5 Mindful Habits to Start this Muharram

Starting a new Hijri year often means reflecting on the past year. From our achievements, wins and celebrations that we like to share with others and to our challenges, failures and rejections that we struggle to face, those experiences bring lessons that can guide us to introspection and growth.

To start the year on a positive note, we often look for tips on cultivating good habits. I can get overwhelmed by the plethora of online advice, so I ask myself two things: Firstly, out of all the information out there, what are the key habits that are important to me as a Muslim? Secondly, what do I want to achieve from these habits?

Every Muslim needs a reminder that all the good deeds and habits we aim to adopt are to become better Muslims and strengthen our relationship with Allah. After all, it is His pleasure that we seek. As I strive to be a better Muslim, I want to share the top five mindful habits I have decided to focus on this Muharram. I hope this list can get you inspired too!

Slow Down

It can be challenging to slow down especially when we have many things to get done. With all the demands in life from work, family and others, we may feel guilty when we pace ourselves. But think again, if we are always on the go, and always in a rush, we may feel exhausted easily and burnt out, which is counterproductive in the long run. We may miss out on little things and moments that bring us joy.

These little moments are the ones that we can look back on and put a smile on our faces, filling our emotional and spiritual banks. There are many benefits to slowing down as it allows us to connect with our 5 senses and experience daily life in a more meaningful way.

Perhaps we can start by slowing down when:

1. We perform our 5 daily obligatory prayers. Slow down so we can ponder on the meaning of our recitations and connect with Allah.
2. We are commuting to a destination. Slow down so we can keep ourselves safe and notice the blessings around us.
3. We are with our children, family and loved ones. Slow down so they know that can feel our presence and do not feel rushed.

Ponder

To ponder upon Allah’s words: As cliche as it sounds, it is one of the most important habits as a Muslim to practise regularly as it nourishes our souls. Pondering upon verses of the Quran means understanding the meaning of each word and verse, reflecting on its wisdom, applying and practising its lessons in our daily lives. It is a continuous effort for as long as we want to benefit from the Quran and our hearts to be spiritually nourished.

As we seek to understand the gems of the Quran, it is highly encouraged to find a credible teacher to guide us in this process because we all have different levels of capabilities in understanding the true meaning that underlies each word and verse in the Quran.
As a start, own a Quran with a great tafsir in it, acknowledge the blessing of being able to read the Quran, and remember to start by praising Allah. Continue your effort by understanding the meaning and the history behind the verses. Along the way, you will be amazed how the Quran which was revealed thousands of years ago is still very relevant to your current life.

Schedule

We cannot do everything all at once, but you can always make time for things by practising scheduling your to-do list. In this digital era, there is a plethora of productivity tools we can leverage to maximize our time. While it may be tempting to rely on your mental checklist, this can lead to mental exhaustion as our brains juggle multiple tasks. Unlike a browser, our brain tends to forget things. Whether it’s personal or work-related, visually assigning tasks to specific times can be immensely helpful.

As Muslims, we can also benefit from the block-and-schedule approach to support our spiritual journey. If we want to read more Quran, we can schedule it and set reminders, just as we do for other important events and appointments. If we wish to fast on certain days, we can block out those dates to avoid accidentally planning brunch dates. The list goes on!
This year, let’s maximize the use of technology to achieve not only our personal and career goals but also our spiritual goals.

Focus

We live in a time where distractions are inevitable. So, it is harder than ever to train our brains to focus on one thing at a time. Talk about multi-tasking or rather task-switching. Sometimes your brain might trick you into switching from one task to another to make you feel good and productive when in fact, you are doing less which is counterproductive.

So, how do you focus? I like to use our 5 daily obligatory prayers as a starting point for healthy habits as I believe if we can perform them well, the benefits will spill into other areas of our lives. This means, do our best to stay focused (khusyu’) in our prayers. When we find our mind wanders, which is a natural tendency of our minds, be aware of it and bring it back to focus.
Everyone has a different prime time and for me, it is always in the morning. I am also reminded of the following hadith:
“O Allah, bless my nation in their early mornings (i.e., what they do early in the morning).” (Hasan)” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
So, let’s find ways to be productive in the morning to grasp the blessings in the morning!

Pause

This is crucial, especially when we face negative experiences that trigger emotions such as anger, frustration, sadness, and disappointment. It takes a level of self-awareness to hold ourselves back from saying hurtful words to others or ourselves, and it takes strength to stop ourselves from acting impulsively. By pausing, we allow ourselves a moment to reflect and gain control over our reactions.

If we believe we can take control of our reactions, we will be more empowered to respond with compassion even in moments of anger and disappointment. Viktor E. Frankl, a neurologist and psychologist, once said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
When we embrace the space between ‘stimulus’ and ‘response,’ it becomes easier for us to practice “the real patience at the first stroke of a calamity,” as reminded by our Prophet s.a.w.

As we embark on a new Hijri year, Muharram is an opportunity to renew our intentions and strengthen our relationship with Allah. By adopting these five mindful habits—slowing down, pondering the Quran, scheduling, focusing, and pausing—we can enhance our spiritual journey and daily lives.
May this Muharram inspire us all to grow spiritually and seek Allah’s pleasure through these meaningful habits.