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa
sallam, said, "When a man wakes his wife up at night and they
perform two rak'at together, they are written down among the men
and women who remember Allah." (Abu Dawud). After this salah one
can return to bed until the fajr.
Upon awakening in the morning: say this duaa, "Al-Hamdulillah,
praise be to Allah who brought me to life after giving me death,
and to Him is the resurrection." (Bukhari). One should also greet
the other members of the household who are awake. The Prophet,
sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "O my son (to Anas), when you
enter to where your family is, say salam. It is a blessing on you
and on the people of your house." (Tirmithi).
When getting dressed, say this duaa, "Al-Hamdulillah,
praise be to Allah, who clothed me with this, and who provided me
with it, without any power or might of mine." (Abu Dawud).
Make wudhu or ghusl (except for menstruating or postnatal
women)
Duaa when entering the bathroom, "In the name of Allah.
O Allah, I seek refuge in you from the evil and evil things." (Abu
Dawud).
Be sure to use the left hand in the bathroom: "Aisha (Radhiallaahu
Anhu)said that the right hand was used by Allah's Messenger for
his ablution and for taking food, and his left hand was used in
the toilet and the like." (Abu Dawud).
Say "Bismillah" and make the miswak or toothbrush,:
It is also encouraged to use the miswak or toothbrush although
it is not an obligatory aspect of wudhu. The Prophet, sallallahu
alayhe wa sallam, said, "If I had not found it difficult for my
followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with
miswak for every salah." (Bukhari and Muslim).
Duaa after finishing wudou
"I testify that there is no god but Allah, alone, having no
partner; and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
O Allah, make me of those who continually repent and purify
themselves." (Tirmithi).
Duaa when leaving the bathroom, : "(I ask for) Your
forgiveness." (Abu Dawud).
Perform Fajr salah: 2 rak'at of sunnah and the two
obligatory rak'at (except for menstruating or post-natal women).
It is important to remember that the salah should be completed
soon after the time has begun. Abdullah said that he asked the
Prophet which deed was loved most by Allah, the Exalted. He,
sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Salah which is performed at
its time." (Bukhari). Even if a woman is busy with another task,
she should interrupt this and perform her salah. A woman should
try to develop khushoo (sincere submission) in salah since this
will be the first thing that she will be accountable for on
Judgment Day. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said,
"When you stand up for your salah, make it as if it was your last
salah; do not say a word for which you will have to make an excuse
the coming day; and build no hope on what is in the hands of men."
(Ahmad).
It is often asked if women need to make the adhan and iqamah if
they are leading the salah or praying by themselves. This is not
required for women, although they may do it if they wish. In terms
of the manner of performing salah, a woman's salah is no different
from that of a man's.
Read the Qur'an: Early morning is often a good time to
read Qur'an, especially if the children are still sleeping and the
house is quiet. This allows one to fully concentrate and obtain
the most benefit. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said,
‘The recital of the Qur'an at dawn is always witnessed - the
angels of the night and the angels of the day witness it." (Tirmithi).
If one's spouse is available, this would be the ideal time to
strengthen the marriage by reading Qur'an together and praising
Allah for His blessings. A woman cannot recite the Qur'aan during
menses. She may listen to tapes.
Work on a project that will benefit the Muslim community in
some way: Before the children awake and after reading Qur'an,
it would be a good time to put energy into some project of
interest to which one is committed. This may include such things
as acquiring more Islamic knowledge by reading or listening to
tapes, writing articles, preparing for halaqas, developing some
type of program (such as a Children's halaqa, Muslim scouting
program, etc.), keeping in touch with other sisters through
e-mail, social service projects, etc. There are many opportunities
for sisters to benefit themselves (through Allah's rewards) and
the community.
MID AND LATE MORNING
Prepare a healthy breakfast for the family
It is important to remember that the Prophet, sallallahu
alayhe wasallam, used to eat very healthy foods such as dates,
cucumbers, bread, meats, milk. Much of the unhealthy food that we
have now was obviously not available at the time of the Prophet,
sallallahu alayhe wasallam. It is best to avoid processed foods
and to use items that are the most natural. Allah knows what is
best for his creation and He has provided us with all that we
need. We should take care of our children's physical needs in the
best manner possible. Cleanliness is also an important element of
the Islamic faith and should be observed in all matters,
especially in food preparation and eating.
Duaa when beginning the meal: "O Allah! Bless whatever
You provided for us and save us from the punishment of the
hellfire. Bismillah." The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam,
told a boy who was attending a meal with him "... Mention the name
of Allah, and eat with your right hand and eat of the food that is
nearer to you." (Bukhari) Spend some time in conversation during
the meal since this was encouraged by the Prophet, sallallahu
alayhe wasallam.
Duaa after finishing the meal: "Praise be to Allah, who
gave us to eat and to drink and made us Muslims." (Abu Dawud,
Tirmithi). It is important to remember not to overeat due to the
unhealthiness of this behavior for physical and spiritual reasons.
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said, "The son
of Adam fills no vessel more displeasing to Allah than his
stomach. A few morsels should be enough for him to preserve his
strength. If he must fill it, then he should allow a third for his
food, a third for his drink and leave a third empty for easy
breathing." (Tirmithi). Overeating can lead to laziness and
lethargy, and make acts of worship seem laborious, making it more
likely that one will delay or avoid them.
Spend quality time with the children: Older children may
need to be sent off to school, while younger children will
continue to require the attention of their mother. Raising
children is the most important and most honorable role for a
woman. It is essential to include quality time with the children
in a busy daily schedule. This should be given priority over
household chores and other activities, although it should not
interfere with obligatory acts of worship. Quality time may
include such things as reading books about Islam, teaching Arabic,
reading Qur'an together, playing games, going to the park, and
much more. The emphasis should be on the children's spiritual,
intellectual, emotional, and physical development. Doing this
early in the day also makes it more likely that children will be
content to play with themselves later on, freeing time for other
activities.
Perform salat ad-Dhuha: Abu Hurairah said, "My friend
(the Prophet) advised me to observe three things, not to abandon
them till I die; to fast three days a month, to perform two rak'at
of Duha (forenoon) salah, and to make witr before sleeping." (Bukhari
and Muslim). This is one of the forgotten sunnah of the Prophet,
sallallahu alayhe wasallam, that needs to be revived. Two or more
rak'a should be prayed some time after the sun rises until a few
moments before noon. The preferred time is when the sun is
extremely hot, which usually occurs around the hour before noon. A
mother has a wonderful opportunity to renew this Sunnah by
teaching her children from a very young age. Have a peaceful and
blessed morning!
Dr. Aeysha Hamdan
Last modified:
July 19, 2007
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