Ever felt like you’re constantly choosing between your faith and your deadlines?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Salam, hope you’re doing well🤍.

This is my very first newsletter and I’m not writing it as someone who’s figured everything out.

But as someone who’s walking this path too, trying to hold onto faith while juggling life. Hoping we can grow together, Insha’allah.

For the longest time, I’ve struggled with balance. Whenever I gave more attention to my dunya, I felt my deen slipping away. And when I poured my heart into my deen, it always seemed like my dunya took a backseat. It's been a constant tug-of-war within me.

I always thought balance meant a perfect 50-50 half deen, half dunya. But here’s what I’ve come to realise:

Balance doesn’t mean 50/50

It means putting Allah first— and letting everything else align around that.

Because when your intention is right, even your worldly tasks become worship. 

Here’s a beautiful reminder from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ):

Now, before I begin anything —
whether it's working, studying, or simply helping around the house,
I take a quiet moment to renew my intention:

I remind myself:
I'm doing this for the sake of Allah.
I'm earning halal to support those I love.
I'm striving for sincerity and excellence (ihsan) in every small effort.

Even when I sit down to eat,
I remind myself — I'm not just feeding my body.
I'm nourishing the amanah Allah has given me,
so I can stand longer in prayer,
remember Him with deeper focus,
and serve His deen with renewed strength.

Because even the simplest acts like a meal or a task become worship when the intention is right.

And honestly, one of the biggest shifts for me came when I realized this:
I had spent so long trying to squeeze Salah into my busy schedule like it was just another task on my to-do list.

But when I flipped it and started building my schedule around Salah — everything changed.

Salah became my pause.
My safe space.
A quiet conversation between me and the One who already knows every burden I’m carrying. It was like a breather my heart desperately needed.
A moment where I could step away from the rush, the pressure, the constant noise — and just be.

A little hack that’s been a total game-changer for me is starting my day early, especially after Fajr. There’s so much barakah in those early hours.

I can’t stress enough how true this is. When you wake up early you tend to focus better, work faster, and get more done in less time.

Starting my day after Fajr has honestly set the tone for a more productive, purposeful day. Don’t sleep on that barakah!!!

I won’t sugarcoat it, I still have days where I fall short.
Nights where I sleep late and Fajr feels heavy.
Moments where Salah gets delayed or dhikr slips from my tongue.
And sometimes, guilt creeps in, telling me I’m failing.

But what I’m learning is —

Simple ways I try to weave Deen into my day — so I don't let moments slip away in ghaflah (heedlessness):

• Doing dhikr while commuting

• Listening to a podcast that reminds me of Allah during chores

• Whispering a quiet du’a before doing anything

• Cleaning the house with the intention that cleanliness is half of faith

• Taking small pauses just to reflect, even for a minute

  And balance isn’t just about doing — it’s also about resting.

  Your body is an amanah. And rest, when done with the right intention, becomes ibadah too.

  Even our Prophet ﷺ napped in the afternoon.
  We need to stop glorifying burnout and start honoring the trust Allah gave us — our body, our time, our energy.

  So take a deep breath.

  You don’t have to do it all.
  You just have to do what you can — with right intentions and Allah in your heart.

When in doubt, make this du’a a part of your daily rhythm:

‎رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَّفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَّقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatanw wa fil aakhirati hasanatanw wa qina ‘adhaban-nar
“Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”(Qur’an 2:201)

And always remember:
Your Creator sees your effort. Even when it feels small. Even when no one else notices.

May Allah make it easy for all of us,
and place barakah in our every step.

Until next time,
With love and du’as,

@theyusrway