DAWNINGS
After dawn prayer, I’m two exercise sets away from crawling back into bed or following through on my morning routine: body workout, recital, walk and write.
Retiring to bed after dawn prayer is always the worst idea for me, leaving me to falter for most of the day.
Mornings, or what I like to term dawnings, contain a blessedness unmatched in the life of a day. Richard Powers writes in his book The Echo Maker: ‘The evening show is pure theatre, but the morning is religion.’
God takes four mighty oaths in the chapter The Dawn: ‘1) By the dawn, 2) By the ten nights, 3) By the even and the odd, and 4) By the passing of the night’ [89:1-4].
In verse five, God launches from oaths into rhetoric: ‘Is this oath strong enough for a rational person?’
If not, we are senseless, and our spiritual awakening may still be in bed.
These oaths are symbols of the soul’s spiritual march to its awakening. It’s not like an epiphany, but occurs in subtle degrees.
Time is the driver, taxiing our spiritual progression. Thus, we must remain patient.
It unfolds with the passing night, labouring to bring forth the dawn. The first streaks of light as they sheathe the night are a beautiful hallmark of faith in the unseen.
The life-giving star is still imperceptible, but the fading night can no longer contain its light, and so, we submit to its light without seeing its face: Fajr (The Dawn Prayer). Then, we wake up to the ten nights, usually understood to mean the ten days of Hajj. Central is Makkah, the city of spiritual life. It is the city of Abraham (as), Ishmael (as) and Muhammad (s), the place where the final Prophet (s) awakened the world to God’s Book of Life. The even and odd refer to contrasts, opposites, of the here and the Hereafter and our transition from life to death and finally to eternal life.
These verses have many meanings, but all urge us to wake up and be rational about God’s signs.
To prove I am, I must keep awake and transition from a Musallee—someone who performs prayer—into an exerciser. So, while still on the mat, I launch into ten fast push-ups, followed by twenty crunches.
The push-ups (first action) are what James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, coined as the gateway habit. The immediate crunch reps (second action) set up what behavioural scientists term the Diderot Effect, which is when one purchase or action leads to the next. After the twenty crunches, my bed is no longer a siren.
These two simple exercises open a flow state and allow me to rise with the sun.
THE BEST IN FAITH
The best societies are faithful, the best in faith are best in character, and the best are those best towards women.
‘Hal jazā al iḥsān illal iḥsān—what are the consequences of good but only good? [55:60]. If present, this virtuous cycle in the home, by men towards women and women towards men, becomes the cornerstone of societal stability.
The opposite also holds.
This sentiment of soundness in faith rooted in men’s character towards women is from a hadith (prophetic tradition), which Tirmidhi narrates. The hadith always leaves me shuddering. My best-hubby track record makes for poor reading, which infers my character and faith are deficient, and my societal contribution is wanting.
I can’t help but feel regret as I reflect on my 20 years of marriage in light of this hadith. I have not been the best spouse, and my wife deserves much better. I now see that emulating the Prophet (s) is the only sane alternative. She deserves a finer version of me. So does my soul.
In another hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (ra), the Prophet (s) said: ‘The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.’
Although similar to the first, the second hadith provides additional information: where to get the standard.
So, how did the Prophet (s) do it, and why did his wives adore him?
The Prophet’s exemplary character was the key determinant in building successful marriages. He (s) honoured his wives by consulting and seeking their permission on matters affecting them. This Prophetic practice fosters consideration and thoughtfulness between spouses. It makes our wives feel seen and respected and neutralises power struggles.
The Prophet (s) openly and privately expressed his love. Once, he (s) told Sayduna Anas (ra) that Aishah was his beloved. He (s) embraced his wives and honoured their families. Cultivating filial piety with our parents through marriage strengthens marital bonds. Hence, the most beloved of men to the Prophet (s) was Abu Bakr (ra), Aishah’s father. Thereafter came Umar (ra), father to the Prophet’s wife, Hafsah (ra).
The Prophet (s) loved his family and portrayed it by serving them when he was (s) home. Homely duties were not beneath God’s Prophet. ‘Lovemaking begins in the kitchen with the men helping their wives’, says John Mason.
The Prophet (s) was gentle with his wives and made them feel central to him (s). His love for them was affectionate and joyful.
Aishah (ra) shared this beautiful love story. The Prophet (s) invited her to a meal. They shared the food, which consisted of meat and drink. The Prophet (s) insisted she eat and drink first. When she had finished, he (s) took the meat bone and placed his (s) mouth where hers had been and his lips on the cup where hers had sipped.
This gesture proves that the Prophet (s) connected deeply to Aishah (ra) and captured moments that made his (s) wife feel singularly noteworthy.
The Prophet (s) was surest in faith because he (s) was the finest cherisher of women among men.
There are questions requiring no deliberation for a Muslim. One of these is: What’s your constitution?
Another question is: What’s your purpose?
However, should they elude you, search for the answers earnestly. They are easily obtainable.
Ramadan Karim to you and your family
Until next week, InshaAllah
Zaahied Sallie
Author of The Beloved Prophet – An Illustrated Biography in Rhyme
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