Course Description

Devotional seasons like Ramadan are times when we exert ourselves to increase in worship and remembrance of Allah. It is a blessed and sacred time, but it can sometimes feel overwhelming to figure out which are the best practices of those recommended to us. Should I prioritise Quran reading and memorization, or understanding and contemplation? Should I stay up and pray tahajjud, or listen to lectures to deepen my religious knowledge? Should I volunteer in the masjid or increase my sadaqah? Figuring out what to implement from the one-size-fits-all advice we often hear can be challenging.

As women, we may often be trying to balance a tripartite scale – these devotional practices, alongside cultural and societal expectations of daughters, sisters, mothers, or wives, and the physical, emotional and psychological impact of our monthly cycles and life stage. Many of us are in a constant state of adjusting and calibrating, while experiencing feelings of overwhelm and even guilt.

This Ramadan, our course community will explore the principles for structuring our devotional lives and developing habitual practices to draw us closer to Allah. 

Using Book 10 of Imam al-Ghazali’s “Revival of the Religious Sciences” we will learn principles from the Quran and Sunna for designing our devotional lives. We will discuss devotional practices that the Prophet ﷺ modeled at various times of the day and night and his guidance for balancing devotional habits with seasons of the year, stages of life, and fluctuating every-day commitments.