Fajr has always been tough for me. There are a few times in my life when I’ve actually enjoyed waking up or even woke before Fajr for extra prayers or stayed up after to read Quran. But, if I’m honest, Fajr (the early dawn pray) has never been a walk in the park. Today I’d like to share with you a few strategies that I hope will help you and have proven to work for me.
If you find yourself having difficulty waking up for Fajr please know your not alone. Waking up for Fajr is no easy feat but if you follow these tips something tells me you’ll have a better bet. First up, drink water before going to before going to bed. Not too much but enough so that in a few hours your body will wake up on it’s own to relieve it. It’s very difficult to resist physical bodily urges so your body will wake you up with no will power from yourself and you will (hopefully) be up for Fajr. I must say this isn’t fool proof since your body may wake you up at 3am and Fajr comes in at 3:30a so there may still be some will power involved in staying up long enough to pray.
Eat something. Very few of us can resist a tasty treat so why not use it for good? Promise yourself some hot chocolate or a bit of cake if you wake up for Fajr on time. I know it’s silly, but remember the goal. Even if you have to trick yourself or add an intention to your waking up for Fajr it’s worth a try.
Set your alarm. Why wasn’t this #1? Well because I find this to be the least fool proof of all. Many of us put our alarm beside our bed and when it rings for Fajr we simply ignore it. So my advice it to have about 2-4 alarms about 10 minutes apart and on different devices. You’ll be so annoyed that you’ll be forced to wake up and if you have enough cognizance to turn off four alarms hopefully you’ll convince yourself that you should just get up and pray.
Last and most importantly, make dua. Ask Allah in the night before sleeping to wake you up for Fajr. This is one I’ve been slacking on but I remember entire stretches of my life where I solely relied on dua and Allah woke me up for Fajr. The only issue with this method and why I stopped solely relying on it is that Allah would sometimes wake me up for Fajr 10, 20 or 30 minutes before the time and being the lazy girl that I am I’d just go back to sleep. So as the old saying goes trust in Allah and tie your camel.
So in conclusion making dua is the most important but it should be followed by action like setting 4 alarms. I would save food promises and bathroom runs (i.e. drinking water before bed) for more sever cases -like if you’ve been missing Fajr for more than a week, or for as long as you can remember. Lastly don’t forget if you miss Fajr make it up as soon as you can -this means any time. There are no time restrictions as to when one can make up a fard salah (that only applies to sunnahs).
Take care and Happy Fajrs. Also if these tips helped you let me know, email: info@nuriddeenknight.com & please reblog if you think these tips might help others.
Have some tips of your own? Please share below <3 Not Muslim? Let me know what you’d like to know about the Muslim daily prayers.
Bismillah,
Performing some of the Prophetic manners of sleeping should definitely help us to wake up not only for Fajr but also to pray Tahajud. Here are some of the Prophetic pearls i’d like to share with our readers,
-Avoid to lie flat on the back with one leg on the other, unless there is no fear of exposing the private parts
all the manners above protect us against the whisper of satan and prevent him to “urinate” in our ears so we won’t wake up.
Note: all above must be performed with the sincere intention of following the Sunnah of our beloved Master and Glory of humanity, upon Him Peace and Blessing, as Allah ta la declared in the Wise Qur’an ” Surely in the Messenger of God you have a good example for him who hopes for God and the Last Day, and remembers God much” (33:21)
May Allah ta ala grants us Tawfiq in our endeavors to obey and please Him alone.
Alhumduillah thanks for your input
Very beneficial Nurrideen! Tricks to our trade. Fajr is extremely important so anything that will help us adhere to our obligations as Muslims is very helpful. Shukran!
Ma sha Allah ✨
Asalamualaikum sister, from my knowledge one cannot make up any Salah after Asr prayer and before Mahgreb. JazakAllah and thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for commenting. I was taught that any fard prayer can be made up at any time -the sooner the better. 🙂
Asalamu alaykum Brother Zain, hope all is well, concerning Fard Salah one cannot delay its make-up, you have to make up as soon as you able to do so, this is according to Maliki School of Though and if i’m not wrong it has to be the same for other three Madhhabs.
Actually is only Nawafil salahs that are prohibited after Asr and before Mahgreb as you mentionned, and also prohibited after Fajr Salah to Sunrise; Allah knows best…
Zain please do give salaam to the brothers in Connecticut!