I look at the mirror and sigh deeply. Looking back at me is a twenty-something woman with bags under her eyes, a pimple (ever-so-unbecoming) under her lip, and a bad hair day. Nothing seems to make sense, including that pile of work I should actually have been doing rather than checking myself out in the mirror. Oh dear. It’s going to be one of those days.

I have been struggling with Fajr prayers for a while now. The cold mornings of this endless winter create an incredible feeling of morning laziness; your blanket is all you need and your bed you will not leave.

Sitting on the prayer mat after Fajr salah, my chirping friends notify me of the arrival of the sun. Just their innocent babble is enriching; uplifting. They peck at the tiny red flowers my mother lovingly planted outside my room.

And with Laylat al-Qadr, the night better than a thousand months, falling on one of these last ten nights, we can’t afford to do anything other than follow in his footsteps, salla Allahu alayhi wasallam. One of the best acts of worship we can engage in at this time is the night prayer. The night prayer is a beautiful act of worship which encompasses the other kinds of worship – reciting Qur’an, remembering Allah and praising Him in dhikr, making du’aa – all as you stand and bow and prostrate before His Majesty.

With the last ten days coming up, naturally, some of our sisters won’t be able to pray or fast. A lot of us face this realization with sadness and disappointment… but it’s important to remember that this is what Allah chose for us. It doesn’t mean we have to miss out on the spirituality of these days, and it doesn’t mean we have to miss out on Laylat al-Qadr. In fact, we should be motivated by the fact that we can’t pray or fast and put in an extra effort to worship Allah in other ways. With a sincere heart, we can, bi’ithnAllah, reach the ranks of those who are fasting and praying. So read up, and on’t miss out on the rewards and blessings of this month: