Hannah’s Daily Note

Asalam alaykum readers,

Just a little note today to tell you about a change of pace for The Daily Note. From now on, the Daily Note will become ‘A Note On…’ and I’ll post every week, rather than daily.

I’ve been thinking about a change of pace with The Daily Note for a while – I want to make sure that every note I post comes from the heart and deep reflection, and I am creating capacity to serve my audience with free calls, freebies, and deep support through my coaching programme.

There’s something exciting that I’m working on that you’ll hear more about soon, inshaAllah.

In the meantime, below is a reminder of the bits and bobs I currently have on offer – if you’d like support:

– ‘A moment back to prayer’: 15-minute FREE video guide for creating a beautiful practice with prayer. Perfect if you’re struggling with consistency or connection in prayer.

– FREE ‘Awaken and Align’ call to identify blocks, set intentions and move forwards. Perfect if something feels ‘off’ but you’re not sure what it is.

– Permission to Be – 3-month coaching programme to rediscover your self, and reconnect with Islam. This is for you if you’re ready to invest the time, money and energy in doing the deeper work.

If you feel drawn towards any of that support, or want to know more, my DMs on Instagram are open.

Catch you next week!
Hannah x

I’m not someone who gets up to eat a meal for Suhoor. I usually just have a bottle of water and maybe a few nuts waiting for me by my bedside. But if I’m not careful, this makes it too easy to wake up, eat and pray half-asleep.

So this year I’m adding something really small that I think will make a big difference. I’m making sure I take at least 2 minutes before Fajr (often more, but this is my minimum that I know I can achieve even on the hardest days), and I sit in complete silence on the edge of my bed. I allow my thoughts to quiet and my body to settle with a few deep breaths. And only when I feel a sense of peace do I get up to stand and meet Allah.

Simple iftar ideas have been on my mind a lot this Ramadan.

I remember when I lived in the UAE and used to go to iftar buffets. Before the adhan was called, people would go up to the buffet and return to their tables with plates piled high with food.

Of course, much of this was wasted. It completely went against what Ramadan is meant to teach us about our desires, our habits, and our self control.

That memory stays with me, which is why I try to keep my iftars really simple now. Minimal, even. A simple iftar often leaves more space for gratitude and presence.

Today it is the ever underrated scrambled eggs on toast.

If you want a few simple iftar ideas that are quick and grounding, here are three easy options.

Simple Iftar Ideas You Can Try

Dates and water followed by soup and bread. Light, traditional, and gentle on the stomach.

Scrambled eggs on toast with fruit on the side. Filling, fast, and low effort.

Yogurt, dates, nuts, and a drizzle of honey. No cooking needed and easy to prepare before maghrib.

Simple iftar ideas help reduce waste and keep the focus on worship instead of excess. They also support a Ramadan without burnout and overwhelm.

What are you eating for iftar today, and can you keep it simple?

Ramadan intention is something I keep coming back to today.

Today I want to remind myself of my values and how they show up in my practice of Islam. A clear Ramadan intention helps anchor worship in sincerity, not performance.

During Ramadan there can be pressure to perform. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves fasting not for Allah but to keep up appearances.

Turning inward and checking our Ramadan intention helps keep our focus where it belongs. It brings our worship back to sincerity and keeps our hearts directed toward Allah.

Self forgiveness in Islam can begin with a very small moment of honesty.

A Gentle Practice of Self Forgiveness

Today, I am allowing myself to let go of something I have been beating myself up over. I am taking a moment to notice what the weight of it feels like, and I am imagining it washing away each time I make wudu to pray.

Self forgiveness is not weakness. It is a return. It is mercy turned inward as we continue turning back to Allah.

What can you forgive yourself for today?

Balancing the social side of Ramadan is not something we talk about much, but it matters. A quiet Ramadan iftar can sometimes be more spiritually nourishing than a busy one.

For most of my time as a Muslim, I spent Ramadan alone. It is a familiar feeling for many reverts, sitting in front of the TV to break your fast and getting up for suhoor alone.

Why a Quiet Ramadan Iftar Can Be Spiritually Powerful

I do not look back on those days as negative. There was real blessing in those quiet moments. A quiet Ramadan iftar often gave me more presence, more reflection, and more conscious remembrance of Allah.

Now I sometimes find it hard to make myself too busy in Ramadan. If we have too many plans and invitations, I start to miss those simple, quiet iftars. Social gatherings are beautiful, but constant socialising can turn iftar into something rushed and mindless. Food becomes excessive and the spiritual focus gets lost.

Creating Balance in the Social Side of Ramadan

That is why I now plan for balance. Some days my husband and I break our fast together. Some days we join others. And some days I intentionally keep a quiet Ramadan iftar on my own so I can be fully present and spiritually grounded.

If you are trying to reconnect with Allah or approach Ramadan without burnout, this balance really helps. Quiet space is not loneliness. It can be worship.

Look at the month ahead and schedule a few quiet Ramadan iftar evenings where you can slow down and be present. You may find they become your most meaningful moments.

If you want support building a gentle Ramadan rhythm, you can book a free support call here.

Ramadan Kareem. As we enter this month, here is a gentle reminder that Ramadan without burnout is not only possible, it is better.

Ramadan is not about upping your game and burning out within the first 10 days. It is not about trying to suddenly become a completely different person overnight. Many women fall into this pattern and end up exhausted, discouraged, and carrying unnecessary guilt.

How to Approach Ramadan Without Burnout

Ramadan without burnout begins with intention, not intensity.

It is about consciousness of Allah and an honest effort to get closer to Him. Whatever that looks like for you right now, remember that you are enough and your small consistent actions matter.

Small Acts That Bring You Closer to Allah

If you are trying to reconnect with Allah or return to prayer, this month can be a gentle doorway instead of a heavy burden. A gentle return to salah and small daily acts of worship often lead to deeper change than extreme plans that are impossible to sustain.

Over the next month, I will be sharing here some things I am doing to support Ramadan without burnout. Simple practices, realistic routines, and small spiritual anchors. Perhaps some of these ideas will support you too.

If you would like personal support going into Ramadan, you can book a free support call here.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in prayer guilt and guilt around what we’re doing, doing too much of, or not doing enough of, that we end up in a negative spiral of guilt and shame.

This kind of spiritual guilt can feel convincing. It feels factual. But often it is not truth. It is a story we have been telling ourselves for a long time.

Many women who are trying to reconnect with Allah carry prayer guilt quietly. They assume the guilt is proof that they are failing. In reality, it is often just a learned inner voice.

Perhaps that story started in childhood, shaped by expectations from caregivers or society. Perhaps it came later, when you embraced Islam or tried to return more seriously to your faith practice.

How Prayer Guilt Keeps You Spiritually Stuck

Prayer guilt often sounds like this inside your mind. I am too inconsistent. I have left it too late. I am not sincere enough. When repeated often enough, these thoughts begin to feel like facts.

Questioning the Prayer Guilt Story

But stories can be questioned.

If guilt has been blocking your prayer or your spiritual reconnection, it is worth slowing down and asking what is actually true. Not what feels loud. Not what feels familiar. What is true.

For more support with overcoming prayer guilt and returning gently to worship, read this guide on a gentle return to salah and how to reconnect with Allah consistently, or DM ‘Salah’ and I’ll send you my 15-minute video guide. If you want personal support, you can also book a free call here.

I cannot remember the exact date, but it was February 2009 that I took my shahada. That makes it 17 years of being Muslim. Alhamdulilah.

When I look back over those years, what stands out is not constant spiritual highs or perfect consistency. There have been strong seasons and weaker ones. Times of closeness and times of feeling disconnected from Islam. That is more normal than most people admit.

So today I wanted to share the best piece of advice I was ever given about faith. It was simple and it stayed with me. “Hannah, Islam is easy. Just take it easy.”

I have held onto those words in moments when perfectionism and prayer became tangled together. I have remembered them when guilt crept in. They helped when overthinking made worship feel heavy instead of life giving.

Many women delay their return because they think reconnecting with Allah has to be intense and immediate. They believe a gentle return to salah is not enough. They think it only counts if everything changes at once.

Over the years I have learned the opposite. Small, sincere steps are often the ones that last. Ease supports consistency more than pressure does.

So here is your reminder today. Islam is easy. Take it easy. Begin where you are and return as you are.

I always love the very first signs of spring. Snowdrops appear in the garden almost overnight. Buds start forming on the trees. The first daffodils show up in the shops. These small details feel full of meaning. For me, this feels more like a new year than January 1st.

Nature shifts quietly but consistently. Nothing forces it. Nothing rushes it. The change still comes.

There is also an opportunity here for a moment of reflection with Allah. Seasonal change reminds us how much of life runs on a timetable set by Him. We trust that the snowdrops will appear after a long winter. We are certain that leaves will return to the trees. No one stands outside worrying whether spring will come back.

That same trust can shape how we view our faith too.

Many women go through periods of feeling disconnected from Islam. Motivation drops. Prayer feels heavy. Spiritual habits become irregular. During those times it is easy to panic and assume the connection is gone for good.

Faith also has seasons. Your spiritual connection with Allah can feel quiet for a while without being lost.

If you are in a colder spiritual season right now, let spring teach you something. Growth often happens underground before anything is visible. A gentle return to salah and worship can begin in very small ways. One sincere dua. One mindful prayer. One honest moment of turning back.

Trust that you can reconnect with Allah. The tiny shoots of connection will appear again, even after a long winter.

I will admit something to you. I am a procrastinator. It links closely to my perfectionism. I often feel like I need the right mood and a big wave of motivation before I start anything important.

One thing I have a terrible habit of delaying is making up missed fasts before Ramadan begins. Somehow there is always a reason to push it back a little further. In fact, I still need to squeeze in another one before Ramadan arrives.

Many women quietly carry the same pattern. The fasts sit in the background of the mind, creating pressure and low level guilt. Over time, that guilt can start to feel heavier than the action itself. It can even feed a wider sense of feeling disconnected from Islam.

This year feels slightly different for me. Instead of just feeling annoyed with myself, I notice some sadness. Sad that I left them so late. Sad that something meant to reconnect me with Allah started to feel like a burden instead of an act of worship.

So I am choosing a different response. No spiralling guilt. No harsh self talk. Just an honest mental note. I do not want this to be my pattern going forward.

Small changes still count. One fast completed with presence still counts. A gentle return to salah and fasting habits still counts too. Progress in faith is often quieter and slower than we expect.

InshaAllah, this year will be different. Not perfect, but more intentional.

There was a time when so much in my life started to fall into place, at least that is how it looked on paper.

From the outside, things looked aligned and successful. Inside, it was a different story. I was no longer praying, felt like a fraud in hijab, and was deep in an identity crisis.

At the root of almost all of it was perfectionism. The belief that if I did anything, it had to be perfect.

Praying? It had to be flawless. Wearing hijab? Why not abaya too? Making dua? It should be in Arabic. Calling myself a Muslim? Then every habit had to match. The standard kept moving and I kept failing it.

Perfectionism and prayer became tangled together. Instead of helping me grow, the pressure made me freeze. I know now that many women who are struggling with salah sit in this exact trap. If it cannot be done perfectly, it feels safer not to begin.

Rather than motivating me to do better, perfectionism convinced me to do nothing at all.

Eventually I took a cold, honest look at all the ways perfectionism was showing up in my life. I also looked at where it came from. In my case, I was chasing external validation because my self belief was very low.

Things began to change when I allowed imperfection back into my faith practice. Small efforts counted. Partial consistency counted. A gentle return to salah counted.

Letting go of perfectionism did not make me less Muslim. It gave me permission to reconnect with Allah in a real and sustainable way. Progress replaced performance, and that is what made the return possible.

I know what it is like to feel less than excited about Ramadan. You are watching everyone around you prepare. They are getting the house ready, meal prepping, writing their dua lists. Meanwhile, you just feel empty.

Some women feel embarrassed to admit this. Ramadan is supposed to feel uplifting, so when it doesn’t, they assume something must be wrong with them. The gap between what they feel and what they think they should feel gets wider.

If you are feeling disconnected from Islam, Ramadan can be a triggering time instead of a comforting one. It can feel like another measuring point. Another reminder of missed prayers, inconsistent habits, or struggling with salah.

Guilt gets loud very quickly in this season. The mind says you should be doing more, feeling more, fixing everything at once. That pressure often makes it harder to reconnect with Allah, not easier.

A gentle return to salah and spiritual practice usually starts from neutral ground, not from shame. You are more likely to move forward when you feel supported and steady, not judged.

Support before Ramadan can make a real difference. A short, focused conversation can help you clear some of the guilt and emotional weight so you can enter the month with honesty and calm.

If you would like help to reconnect with Allah before Ramadan begins, I am offering a free call to get you grounded and supported. DM ‘Ramadan’ on Instagram and I’ll get you booked in.

Overcoming prayer guilt is something I work on with clients all the time. This guilt usually comes with the belief that the guilt is deserved and necessary.

Many say it quickly and confidently. Yes, I should feel guilty. I have let things slip. I have been inconsistent. I should be doing better.

When we slow that down and unpick it, the guilt often runs deeper than, “I made a mistake so I need to learn and move on.” The inner message sounds more like, “I cannot get anything right. I am too far gone. I am not worthy of forgiveness.” That is no longer healthy remorse. That is shame.

This kind of guilt is very common in women who are struggling with salah or feeling disconnected from Islam. They want to reconnect with Allah, but the weight of guilt makes them freeze instead of move.

Listen to the inner voice for a moment. Imagine hearing those harsh words repeated all day. It is not motivating. It is paralysing. That is why I often say that guilt keeps you stuck.

It keeps you off the prayer mat. It keeps your Quran on the shelf. It keeps you delaying making up your fasts. The thought pattern becomes, if I am not worthy anyway, what is the point of trying?

Real spiritual growth does not come from beating yourself down. Overcoming prayer guilt starts with self compassion and honesty. You acknowledge the slip, but you also allow the return. This is key for overcoming prayer guilt.

What if you spoke to yourself with more mercy and trusted Allah’s mercy too? Returning again and again still counts. A small step to reconnect with Allah still counts.

If this is where you are right now, support helps. You do not have to work through the guilt alone.

There are seasons in a Muslim woman’s life when her connection with Allah feels strong and steady. There are also seasons when that connection feels distant. If you are trying to reconnect with Allah right now, you are not alone.

There are also seasons when that connection feels distant.

If you are feeling disconnected from Islam right now, you are not alone. Many of the women I speak to are thoughtful, educated, high achieving, and sincere. From the outside they look like they have everything together. Privately, they tell me their prayer feels inconsistent, heavy, or absent altogether.

They want to reconnect with Allah. They just do not know how to begin again without guilt.

When Faith Feels Heavy Instead of Life Giving

Spiritual disconnection rarely appears out of nowhere. Often there is a deeper story underneath it.

Many women assume they must completely fix themselves before they reconnect with Allah. In reality, reconnection usually begins while things still feel messy.

Sometimes it is burnout and emotional overload. Sometimes it is perfectionism and prayer becoming tangled together. Sometimes it is guilt that has grown so loud it keeps you stuck. Sometimes it is a nervous system that learned to associate worship with pressure instead of peace.

This is why forcing yourself harder usually does not work. Pressure rarely produces a lasting return. Compassion and honesty do.

A gentle return to salah is often more sustainable than a dramatic overhaul.

Signs You Need to Reconnect With Allah

You might recognise some of these:

• You are struggling with salah or delaying prayer

• You feel guilty when you think about worship

• You avoid Islamic reminders because they feel triggering

• You compare yourself to “better” Muslims and shut down

• You keep saying you will restart properly later

• You feel like a fraud in your practice

None of these mean your faith is gone. They usually mean your heart is tired.

How to Reconnect With Allah in a Gentle Way

Reconnection does not start with perfection. It starts with permission.

Permission to begin small. Permission to be inconsistent while you rebuild. Permission to return without punishing yourself.

Start here:

Choose one anchor act
Pick one small act of worship and protect it. One prayer. One daily dua. One page of Quran.

Lower the emotional pressure
Drop the idea that you must feel spiritually “ready” before you begin.

Address prayer guilt directly
Guilt that says “return” is useful. Guilt that says “stay away” is not. Learn to tell the difference.

Support your nervous system
A calm body finds it easier to pray than a stressed one. Rest and regulation support worship.

You Are Not Too Far Gone to Reconnect With Allah

One of the most damaging beliefs I hear is this: “I am too far gone to reconnect with Allah properly.”

That belief keeps women away longer than any sin ever has.

Islam is built on return. Tawbah is return. Salah is return. Every dua is a return.

You do not need a perfect starting point. You only need a sincere one.

If You Want Support Reconnecting

If you are feeling disconnected from Islam and want support with a gentle return to salah and spiritual consistency, you do not have to do it alone.

I offer a free call for women who want a safe, compassionate starting point back to prayer and faith.

You do not need perfection to reconnect with Allah. You only need willingness to return.

You can book your free call here → BOOK A CALL NOW

You can also subscribe to The Daily Note for short reflections and guidance for busy Muslim women who want to reconnect with Allah in real life, not in theory.

Just a quick reminder today:

If you’re feeling disconnected – from prayer, from the Quran, from Allah – please remember that this does not equate to a lack of devotion to your Creator. That pang you feel because of your distance – that’s the sign that you are still devoted and you are on your way to returning.

“And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.” – Surah Duha (93:5)

Today, take a moment to acknowledge all that Allah has given you and allow yourself to imagine all that He is going to give you.

Spiritual burnout in Muslim women is something I come across so much in my work.

Does rest feel like something that is either missing from your to do list, or sitting right at the very bottom of it? For many women, real rest only feels allowed after total exhaustion. It can feel like you have to earn the right to stop.

A lot of high achieving Muslim women live in this pattern. Constant output. Constant responsibility. Very little pause. Over time, that pressure can turn into Muslim woman spiritual burnout, even if it looks like everything is functioning well on the outside.

Some women also notice that when they are worn down like this, they start feeling disconnected from Islam. Prayer feels heavier. Focus is harder. The desire to reconnect with Allah is there, but the energy is not. Spiritual burnout in Muslim women feels heavy, draining.

What if rest came before the breaking point instead of after it?

What if small moments of rest, physical, mental, and spiritual, became part of your normal day? This is often where a gentle return to salah and spiritual consistency actually begins. A regulated body finds it easier to show up in worship.

If the idea feels unrealistic because your routine is full, start small and make it practical. Close your eyes for five deep breaths, three times a day. Sit down when you drink your tea instead of walking around. Step outside for two minutes of fresh air between tasks.

You could also slow down one act of worship instead of adding more. One unhurried prayer. One quiet dua. That still counts as reconnecting with Allah.

Whatever you choose, let your body learn something new. Rest does not have to be earned first. It can be practiced daily, in small and sincere ways.

For many of us, Ramadan and the lead up to it can be a really emotionally charged time and we’re wondering how to reconnect with Allah before Ramadan starts. It seems that people around us are excitedly preparing, getting the house ready, eagerly making up their missed fasts from last year, and beginning to wake earlier to pray tahajjud.

There is a lot of visible energy around doing more and doing better. And while that can be inspiring, it can also feel heavy, especially if you are already feeling disconnected from Islam or quietly struggling with salah.

But even though we get the feeling we need the reset that Ramadan brings, the thought of it can feel overwhelming instead of uplifting. Instead of motivation, there is pressure. Instead of anticipation, there is guilt.

If that feels like you, it is worth remembering that Ramadan is not only about adding more. It is also about returning and making space so you can reconnect with Allah in a sincere and grounded way. Sometimes a gentle return to salah and spiritual habits begins by removing weight, not stacking more on top.

If your prayer has felt inconsistent, or your connection has felt distant, preparing for Ramadan does not have to start with performance. It can start with honesty.

Here is a question for you to ponder or journal on over the coming days:

What would I need to let go of so I can reconnect with Allah this Ramadan?

Not just practically, but emotionally, mentally, culturally, and spiritually. Letting go of comparison. Letting go of perfectionism. Letting go of the idea that you must arrive fully “ready” before you begin.

Sometimes clearing space is the most powerful preparation of all.

“I just want to keep the Umrah feeling forever,” is something I hear from a lot of the women I speak to. They have just returned from Umrah, energised and motivated, and experiencing a different kind of peace and closeness as they reconnect with Allah.

But then they are back home, back to daily routines and the hum drum of real life. The high they experienced begins to fade, and for some women that can bring a familiar feeling of being spiritually low or feeling disconnected from Islam again. It can feel confusing when such a powerful experience does not automatically translate into consistency at home.

Many women tell me they expected the trip itself to permanently change their habits. That they would return and never struggle with salah again. That reconnecting with Allah after Umrah would feel automatic and effortless.

When we dig a little deeper we often realise that there was something missing or off before they went to Umrah. Sometimes it shows up as struggling with salah, inconsistency in prayer, or not knowing how to maintain that connection with Allah in everyday life once the environment is no longer spiritually charged.

Umrah often gives a beautiful reset. It softens the heart and opens the door. But the ongoing work of how to reconnect with Allah after Umrah happens in ordinary days, not in sacred places.

And that is where the work starts. Identifying what Umrah was supposed to fix, and gently working on what is really behind the spiritual disconnection. A gentle return to salah, one prayer at a time, is usually more sustainable than trying to hold onto a spiritual high.

Whatever you’re working on at the moment – whether that’s a deeper faith connection, better fitness, learning something new – think about what 1% of your ideal situation would look like. When you know what that is, give yourself that 1% today.

When I first embraced Islam, my Iman peaked…it felt like a heady romance. I was in love with my new-found faith, energised, and certain.

But when I returned to the UK, everything changed. Islam started to feel heavy. I felt lost, disconnected, and grieved the love I’d once felt.

Now, I’ve accepted that my Iman has its ups and downs. The beauty is in the daily work: the small steps, the compassion, the consistency.

It’s that moment of realisation that you’ve let things slide…

You’ve neglected your relationship with Allah and that realisation is painful.

You know you can’t stay as you are, because you feel a spiritual void, but you know that getting the connection back is going to take you work.

So you’re in this limbo – not knowing where to start, grieving what you lost, and feeling too overwhelmed to begin again.

If this is you right now – I get it. The journey back can feel overwhelming. But with small steps and self-compassion, you’ll get there.

Self-care has become synonymous with routines and habits that, on the surface of it, seem designed to benefits ourselves only.

But true self-care is more than that. In fact, around the time of the Civil Rights Movement, self-care became a political act – ensuring that marginalised communities were empowered to take care of their own health. Self-care became part of a wider motivation of liberation. Self-care was not individulistic – it was for the good of society.

So what if we can remember this during times when self-care might seem like a ‘luxury’ or even ‘selfish’? If we see self-care as looking after ourselves, in order to function better as part of a collective, it brings a whole new light to the basic act of taking care of ourselves.

January is a strange month. We’re still in the depths of winter, yet are bombarded with expectations that this should be the time of year where we make changes, set goals, embed new habits.

So as the calendar turns tonight, I want you to let go of anything you wanted to achieve but haven’t this month. In fact, congratulate yourself for allowing your body to go with the seasons that Allah created – to have perhaps rested a little more and given in to a slow winter.

Our nervous system is hard-wired to keep us safe. It’s responsible for the fight/flight/freeze responses that, in the right context, could literally mean the difference between life and death.

The trouble is, the nervous system is still doing it’s job even without the life or death context. If you learnt a version of Islam that seemed strict, harsh and motivated by punishment and fear, that prayer mat might just trigger your nervous system to say, ‘No thanks, we’ll stay away!’.

This is why, when my clients come to me describing a heaviness around prayer, this is the first thing we unpack. We find the story behind that heaviness and begin to teach the nervous system that prayer is safe.

If this feels like you, just reach out on Instagram with the word ‘safe’ and I’ll get back to you with a meditation that will support you on that journey back to peaceful prayer.

You can’t pray dhuhr and asr at work, so what’s the point even starting to pray again?

Life is just too full. It’s impossible to pray at work, when you get home you’re far too exhausted (there’s dinner to make, emails to respond to and somewhere you have to fit in some sort of workout too..) Plus, you can’t pray dhuhr and asr at work…so what’s the point anyway? Allah won’t accept them from you…

The real issue here isn’t the fact that it feels impossible to pray at work. It’s that you were led to believe that if you couldn’t pray perfectly, you shouldn’t bother at all…

And this perfectionism probably plays out in different areas of your life, right? Maybe you’re a ‘I’ll join the gym and go 5 times a week’ kinda gal. Or you put off writing your dissertation at uni because the thought of it not being perfect had you stuck not knowing where to start… And when’s the last time you accepted ‘good enough’ at work?

So here’s where we start – one intention, one moment back to prayer (just one)…replacing perfectionism with presence, and guilt with self-compassion.

I’m seeing so much on social media lately about perspectives on time, quantum physics, and in particular, quantum leaping.

I find the whole topic incredibly fascinating (as much as my brain will allow me to comprehened!), but a tiny example for a client really helped this idea hit home for me:

She was talking about wanting to feel more positive about her work. She told me that every morning, her husband wishes her a good day before she leaves the house. Normally, this is met with a grumble from her – a reminder to herself of how much she isn’t enjoying her job. But one morning, without thinking, she responded with, “Thanks! I will!”.

It hit us both that this is a great example of a quantum leap – in that small moment, she was no longer living in her present, discontented self. She was actually living a moment in the future when she is happy with her job and goes off to work with a smile.

She has promised herself to try to harness this energy; to enjoy that tiny quantum leap every morning….until she is living the reality of where she wants to be.

One of the biggest issues that I talk about that resonates with so many women is disconnected prayer. This might show up as not praying at all, irregular prayer, or prayer that feels numb and robotic.

But in pretty much all of the conversations I have with women about this, it emerges that prayer itself is not the issue. There is always something else – something that is weighing heavy.

And so, that’s where our work starts. To create space for that journey back to salah.

Surah Al-Isra (17:70)
“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam.”

How often do we speak to ourselves with harshness, unkindness? Today, this is your reminder of the worth Allah placed in you.

Today, I want you to write down 10 things that you can say ‘Alhamdulilah’ for – however big, small or seemingly mundane. Read them over, and add to the list throughout the week….and just notice how it feels.

It happened slowly – one prayer missed, then another and another. It slipped away. But what didn’t slip away was the guilt and shame that haunts you now. You look at your family and friends, and wonder how prayer can seem so effortless for them.

You keep telling yourself ‘some day I’ll start again’…but deep down, you wish ‘some day’ was today.

But you want the return to be safe, supported, without judgement. You want it to be love, not fear.

So let’s begin together. Reach out on Instagram with the word ‘moment’ and I’ll send you my 15-minute Loom video to get you started on that gentle journey back.

Sometimes, when faced with a big decision, we can be so stuck in decision-paralysis that other areas of our life take a backseat.

Of course -Allah gave us a solution for this: Istikhara. But Istikhara isn’t about dreams or signs…it’s about noticing that a path clears for us. A burden is removed. Ease creeps in.

So if you’re making a big decision, don’t look for the signs – instead, connect with your heart and go where the ease is.

A lot of what we spend our energy thinking about comes from pressure from others’ expectations – not from Allah. Allah gave us inherent value. He didn’t ask us to be constantly doing, reaching higher, achieving to prove our worth. So if you’re currently feeling overwhelmed by your ‘must-do’ list, ask yourself…which of these things aligns with Allah’s expectations of me?

I was thinking recently about the benefits that I, as an introvert, specifically enjoy about prayer. Alhamdulilah I now (most of the time) have an easy, peaceful relationship with regular salah…but it also throws me a few little bonuses:

1 – I get time out at busy occasions. I married into a big, busy South Asian family and, as much as I love it, I must admit that sometimes sloping off to pray in a quiet room gives me a welcome bit of downtime during busy gatherings or events.

2 – I can use it as a reason to guard my time. If I’m making a social plan, I don’t like it to go on endlessly. Prayer (especially in winter!) makes it easy to give myself a ‘cut-off’ time when I’ll return home and have time to myself again.

3 – It’s a moment of quiet connection. There are so many times when I’ve struck up a conversation with a stranger at a social event during a quiet moment after salah. This is less intimidating for me than trying to work my way into a crowd to introduce myself.

4 – It’s time with by best confidante, when I need it most. Of course, over everyone, Allah knows me best. And sometimes, when I don’t feel like sharing my innermost thoughts with anyone, sharing them with Allah is my release.

Surah Al-Duha (93:5):
“And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.”

Whatever you’re asking Allah for at the moment, let this be your reminder that He will respond.

I recently saw an Instagram reel of a Muslim revert talking about how much she misses praying when she’s on her period. But she said something that I’m sure most women fall into the trap of – that women can’t pray when they’re on their period because we’re ‘impure’.

I cringed slightly at this – but then remembered that I too used to think like that. When I first was getting to learn the ropes of Islam, it was put to me like this too – we can’t pray, can’t pick up the Quran, can’t go into a mosque – all because for these few days every month, we’re impure.

What’s happened here is that the idea that blood is impure has been conflated to mean that women who are bleeding are impure. WE are not impure. Allah doesn’t tell us to stop praying because WE are impure. In fact, when we reframe this from a woman’s point of view (read – less patriarchal), knowing that Allah created us…knows us, the story about a woman’s bleed completely changes.

If you think about it – what’s the one thing you would really love the luxury of when you’re on your period? Doing less. Less to think about, less to plan, fewer people who are expecting something from you. So what does Allah give us? Exactly this. Unbroken sleep; one less thing to think about getting ‘done’ during the day; one less physical act to perform. It’s a relief from your cognitive and physical load. How beautiful.

Lately, I’ve really started to lean into this, and to think about how I can bring this idea of rest into other areas of my life when I have my period. Slower mornings, saying ‘no’ to social plans, more time with my journal.

Perhaps we all should be thinking of this break from normal acts of worship as a standard we should be setting for the time when we most need rest.

I talk a lot here, and on my Instagram posts, about spirituality.

But what do I mean by this? The spirituality I talk about isn’t to be confused with New Age Spirituality as a ‘religious’ practice in itself (although New Age Spirituality has a lot going for it – a focus on intuition, holistic health, and a connectedness between us, as humans).

When I talk about spiritual practices – I mean the ways in which we can tap into our connection with Allah through our everyday: The fact that a walk in nature, if mindful enough, can become a spiritual practice where we admire Allah’s Creation and thank Him for it. Moments of solitude become spiritual practices when we turn inward and reflect on all we have to be grateful for. And drinking a hot cup of coffee, when we contemplate the diversity of all Creation – the fact that Allah created various foods not only for our sustenance but for our enjoyment – also becomes a moment of spiritual connection.

You see, when the women I speak to tell me that they feel disconnected from their faith, they are often looking at Islam through a lens of particular rituals and ‘ways’ of worship. But, when we broaden their perspective to include these moments of spiritual connection as acts of worship – they begin to realise that they are not as far away from their faith as they once thought.

A small spiritual habit I’ve brought with my into 2026 is looking up to the sky every day.

Every time I do, there is something new to see…to be in awe of.

So, right now, take a moment and look up. SubhanAllah.

Allah created us with diversity – we know and admire this. So why is it that, as women, we so often compare ourselves to the ‘perfect’ Muslim woman?

If Allah wanted to, He would have created us in one ‘perfect’ image.

The perfect Muslim woman simply doesn’t exist. So allow yourself to stop chasing her.

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:186):
“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be rightly guided.”

I’m seeing so much on social media lately about perspectives on time, quantum physics, and in particular, quantum leaping.

I find the whole topic incredibly fascinating (as much as my brain will allow me to comprehened!), but a tiny example for a client really helped this idea hit home for me:

She was talking about wanting to feel more positive about her work. She told me that every morning, her husband wishes her a good day before she leaves the house. Normally, this is met with a grumble from her – a reminder to herself of how much she isn’t enjoying her job. But one morning, without thinking, she responded with, “Thanks! I will!”.

It hit us both that this is a great example of a quantum leap – in that small moment, she was no longer living in her present, discontented self. She was actually living a moment in the future when she is happy with her job and goes off to work with a smile.

She has promised herself to try to harness this energy; to enjoy that tiny quantum leap every morning….until she is living the reality of where she wants to be.

It’s our connection with our Creator, our feminine strength, our self-assurance and unapologetic spiritual nature that is at the core of our Muslim feminitiy. Your soul knows this, but you’ve been trying to measure up to other people’s image of the perfect Muslim woman for so long that your soul got silenced.

Let your Ruh speak again. Turn inwards. Remember who you are. And let your Muslim womanhood run through your veins once again.

Some of the women I speak to begin voicing questions or curiosities about Islam that they have buried for a lifetime. They were handed a particular ‘version’ of Islam and they’re not sure that every part of it fits with what really aligns with their beliefs.

But Allah doesn’t ask us to accept blindly. He encourages us to reflect, and to use our intellect. You are allowed to question and get curious – and this doesn’t need to come with guilt or shame.

Do you ever have those moments during the day – however fleeting they may be – when the demands put on you silence, and you have no idea what to do with yourself?

As women with various hats to wear within any one day, ‘free time’ can be easily lost to doomscrolling, busying ourselves with tasks that don’t matter, or even crashes of exhaustion.

So here’s something I want you to plan for over the coming days – when the demands fall silent, have a plan for what action you immediately take for yourself. Even if it’s just 10 minutes – it might be stepping out into the garden with a hot cup of coffee, a moment of meditation, or reading 5 pages of your favourite book. Decide what you will do with the time (which takes away the cognitive load of making a choice in the moment) and stick with it.

You might be stuck in the all-or-nothing mindset trap.

Ask yourself where this thinking comes from. Is it perfectionism? The tendency towards self-punishment? Your inner critic rubbing her hands with glee every time you ‘fail’?

Today, what would it feel like to allow yourself to slip up, to acknowledge it, and to move on?

Just a very short reminder for you today:

Even if your spiritual habits aren’t consistently in place at the moment, that doesn’t mean that your heart has closed to Islam. If you pause for long enough to notice, you’ll know that your heart still pulls towards worship. That pull will lead you to the habits…one step at a time.

I was having a bit of a mindful moment arranging some flowers this morning, and I remembered a time when this simple pleasure would completely pass me by…

There was a time when I was so burntout that if someone bought me flowers, there would be a part of me that resented the time it would take me to arrange them into a vase.

That seems absolutely crazy to me now – to think that I was so exhausted, so disconnected from myself and the world around me that I was so ungrateful for a moment like that.

Now, the experience is totally different: I make space in the kitchen, carefully unpack and organise the stems into groups; clip the leaves and the stems and take my time thoughtfully arranging my new blooms into an abundance of beauty and colour (and yes….sometimes I might talk to them too!).

The thing is, when we are feeling far from faith, the issue is rarely that simple. It’s so often part of a wider story – a story of self-neglect, defensiveness, survival…living life in high alert.

That’s why it’s so important to reclaim the slow moments in our lives – just like arranging flowers – if we want to truly feel connected. Sometimes, it’s about enjoying the simple moments in life for spiritual happiness.

“Whatever you do, however much energy and sacrifice you put into this, are you responsible for the ultimate outcome?”

This is a question I asked a client in a session recently.

She thought for a moment, then a smile crept in. “No,” she responded.

So whatever is taking your emotional and spiritual energy today, I invite you to ask yourself the same question.

Though it’s something that (alarmingly!) many people fail to achieve throughout their entire adulthood, self-awareness is only as good as the actions you take because of it.

On a journey of growth, you’ll have many ‘penny dropping’ moments…You start tracking your cycle so now you know why you want to throw plates two days before your period. You trace back your people-pleasing to childhood, where you learnt that to be the ‘good girl’ gave you value and love. You realise now why it is your boss triggers you whenever they make a reasonable request….

Now you’ve seen the light, what you do about this awareness matters – that’s where the real growth comes in. You know your fuse is short two days before your period arrives…so what will you do with that information? Perhaps you’ll block out your calendar so you’ve no social demands at this time. Or set a non-negotiable walk in nature every day that week. If you now know why you’re people-pleasing, will you learn to set boundaries? And if you’re triggered by your boss, what calming nervous system practice will you turn to next time it happens?

This can perhaps be the most challenging part of a self-development journey – changing habits and behaviour is tough, and it often brings up tension with those around us because suddenly, we’re doing something different or pushing back.

But the outcomes are always worth that tension that the journey inevitably brings…that’s where we can step, truly into our selves.

William Morris – the famous British textile designer and socialist – is famously quoted as saying: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

I think if we live by this rule, we can’t go far wrong when it comes to keeping a home that aligns with who we are, and who we want to be.

So today, on the last day of 2025, perhaps it’s time for an audit of your home (or at least one of the spaces within it!).

But I wonder, when we have learnt strict rules or rituals (around faith and spirituality, for example), how much our intuition gets passed over for some ‘greater’ guide. Maybe we turn to religious teachings, or elders for an answer. Or maybe we hand our decision over to God but fail to listen to the internal wisdom He gave us.

This is about self-trust; something that is often lost during times of grief, challenge, change or uncertainty. In those times, the connection to our innate wisdom can fall silent.

If that sounds like you, and you can’t remember the last time you let your heart rule…maybe it’s time to sit quietly with yourself – and tell your inner wisdom that you’re ready to listen.

You know me – I’m not into setting strict goals or New Years resolutions. But here’s an alternative you might like to try journaling on before the New Year sets in:

Imagine it’s this time, next year. Think about what you want to have achieved by then….now write:

– It’s December 2026 and I’m sitting in…and life is…
– So much has changed for me this year. It started back in January, when I…
– In February I…..and by Spring I was….

For each season, or even month, write down what you ‘did’ to get you where you are ‘now’, in December 2026. Be as specific as possible. So, if you’d normally set a goal to ‘lose 5kg by Summer’, instead you might write, ‘In January I started to walk on most days, and learnt how to make the most delicious protein pancakes for breakfast…’

When you’ve finished writing, read it back – and make sure you read it regularly. This is your plan for the year, to achieve exactly what you want.

“I don’t feel like myself anymore.”
“I feel like I’m always switched on.”
“I don’t know how to rest without feeling guilty.”
“I feel far from Allah, but I don’t know why.”

You have been living in self-abandonment disguised as responsibility.

Join me on Instagram…

With the New Year just around the corner, and Ramadan coming up soon, many of us will be thinking about goal-setting.

But here’s why I want to make the case for setting intentions, rather than goals: goals tend to be rigid and invite ‘all-or-nothing’ thinking – if we fall at the first hurdle, we often give up.

But intentions allow us much more chance of success. If we set a broad intention, like ‘I’m going to prioritise my physical health this year’, that allows room for imperfection. It’s possible to keep that intention even on your worst day.

That’s why, in my Return to Ramadan workshop, we focus on setting intentions for Ramadan – not goals. If you’re interested in joining me on the 14th January, you can sign up here.

If nobody needed anything from you tomorrow, what would you want to do with your day?

Not what would look good. Not what would feel sensible. Just what feels true.

That answer, even if it feels unrealistic right now, holds clues about what’s been missing.

You don’t need to act on it yet. Just notice it.

“Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honoured in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near to Allah.”
(Qur’an 3:45)

As a revert with non-Muslim family, Christmas always feels special to me. Isa عليه السلام holds such an honoured place in our faith, yet we rarely allow ourselves to sit with that quietly, without explanation or defence.

The Qur’an describes him as honoured in this world and the next. Close to Allah. A reminder that closeness to Allah is not about noise, performance, or being seen. It’s about purity of intention, humility, and surrender

You know the moment. You say yes. You smile. You sound capable.

And then five minutes later, there’s that tight feeling in your chest like, why did I do that again?

People-pleasing isn’t always about wanting approval. Sometimes it’s about avoiding discomfort. Avoiding being misunderstood. Avoiding having to explain yourself.

But every yes that costs you peace slowly disconnects you from yourself.

Boundaries aren’t about becoming difficult. They’re about becoming honest.

A lot of women tell me they’re fine.

Life is functioning. Things are getting done. Nothing is falling apart. And yet, there’s a quiet sense of dissatisfaction that doesn’t go away no matter how productive the day was.

Being ‘fine’ is not the same as being fulfilled.

Fulfilment comes from alignment. From knowing that how you are living, giving, working, and resting actually reflects who you are now, not who you used to be or who you think you should be.

If you feel flat even when life is busy, it may be time to stop asking “What else should I do?” and start asking “What have I stopped listening to in myself?”

You don’t need to say these perfectly. Just let them land.

• I am allowed to take up space in my own life.
• I don’t need to earn rest or connection.
• I can begin again without guilt.
• Small, honest steps are enough.
• I trust myself to listen to what I need.

Come back to one of these today, especially if you feel overwhelmed or behind.

“Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”
Qur’an 2:286

We often read this ayah and think it means we should just cope. That if life feels heavy, it’s because we’re strong enough to carry it.

But I read it differently now.

I read it as permission to stop adding extra weight to ourselves. The unrealistic expectations. The harsh self-talk. The pressure to be perfect, consistent, productive, and spiritually “good” all the time.

Allah is not asking you to carry what is breaking you.

If you’re exhausted, it might not be a sign to push harder. It might be a sign to soften. To put something down. To ask for help. To begin again in a gentler way.

If Ramadan has started to feel heavy instead of hopeful, you are not alone.

So many women come to me carrying guilt from past Ramadans. Big goals, strong intentions, then falling behind and feeling like they’ve failed before the month has even really begun. Over time, the body remembers that pressure, and Ramadan starts to feel triggering rather than grounding.

If that resonates, I’ve created a 90-minute workshop just for you.

This workshop is for the woman who wants something different this year.
Less force.
Less comparison.
Less all-or-nothing thinking.

Return to Ramadan is a 90-minute, live, soul-led workshop where we slow everything down. We look at why goals often don’t work for Ramadan, what actually creates sustainable connection, and how to prepare gently in the weeks leading up to the month so you don’t arrive burnt out or starting from zero.

Sign up here.

Even for non-Muslims, the festive season can feel overwhelming. You’re often exhausted and ready for a break from work or routines; people seem to be busy making plans; and you can’t go anywhere without being met with crowds upon crowds.

So let’s slow down for a moment and reset our nervous system. This is the physiological sigh:
Inhale through your nose
Take a second short sip of air at the top
Long, slow exhale through the mouth
Repeat 3–5 rounds.

Then say, “Nothing else is required of me in this moment.”

If you’ve been constantly achieving, pushing, striving – but you sacrifice your own needs for the sake of progress, that’s not self-leadership.

True self-leadership means tuning in to your needs and having the confidence to listen. Sometimes progress isn’t about how far you get – but what you learnt along the way.

I used to have very mixed feelings in the run-up to Ramadan…guilt, excitement, regret, even dread. I would see it both as an opportunity for change but also as just another reason to feel like I was failing.

If this resonates with you – I have something for you coming up in the new year; a no-pressure workshop to set some soft intentions and achievable habits that will, inshaAllah, see you entering Ramadan without the guilt or self-judgement.

Make sure you’re signed up to The Daily Note for updates.

The women I work with come to me with a desire to reconnect with Islam; to establish salah again; to develop better habits of reading Quran, etc.

But what I realise for many is that this is part of a bigger picture allowing all her needs to drop to the bottom of the priority list. Proper sleep, nutrition, time for basic self-care are a distant memory from a time before career, family and life came along.

For these women, we first have to work on setting non-negotiables that begin to shift their mindset. We need to know, ‘I am allowed to have this time for myself; I am top of my priority list’.

So if this sounds like you, ask yourself what small non-negotiable could you begin to introduce on a daily or weekly basis? Set it, and keep that promise to yourself over the coming weeks.

You have a vision in your mind of the woman you want to be…

But turning the vision into reality seems like a pipedream.

So remember this: that version of you is already written. She already exists. So what will you do today to get one step closer to meeting her?

Today I want to remind you that only Allah is perfect…

So why are you putting expectations of perfection upon yourself?

You are not perfect…but Allah never created you to be.

Allah says:
“He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty.”
(Quran 22:78)

If Islam feels heavy, it’s usually because of expectations, pressure or cultural noise that has nothing to do with Allah.

Journal on this today:
Where have I made Islam harder for myself than Allah ever intended it to be?

Let the answer guide your next step.

What is the thing you really want, but haven’t said out loud yet?

It’s the dream you’re hiding from others (maybe even from yourself), maybe out of fear of judgement or going ‘against the grain’…

I challenge you to say it out loud…because once you speak it, this is the beginning of your story to achieve it.

I heard on a podcast this week a story of a wealthy man who, in search of happiness, kept accumulating more ‘stuff’. He bought the dream car and, for a few months, was happy. But the happiness wore off. So he bought the dream house…again…the joy was short-lived. He then bought a football club! But once again, the pleasure it brought him faded after a few months.

Then came an invitiation from a friend – to join him on a charity expedition, delivering wheelchairs to Bosnia. As these chairs were gifted to the people in need of them, at long last the man felt a wave of pure bliss – he had finally found purpose.

Sometimes even great success (or at least what we perceive as success) can leave you empty. We can strive for more, more, more – but in the end, only true purpose will bring us real, consistent joy and contentment.

So…today I asked you to ponder – ‘am I living in my true purpose?‘

The middle of the week is often the point when the exhaustion, the unfinished tasks, the emotional clutter and the pressure to keep up start to spill into each other.

Instead of powering through, I have learned to pause and check in with myself. How is my body feeling? What thoughts have been looping in the background? What do I actually need right now to come back into alignment? This five minute check-in changes more than people realise. It brings you out of autopilot and back into intentional living, and from that space everything feels lighter and more manageable.

“And He found you lost and guided you.”
(93:7)

I love this verse because it is a gentle reminder that guidance is not something you must force or chase. It is something Allah gives, often at the exact moment you finally stop trying to carry everything alone.
Today, journal on this:
Where in my life have I been trying to guide myself instead of allowing Allah to guide me?

I see so much on social media about ‘romanticising’ every day experiences: using luxury products in the shower, drinking your coffee from your favourite mug, lighting a candle at dinner…

And it got me thinking about how we can do this with prayer. Particularly when we’re trying to reconnect and get back into good habits, romanticising that moment for salah might just help.

So think about how you can romanticise salah – perfuming your prayer mat, lighting a candle, keeping a journal next to you for a few quiet moments, bringing fresh flowers into your prayer space…try it, and I’d love to hear how you get on!

When we are harsh with ourselves, our nervous system goes into ‘fight, flight or freeze’. We’re on high alert – after all, our bodies are always trying to keep us safe from danger.

But, when we apply self-compassion, our parasympathetic nervous system kicks in. Our body knows it’s safe. This is key whether we’re trying to build new habits, develop deeper connections or shake off old habits and beliefs.

So, next time that internal self-critic shows up, silence her and instead offer yourself some compassion.

Something I see often is the way we try to fix spiritual disconnection by adding more. More dhikr, more routines, more pressure. But when your nervous system is overwhelmed or your mind is full of noise, more does not help. It only reinforces the belief that you are behind.

The work you need is usually the opposite. Slowing down. Simplifying. Giving yourself a moment to reconnect inwardly before you try to reconnect spiritually. Once you create that internal quiet, salah, dua and Quran feel less like tasks and more like a place of relief again.

“So remember Me; I will remember you.”
(2:152)

There is something very reassuring about this verse because it strips away so much of the complexity we carry around worship. It reminds us that connection with Allah begins with something simple and human; the act of remembering. Not perfect routines or endless energy, just a moment where your heart turns back. Today I want you to sit with this question.
Where in my day can I bring a small moment of remembrance that feels natural rather than forced?

I have been thinking a lot this week about how many of us try to come back to worship with the expectation that everything will fall into place instantly, almost like we are supposed to pick up where we left off without any transition.

But coming back to connection usually feels more like slowly waking up. It takes gentleness, space and a bit of patience with yourself. If today all you do is pause before you pray, breathe a little deeper and soften the tension in your body, that is still a meaningful step. It signals to your mind and your heart that you are ready to return, even if it is gradual. Let that be enough for today.

You’re not perfect. You never will be. You’re human, after all. But you are worth the work. You are worth investing time, energy and money in yourself to move into your highest self. What can you do today that will start that journey?

Having spent most of my working life in education, I’ve very used to giving all of myself, and asking for very little in return. Accepting burnout, stress, no work-life balance as part of doing a job that ‘makes a difference’.

When I shifted out of that world, it took me a while to realise I could ask for more – and that I could ask Allah for more, too. So, lately I have been asking Him this:

“Oh Allah, please let me remember your power, your generosity and mercy. Don’t let me underestimate you. Keep my Duas powerful and expansive.”

With this reminder, I keep asking Allah for more – not out of greed, but out of my reliance on Him to give me abundance in all areas of my life, inshaAllah.

If you’re struggling with prayer, imagine this:

You stand in prayer and your body softens.
Your mind slows.
Your heart actually shows up.

It’s possible. But the foundation needs to be fixed first. We need to ask the sometimes difficult questions to get to the route of the block: is it emotional safety? Identity disconnection? Overwhelm and burnout?

If you want support to get to the route cause, reach out via Instagram and I’ll send you a reflection tool to get you started.

Lately, I’ve felt quite tired. I’ve craved time on my own and have struggled to get myself motivated. A good friend of mine reminded that, at this time of year, we are ‘wintering’. We need rest, warmth, a slower pace of life…

And if your spiritual habits have slowed down too, allow space for this. Allow some gentle reflection and quiet conversations with Allah. Give yourself permission to ‘winter’.

When you’re in a period of transition, introspection or deep reflection, it can be hard to shift some of our old, limiting beliefs.

So today, I want you to ask yourself, “What part of my old identity and emotions am I holding onto? And what does holding onto this serve?”

“My Lord, expand for me my chest and ease my task…” Surah Taha 20:25-26

So many women who spend their lives giving – whether that’s working in a role that serves others like teaching, medicine, public service; or it’s taking care of aging parents or a young family or community – assume that because the work they do is purposeful, that must mean they are living with purpose.

But what if purpose isn’t as simple as that? Of course, our ultimate purpose is to worship Allah – but if we carry out our ‘purposeful’ work completely disconnected from Him, can we really say we are living our purpose?

I heard an idea once that if you are not living completely true to yourself, then it doesn’t matter how meaningful your work is, you don’t have purpose. You could be a doctor saving lives, but if that job isn’t truly and deeply what you want for yourself, then there is no true purpose. The same can be said for a missing connection with your Creator. If what you do, how you ‘serve’ others or make yourself ‘purposeful’ isn’t tied to a remembrance or worship of Him, then that might just be the reason you still feel an emptiness at the end of the day.

So what would it feel like to bring Allah to the forefront of your consciousness in everything you do? Perhaps only then can we resolve the real cause of that sense that our true purpose might just be missing.

Clarity comes when you turn your reliance to Allah.

‘And whoever relies upon Allah, He is sufficient for him.’ (65:3)

There’s a lot of silence around struggling with salah.
Not praying feels heavy, and the weight comes from what we make it mean about ourselves.

But the more I’ve lived, the clearer it’s become: when you stop praying, the problem is never ‘laziness’. It’s usually overwhelm, guilt, disconnection, or an identity that doesn’t feel fully settled.

Once you heal those deeper things, prayer stops being a battle. It becomes something your heart moves toward naturally.

Salah grows from safety, not pressure. One prayer today means you’re praying again. And that’s a starting point worth celebrating.

There’s a moment in life when you realise that purpose isn’t something you get from external achievements. It’s something much deeper than that.

For years I thought purpose meant finding the ‘right’ job, the perfect role, the thing that made sense on paper. But purpose feels different when it’s connected to Allah; it stops being about achievement and starts being about intention.

You can be in the same job, the same routine, the same life… and feel completely different inside simply because your ‘why’ has shifted.

You don’t need a new life to feel purposeful.
Just a realignment of the one you already have.

What are you giving yourself permission for today?

Is it permission to start small? Permission to be imperfect? Permission to make mistakes?

We sometimes hold ourselves to such high standards that living up to these self-imposed expectations becomes suffocating.

So allow it – give yourself permission to drop the high standard and just ‘be’.

Sometimes the deepest grounding comes from remembering that Allah created you with fitra; a natural inclination toward truth, peace and Him.

You don’t have to become someone else to feel connected.
You just return to what was already inside you.

Every time you choose sincerity over pressure, stillness over noise, and truth over what people expect, you move closer to the fitra Allah placed within you.

Come back to what’s natural.
That’s where your peace is.

This week, I’ve been trying to get back into a running habit. Out of all the forms of exercise I’ve tried, running is the one that genuinely gives me satisfaction. I’d pick a run on a cold, rainy day over a crowded gym any time.

And this got me thinking about starting small.

I knew that if I wanted to restart, I had to start small. I had to go out with zero pressure to run the whole time. A walk–run–walk–run rhythm was not only acceptable, it was the smartest approach. And on day two or three, if I ran less than the day before, that was fine too. My only expectation was this:

If I’m getting out for a run, it means I’m running again.

And we can apply the same to worship:

How often do we expect ourselves to come back perfectly? To pray all five immediately. To read pages of Qur’an. To feel connected straight away. And when it doesn’t happen, we tell ourselves we’ve failed.

But what if we applied the same gentle formula?

I want to pray again.
Today, I prayed.
So I’m praying again.

I want to build a relationship with the Qur’an.
Today, I read even a small amount.
So I’m reading the Qur’an again.

Those small steps matter. They count. And they should motivate us, not shame us.

Restarting anything – faith, habits, routines – requires space to be human. It requires removing expectations and honouring the effort.

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with today:

What’s the small step you’re going to take today?

I used to filter my duas. I’d make them smaller, more reasonable, because deep down I didn’t think I deserved to ask Allah for anything big.

I used to sit after salah feeling small. Apologetic. Scared to even say what I really wanted.

And that was when I was praying. There were times when I wasn’t praying at all.
And in those moments, I wouldn’t ask for anything, because I convinced myself I didn’t have the right.

Everything changed when I became secure in my connection again. Not perfect, but secure. When I stopped punishing myself for ups and downs. When I made room for mistakes.

And that’s when something clicked:
I can ask Allah for big things even when I’m imperfect.
I can dream big even while I’m still figuring it out.

And the most amazing part?
Some of the things I was too scared to ask for… I have them now. Alhamdulilah.

So if you’re holding back from asking Allah for what you really want, maybe it’s time to allow yourself to be imperfect.

Take a pause. Take a deep breath. Here’s something to reflect on today:

What does my relationship with Allah feel like today?

“Your Lord has not taken leave of you, nor has He forgotten.”
(Surah Ad-Duha 93:3)

It’s easy to feel invisible when life feels quiet. When your duas seem unanswered, when nothing feels like it’s moving, you start wondering if Allah has forgotten you.

But He hasn’t. Every quiet season has a reason. You are still written in His mercy, still included in His plan, still loved in His silence.

Just because you’re a Muslim woman, it doesn’t mean that everyone should have access to you. It doesn’t mean you can’t say ‘no’.

Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) told us that our bodies have rights over us – that means protecting physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries.

Screenshot this as your reminder the next time you’re struggling to say ‘no’.

How much of our lives do we spend performing for others, waiting for approval, or ‘keeping the peace’?

Today, I want you to reflect on this – if there was no risk of judgement, what would I say? What would I change? What would I do differently?

Then, take one small step towards that.

“And He knows what is in the hearts.”
(Surah Al-Taghabun 64:4)

You can look completely fine on the outside. You can be praying, showing up, smiling, and still feel lost inside.

No one else may notice the exhaustion or the way you keep pushing yourself to be ‘okay’. But Allah already knows.

You don’t need to explain yourself to be understood. You don’t need to hide your tiredness to be accepted. Sometimes, the most honest form of worship is saying to Him, ‘You already know what I feel, and I trust You with it.’

I speak to so many women who are in a downward spiral of guilt and disconnection. And they blame themselves. They see their disconnection from Allah, from prayer, from the Quran as a sign of weakness, laziness or failure.

But what if we take a moment to acknowledge that ups and downs are just part of the seasons of life. There will be times when you’re not as connected as you’d like to be, and times when you feel ‘all in’.

This is not to say that you shouldn’t do anything to find reconnection, but is certainly worth taking a pause – and offering yourself some compassion and acceptance.

I’ve had this realisation that, when you’re struggling with Salah, the emotions associated with that are ever-present…present 5 times a day, in fact.

5 times a day to feel triggered. 5 times a day to feel that pang of guilt. 5 times a day to go into battle with your own mind. 5 times a day to feel like a failure.

The emotional toll of that is huge. It’s no wonder you’re exhausted. But there’s something that needs healing….

Today, journal, “What is prayer triggering in me? Where can I feel the trigger in my body? And what emotions does it bring up?”

And, as always, if you need support working through whatever comes up, reach out.

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:186)

Wherever you’re at in terms of your connection and worship, don’t forget – He is near.

It’s easier to believe that Allah forgives than to actually feel forgiven. Feeling forgiven means you stop trying to earn it. It means you stop apologising for something that’s already been erased.

You can’t heal if you keep reopening the wound. So start talking to yourself like someone Allah already forgave. Because He did.

The moment you asked sincerely, it was done. The rest is just learning to believe it; letting your nervous system believe it.

There are moments where life gets so full that you forget who you are underneath it all. You move through the days, doing what’s needed, and then suddenly realise you haven’t felt like yourself in a long time.

It’s not that you’ve lost yourself. You’ve just been buried under everyone else’s needs, expectations, and noise.

If you can slow down long enough, you might just be able to hear yourself again.

You’ve already made dua for forgiveness. You’ve cried. You’ve promised yourself you’d move on. But then the same memory comes back again and you feel that familiar heaviness in your chest.

You start thinking maybe Allah hasn’t forgiven you yet. But forgiveness doesn’t work like that. The past shows up again because your heart still doesn’t feel safe enough to let it go.

Forgiveness is not a one-time act. It’s something you keep growing into. Every time you choose not to punish yourself again, that’s growth. Every time you remind yourself of Allah’s mercy, that’s healing.

Sometimes we forget that belief is deeper than emotion. We start thinking that if we don’t feel peaceful or uplifted, something must be wrong with our Iman. But emotions come and go. Belief stays steady underneath.

You might be praying through exhaustion, grief, or distraction, and it may not feel spiritual at all. But every time you show up, even in that state, it’s seen.

Allah values truthfulness. So be truthful about how you feel. You don’t have to pretend to be inspired all the time. You just have to stay present and keep turning towards Him.

You hear people talk about their connection to Allah. They talk about peace, tears, and how their hearts feel full. You listen and wonder why your heart doesn’t feel the same.

It’s hard to admit that sometimes you just don’t feel what everyone else seems to. You want that deep sense of connection, but you can’t force it.

Faith doesn’t always feel emotional. For some people, it’s steady and quiet. For others, it’s full of feeling. Neither one is better.

Allah doesn’t measure your closeness by how much you feel. He sees your effort, your thoughts, and your intention. You don’t need to feel constant emotion to be close to Him. Sometimes closeness is simply consistency.

If you’ve given up on prayer and the thought of starting again overwhelms you, here’s what I want you to do:

Firstly remind yourself that ‘starting again’ doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect straight away. Remove the expectation that you will pray all 5 prayers, on time, every day, starting from now.

So here’s your permission to start small:

– Schedule a reminder in your phone for 3 minutes of connection every day for the next week. During these 3 minutes, find a quiet place to sit, facing the Qibla. Talk to Allah. Tell him your intention for reconnecting with him through prayer. Once you’ve completed this for one week, do this 2 times a day. Congratulate yourself for the progress you’re making.

– The following week, choose one of these times to replace with prayer. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you are starting somewhere.

– From here, continue your progress each week – but keep in mind that the goal is consistency, even with small acts. Gradually build up towards regular, meaningful prayer.

Ready to give it a go? If you need extra support, reach out and I’ll send you a free guide to support you.

“When you take one small step towards Allah, he will come running to you.”

I used to hear this a lot when I was first looking into Islam, and I share it here for anyone who is currently overwhelmed by the feeling of ‘not doing enough’. Wherever you’re at, start small – really small – and know that He sees your effort, and will rush to meet you where you’re at.

Permission to Be is a 6 week transformative coaching programme that takes you from spiritual disconnection to soul-led realignment with yourself and Allah.

To get there, we start by turning inwards: rediscovering your true self and the small moments in each day that you can use to worship Allah. We then remove the mindset blocks and limiting beliefs that have been keeping you hidden – making you feel like you’re not good enough. And finally, we turn outwards, enjoying deeper relationships with people around us, and stepping out into the world as the Muslim woman you know Allah created you to be.

This isn’t about quick fixes, or gaining more Islamic knowledge. It’s about deep work that you will enjoy the benefit of for years to come.

Reach out if you want to know more.

If you’re feeling spiritually disconnected or burnt out, trying these 3 simple tools to realignment:

Begin with intention – no big goals, just a soft intention to move mindfully through the day, remembering Allah when you can.

Notice His signs – look up at the sky, the trees, the birds. Say SubhanAllah.

End with gratitude – as you crawl into bed, find 3 things you can say ‘Alhamdulilah’ for. Say them out loud, in your heart, or jot them down in your journal.

Reconnection doesn’t have to be about grand gestures…start small and build from there.

Busy, successful women can often put self-care at the bottom of their to-do list. It can seem like a luxury – and something that can easily be neglected.

But what if we thought of self-care as a part of worship? After all, taking care of these bodies that Allah has gifted to us temporarily is a big responsibility.

So, take this as your sign: book that massage; go to that Pilates class; run that hot bath. Do something this week that puts you first.

I talk quite openly about the times I have struggled with my Muslim identity. When I first became Muslim, it felt like an add-on to who I was. It took many years to feel that my ‘Muslimness’ was truly part of me.

We do come up against difficult hurdles when it comes to being proud of our Muslim identity – distancing ourselves from people who use the faith in order to terrorise or oppress; not always agreeing with our fellow Muslims on certain issues of faith; and having to consider our own safety in our outward expression of our Muslimness.

But, Alhamdulilah, there is a great portion of the Ummah who do a wonderful job of continuing to show up without apology. Today, I’d like us to ask Allah to make us all one of these people – to proudly call ourselves Muslims, and to be amongst those who our Prophet (pbuh) will recognise as part of his Ummah, Ameen.

Whether you were raised as a Muslim or you’re a revert, you might have experienced the feeling that in order to be a ‘good’ Muslim, you must allow anyone and everyone to have a claim on your time and energy.

But failing to set boundaries is not only draining, but can cause us to lose sight of our own needs. So here are 4 types of boundaries you need to make sure you’re setting:

Emotional boundaries – Not everyone has the right to know what’s really going on in your head. Nor do they have the right to ’emotionally dump’ on you either. Don’t be afraid to say that you’re confiding in Allah and don’t need to share your deeper thoughts with anyone else.

Time boundaries – Balancing family, faith, friends, community, and time for ourselves can be difficult. Things changed for me when I began to consider my cycle when scheduling my time. Set out your expectations early – for example, you don’t book social events just before or during your period. If the expectation is set, everyone knows where you stand.

Mental boundaries – You absolutely do not need to engage in conversations about opinions, viewpoints, or the latest controversy. You might be worried about not engaging in these conversations for fear that you ‘don’t know enough’. But just make it clear that you would prefer not to share your opinion on something you need time to study or reflect on.

Privacy boundaries – We all know what it’s like when the overly-inquisitive Auntie starts asking personal questions – marriage, family, babies – no subject is off-limits for her! It is absolutely okay to guard your privacy and politely say that you prefer to keep this sort of private information to yourself.

I know this is easier said than done, and it’s something I have certainly struggled with in the past. Difficulties in setting boundaries can often come from a place of people-pleasing – and this is something I speak to women about all the time. If it’s something you’d like support with, just reach out.

What would you say if someone asked you what it takes to be Muslim. Would you start listing off the rituals of Islam, or would first talk about a love for Allah and submission to Him?

I wonder if, in this world of social media, loud opinions about Islam, and ‘Haram Police’, we’ve been duped into thinking that Islam is mostly about the things we ‘do’ (not to mention getting those things perfectly right all the time).

But with that, are we missing out on the beautiful peace that comes with a deep connection with Allah – where Islam is something we embody as part of our being, rather than being something we ‘do’?

With that, I leave you with the thought that perhaps, today, you can reflect on the ways you feel Islam – the ways in which it is part of your being – rather than just thinking about what you need to ‘do’.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” Robert Collier

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen a recent reel about perfectionism.

Perfectionism, the all-or-nothing mindset and procrastination are cruel siblings. Perfectionism keeps us stuck; makes us avoid trying for fear of failure; and so we give up – we choose to do nothing because doing it ‘all’ feels impossible. And, as in other areas of life – work, study, living a healthy lifestyle – perfectionism is paralysing if it creeps into your practice of Islam.

But what if you gave yourself permission to be less than perfect….even to fail?

After all, Allah never asked us for perfection.

I like to talk about intentions as much as I talk about goals.

Goals can seem big and overwhelming. But intentions are soft, no pressure, easy to implement.

This week, I’m setting the intention to calm my nervous system before starting my work each day. Recently – through a mixture of excitement and nervousness – I have been showing up at my desk with a sense of urgency and full of ideas. I’m now learning how to introduce ‘soft starts’ to my working day.

So, give it some thought…what soft intentions can you start the week with?

Today, find a quiet 10 or 15 minutes to yourself, and reflect:

How much of myself am I giving to others? How can I continue to serve without sacrificing myself? What promises am I keeping to myself – and if I’m not, how can this change?

I saw an Instagram post the other day that got me thinking about how often Islam is treated as ‘all or nothing’.

Someone had asked for advice about concentration in prayer. They said they sometimes forget which Surah they’re reciting, or even whether they’ve read Al-Fatiha.

Some people responded with kindness and understanding. But one comment stood out:
“How can you even forget if you’ve read Al-Fatiha?”

It was an ‘all or nothing’ response.
The kind that says, “If you can’t get it right, then why even try?”

Since when was Islam about perfection?
Since when did we decide that struggling makes you less sincere? That harsh comment stayed with me. Not because it was unique, but because it’s so common.

We see it everywhere – with prayer, with hijab, with almost anything. Someone shares a struggle and instead of compassion, they get correction or shame.

But faith isn’t strengthened by fear. It grows in safe spaces.

People need to feel safe to be honest about where they’re at; to say, “I’m finding this hard,” without worrying they’ll be judged.

If our goal is to bring hearts closer to Allah, then empathy isn’t optional. It’s the path.

If you sit with yourself for a moment and ask ‘How much of myself am I hiding from the world?’ what would the honest answer be?

Scared of sharing opinions. Compromising just to fit in. Working a job you hate to meet the expectations of others. Pretending to have it all together.

Now ask yourself, ‘What am I losing because of this hiding?’

What would it feel like to show up as your true, authentic self? What could you let go of? How much lighter would life feel?

I know this isn’t an overnight fix…but I will set you this challenge for today – to sit with the question. Because without the honesty, there’s no way to progress.

When I first embraced Islam, it seemed so light and easy. The thing that brought me into Islam was the Shahada – the declaration of faith. The belief that only Allah is worthy of worship, and that the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was the last and final messenger.

That simplicity lasted a couple of years…but over time, the version of Islam that Muslims were presenting to me became noisy. Do this, don’t do that, what’s your opinion on XYZ…

For a while, I let that overwhelm me. Perhaps you’ve felt that way too.

But then I learnt to always anchor to that very thing that brought me into the fold of Islam – the Shahada. As long as I can say those words deeply, with heart, Alhamdulilah I feel close to that beautiful simple essence of Islam.

I’ve been thinking about gratitude recently. Psychology tells us that when we look for good, we find it. When we show gratitude, we find more to be grateful for.

Of course, as Muslims – we know this very well (“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]” – Surah Ibrahim, 7).

But whilst the word is writing gratitude lists as part of their wellness routines, are we Muslims doing the same? Are we saying ‘Alhamdulilah’ for all our blessings, no matter how small?

So your task for today is to write out your ‘Alhamdulilah’ list. And see how Allah gives you more to be grateful for, inshaAllah.

Over the years, there have been struggles, questions and curiosities that I’ve kept bottled up inside for fear of judgement.

I was always worried about getting the ‘scholarly answer’. Or a dismissive ‘That’s just the way it is,’ or ‘You just have to do it,’ or, ‘You’re questioning what?!’

I wished I had a safe space for someone to listen. Not to jump in, advise or educate – but just listen and offer some gentle reflections and guidance.

InshaAllah this is now what I offer my clients. So, if you’re in need of that safe space, reach out and let’s talk.

Imagine the woman you really want to be. The one you know you were created to be. How does she show up? How does she carry herself? What does she value?

As the saying goes – ‘Dress for the job you want’ – we have to begin to embody the woman we aspire to be.

So, what’s one thing you can do today that will help you to become her?

I’ve come to think of the menstrual cycle like the seasons. In the follicular phase and ovulation, we step forward into the world with the energy of Spring and Summer. But, as the luteal phase begins, we must honour rest – and when Winter brings our period, we turn inwards.

Of course, Islam already recognises this need for rest, as we take a break from prayer and fasting. But rather than thinking of the Winter of our cycle as a time where we disconnect, I want to think of it as an opportunity for a different kind of spiritual connection.

It’s a time where we can reflect on our own spirituality; our soul-connection with our Creator; and practice of worship through ‘being’, not just ‘doing’.

I can remember times when I’ve sat in silence, not wanting to share my opinion for fear of judgement or challenge.

Yes, there’s always a time for ‘keeping the peace’. But there are also times when silence becomes a betrayal of who we really are.

If we’re to honour our authentic selves and live in alignment, sometimes this means letting go of approval.

As women, we can easily fall into the trap of showing up as the person we think we’re supposed to be. We have ‘roles’ to fulfil – the dutiful daughter, the mum who ‘has it all together’, the colleague who is ‘so helpful’ and ‘never says no’.

Add religious obligation and expectation into the mix, and it’s easy to completely lose sight of our authentic self. We show up as the ‘good girl’, pretending to get everything right.

Hands up if you’re exhausted…

The work begins with a reconnection with our values and an honest look at how we’re performing for others. Then, challenging our people-pleasing and learning to set boundaries helps us protect who we really are.

If we want to show up as our true selves, there’s hard work to be done. But it’s worth the investment. Reach out if you’re ready for the work.

We all know the feeling. You stand for Salah, blink, and suddenly you’ve no idea what you have/haven’t read or which Rakat you’re on.

You have, however, planned what you’re having for dinner tonight and replayed that earlier conversation with your boss.

Presence and focus (khushoo) in Salah is something that eludes many of us. But we all aspire to have it. Yet, when it came to learning to pray – whether in childhood or adulthood – you were probably taught what to do and what to say, before being taught how to foster the kind of connection we all long for.

So here’s a challenge for before you begin your next prayer:
Spend 3 minutes deep breathing.
Scribble down anything that’s in your mind.
Plan what surahs you are going to read, and what duas you’re going to make.
And when you begin to pray, slow down your movements, and let your body settle into each position.

I’d love to hear what difference it makes!

It’s time to pause.

Look back on the week so far, and ask yourself:

Where have I been ‘doing’ faith? And where have I been ‘feeling’ faith connection?

I used to think that to be a better Muslim, I needed to know more. I was a victim of comparison – looking at other women and thinking that I wasn’t ‘good enough’.

But then I realised that knowledge doesn’t always equal connection. And anyway, one of the things that attracted me to Islam was the lack of a ‘middle-man’; I didn’t need to have knowledge or status to be seen and loved by Allah.

So I let go of the comparison. I let go of always thinking I should be ‘knowing or doing more’. Instead, I focussed on connection.

I may not be a scholar, but I am Allah’s servant – in all my imperfection.

Is it time you let go of chasing ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’ more, and allowed yourself to just ‘be’?

Take a moment from the demands of the world, and follow this short visualisation to ground you in peaceful practice.

Close your eyes.
Picture a quiet space – soft light, calm air, no noise, no judgement.

Here, it’s just you and Allah.
No pressure to perform, no guilt to carry.
Just presence. Just peace.

Your prayer feels lighter here.
Your heart feels seen.

You can return to this space anytime.

When’s the last time you spent time in complete silence and solitude?

I’m not talking about that walk you went on, listening to your favourite podcast. Or that 20 minutes you had curled up with your favourite book.

I’m talking about total silence, on your own. With nothing but your own thoughts for company.

We rarely make time for it, but sometimes solitude can be the best spiritual reset. It allows for those thoughts and feelings we’ve been avoiding to come up – and for raw emotion to come to the surface…

And that’s when the connection happens. We remember Allah in those moments, giving Him words of gratitude or asking for His help.

Why not try it today – 15 minutes of silent solitude, and watch your connection to Allah shift.

I don’t know about you, but I used to feel that setting boundaries would make me a bad Muslim.

I thought that my heart should be open to everyone – my fellow Muslim should have access to me. But I was naïve.

Getting good at setting boundaries protects our peace. I needed to remind myself of what Islam does, and doesn’t, expect of me. And I used this as my guide.

In Islam, we’re taught balance and intention in everything. That includes who we give our time, energy, and attention to. Saying no isn’t selfish; it’s an act of sincerity. If saying yes would pull you away from Allah or leave your heart unsettled, then saying no becomes an act of self-love.

So if there’s something sitting heavy on your chest right now; something you said ‘yes’ to, when you really meant ‘no’, give yourself permission to set a boundary, and protect your peace.

Guilt is one of those feelings we hold onto because we think it keeps us close to Allah. We tell ourselves that if we feel bad enough, maybe it means we care.

But guilt isn’t the same as Taqwa. It’s a story we’ve created to convince ourselves that pain equals piety.

But guilt often keeps us stuck. It makes us replay mistakes instead of learning from them. It makes us fear Allah’s disappointment more than we trust His mercy.

What brings you closer to Allah isn’t guilt. It’s awareness. It’s turning back, seeking forgiveness, and then moving forward with intention.

Let go of the guilt. Hold onto the lesson. That’s where the real connection begins.

Here’s where spirituality comes in. Because what’s the point of rituals if there’s no spiritual connection?

If you don’t take a moment to notice the beauty of flowers blooming in Spring…
If you don’t bother to thank the waiter who serves you with a smile…
If your heart doesn’t move when you walk past someone sleeping on the streets…
Then where is your heart connection to the Creation and the Creator?

Noticing the spiritual world makes ritual more profound.

Let’s try a little experiment.

If you come to Salah straight from your office desk – inbox overflowing, heart racing, nervous system fried – what’s the connection like? But if you take off your shoes, walk barefoot on the grass, feel your connection to the earth, take a few mindful breaths… and then come to Salah, the experience changes completely.

There have been times when I’ve felt completely disconnected from the rituals of Islam.

But what has been a constant, even in those moments, is the spiritual connection.
That deep knowing that in my awareness of and awe for the Creation, I’m also strengthening my bond with the Creator.

There’s a Hadith that goes, “Islam began as something strange and will go back to being strange, so give glad tidings to the strangers.” (Muslim, 145).

Although this is often interpreted as referring to the small number of Muslims who will be practicing Islam in its entirety, I’ve been thinking about this recently in the context of recent heightened tension in the UK.

I’m a firm believer that much of the anti-Muslim sentiment we see in the UK comes from ignorance – much of the population knowing nothing about Islam; seeing it as something ‘strange’, and to be feared.

So, just as Islam began as something strange, maybe it is once again.

But it’s the last part of this Hadith that moves me to tears: “…so give glad tidings to the strangers.” We Muslims, especially in the West, should take comfort from this. However we interpret the Hadith, as practicing Muslims, we are in receipt of glad tidings and, InshaAllah, our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) will recognise us as such.

3 second reels; ‘This item is selling fast!’; ‘Bring on the Summer!’….

We are so often living life in fast-forward – it’s no wonder our spiritual connection fell silent.

So today…slow down time. Sip your coffee with intention. Slow down your walking pace. Spend an extra 5 minutes on your skincare. Slow down, and connect.

So many of the women I speak to come to the same realisation on their coaching journey:

They spent their childhood being the good girl…the quiet one…the easy one…

They learnt that their value was connected to how much they pleased others…

But now, they’re burning out, spiritually numb, and have lost a sense of who they are.

And the idea of saying no? It’s terrifying – because their identity is so attached to what they do for others.

I won’t lie – it is a big task to challenge something we’ve carried since childhood. But, it is possible – through values work, reframing, and even rehearsing boundry-setting conversations.

If that sounds like something you need, you know where to find me.

Have we become so tied up in rules that we’ve lost all compassion?

I heard a story recently about a scene at a Muslim burial. There were women present at the graveside….grieving quietly, paying their last respects to their loved one…

But instead of offering empathy and compassion, some other mourners began to grumble about the presence of those women.

And it made me think – have some Muslims become so fixated on rulings that they have lost the ability to lead with compassion and heart in such a difficult moment? Is it that the spiritual connection has grown cold? Or a concern about ‘doing the right thing’ or ‘keeping up appearances’?

So today, I ask Allah to keep our hearts soft and to lead with love, Ameen.

There is so much discussion about happiness: how to get it; is it a journey or a destination; can money buy it…

But what I don’t hear people talking about is contentment. For me, contentment is just as, if not more, valuable than happiness. Happiness can come and go – on a yearly, monthly, daily – even moment by moment – basis. But contentment is a quiet, consistent peace that seems to weather any storm.

Ask yourself today – am I chasing happiness or contentment?

Just a short reminder this morning:

Your social feeds will no doubt be full of goal-setting and ‘New Year; New Me’ energy. Let this be your permission to ignore it.

There is no need for anything to change today. Set some intentions if you’d like, but just take the pressure off. Today is just another day.