It’s no secret that one of the biggest complaints of women today is the stress and overwhelm caused by the endless things we need to do every day.

If there’s one lesson we can take from having experienced Ramadan during the pandemic, it’s how much more peaceful we can feel when we slow down and spend more time alone - especially alone with Allah Azawajal.

Until we give our spiritual lives the priority they deserve, we will never feel true balance and tranquility. Allah Ta’ala ordered us to worship Him, not for His need, but because our souls are in need of that nourishment. Just as food nourishes the body, ibadah nourishes the soul.

Without taking time to nourish our spiritual state, the soul remains in discontent, and true tranquility eludes us.

Inspiration from the Ulama

Before life coaches or self-help methods, I found inspiration in the lives and wisdom of the ulama.

Take, for example, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah. Despite his busy schedule of teaching, issuing fatawa, writing, and researching, he always took time for solitude, dhikr, dua, and self-reflection. When asked about this habit, he said:

“Hadhihi ghadawti; walaw lam ata ghadal ghada, saqatat quwati.”
“This is my nourishment. If I don’t take this time, my strength goes away.”

Without tapping into strength from Allah, our own strength falters.

5 Tips for Finding Time for Your Spirituality

1. Live Consciously

Start your day with intention. When you wake, say:

“Alhamdulillahi alladhi ahyana ba’dama amatana wa ilayhim nushur.”

Thank Allah for restoring life and give your day a purpose: to live for Allah.

As the Qur’an reminds us:

“Qul inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaaya wa mamati lillahi rabbil alamin.”
“Say, verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”

Even mundane tasks—cleaning, cooking, or working—become acts of ibadah when done with conscious intention for Allah.

2. Avoid Taking on Too Much

Women often overcommit—giving wholeheartedly to work, volunteering, and others—while neglecting themselves and their spiritual lives.

Salman al-Farisi, radiyaAllahu anhu, advised Abi Ad-Darda:

“Inna lirabbika ‘alayka haqqan, wa linafsika ‘alayka haqqan, wa li’ahlik ‘alayka haqqan. Fa’ta’kulladhi haqqan haqqan.”
“Your Lord has a right over you, yourself has a right, and your family has a right. Give each their due.”

Prioritize wisely: your Lord first, yourself second, and others third.

If busyness compromises your prayers or ibadah, it’s a sign to reassess and cut back.

Remember the hadith:

“Inna awwala ma yuhasabu bihil ‘abd yawmal qiyamati min ‘amalihi salatuhu. Fa’in salahat faqad aflah wa injah, wa in fasadat faqad khaba wa khasir.”
“The first thing a person is called to account for on the Day of Resurrection is their prayer. If it’s sound, they succeed; if not, they fail.”

Success in this world is meaningless if we neglect the akhirah.

3. Cut Down on Time Wasters

We often claim “no time,” yet spend hours on social media, series, or unnecessary socializing.

Check your phone usage—it often reveals how much time is wasted. These habits take away moments that could be spent in Qur’an, dhikr, or reflection.

Be intentional: social media isn’t forbidden, but it should not replace quality ibadah time.

4. Have a Realistic Outlook

You won’t always have ideal conditions for ibadah. Life brings responsibilities—raising children, exams, caregiving—but every stage has an end.

When busy, intend that your current efforts are for Allah’s reward, and trust that you’ll have more time for ibadah later, bi-idhnillah.

The Qur’an guides us:

“Fa-itha faraghta fansab, wa ila rabbika farghab.”
“When you finish worldly tasks, devote yourself fully to Allah, with hope and sincerity.”

5. Savour Your Moments of Ibadah

Recognize that ibadah nourishes the soul. Some acts are non-negotiable:

• Five daily prayers: Organize life around your prayers, not vice versa. Prayers bring structure and relief amidst chaos. Slow down and focus, imagining standing before Allah, as the Prophet ﷺ said:
  
  

“Ta’budullaha ka’annaka tarahu, fa in lam takun tarahu fa innahu yaraak.”
“Worship Allah as if you see Him; even if you cannot see Him, know that He sees you.”

• Daily Qur’an: Even half a page counts. Ponder over the ayat, feel their guidance, and let Allah’s words feed your soul.
  

• Dhikr and du’a: Schedule morning and evening dhikr, post-prayer remembrance, and before sleeping. When menstruating, increase dhikr to compensate for missed prayers.
  
  

Slow down, reflect, and truly feel the meaning of the words. This is mindfulness, already embedded in Islam, and it brings clarity, calm, and tranquility.

Final Advice

When feeling stressed or anxious, pause and honestly assess how much quality time you’re dedicating to ibadah.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah said:

“Inna fid-dunya jannah, man lam yadkhulha, lam yadkhulil jannatil-akhirah.”
“Verily in this world there is a jannah; whoever does not enter it will not enter the jannah of the next life.”

This “jannah of this world” is tasting the sweetness of being alone with Allah and enjoying His worship.

May Allah help us all:

• To taste the sweetness of worship
  

• To find peace and tranquility in our lives
  

• To love reciting the Qur’an
  

• To love standing before Allah in salah
  

• To love remembering Him and making du’a
  
  

Allahumma a’inna ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husna ibadatik.
“Oh Allah, help us to remember You, thank You often, and worship You in the best way possible.”