What are you doing awake?! Day 6: Reviving Sunnahs

Every few months we have a Dawrah with our shaykh. It’s an intensive that usually lasts 14 days, and we take all of our things and head to the shaykh’s apartment to live with him. For the married folks he may afford us a day like Jumuah to go home and spend time with the spouse and children before heading back.

The schedule is simple, we wake up at Fajr and memorize the Quran and whatever texts we are studying for 3–4 hours. We then immediately begin lessons with the shaykh until an hour after Duhur. We break from Duhur to Asr and then have classes from Asr until midnight.

Every day for 7 days (or 6 if you’re married).

It’s a lot.

It’s the type of activity that when finished and one returns home, they usually sleep for a complete day.

However, the amount that is completed, memorized, and taught at that time is more than a student gets in several months of studies.

The distractions are limited,

The fun is limited,

and sleep is limited.

We are in a state of continuous worship.

It’s about doing the most a student can do with the little time afforded to them.

These ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the same.

They aren’t going to last forever,

and there will probably come a day when you’ll wish you had taken advantage of them.

My advice is simple, go to sleep early and wake up early.

Once you’ve prayed Isha, go ahead and pray a few rak’at and then get some shut-eye.

Make sure you’re up for Subh/Fajr and attempt to stay up after. These days are precious, and you need to use them wisely.

Plan to keep yourself busy throughout the day with worship like your fasting, prayer, and the Sunan (like we discussed before).

Definitely don’t forget your Dhikr (that’ll be tomorrow’s sunnah).

This Dhul Hijjah is yours for the taking, let's do it!

Your brother,

Arthur K. Richards