Today I was just mentally looking at how the next month was going to look when it hit me — this is my first Ramadan with a full-time job.
And then all I could wonder was — how does Ramadan and a full-time job even work?
At that moment, I truly felt what all the alumni around us had been repeating at us while we were in university. That there will never be a time in your life where you will have more free time, so use it wisely.
As a University student, this didn’t seem to make any sense. It felt like we barely had time to submit our assignments by the deadlines. as we juggled lectures, events and extracurriculars. It seemed like things couldn’t get busier.
Student v Employee
But there is one difference between a University student (well, most) and a full time employee. Just one word that makes all the difference — choice.
The busy university student has the choice to wake up for the 10am lecture. If deadlines get too much , they have the choice to attend an event or not.
But the full-time employee does not have that.
Everyday, regardless of how you feel, how late you slept the night before, how much other responsibilities to your family you have, you have no choice but to be at your desk by 9am, ready to work. For the next 7.5 hours of the day.
In University, I used to plan my Ramadans so that, as much as I could, my Dunya schedule revolved around my Ramadan schedule. I made sure I could attend afternoon seminars, and arranged group meetings so that I could squeeze in an afternoon nap.
But looks like this year, things will need to be planned differently. Just knowing that 40+ hours of my week is already no longer officially mine to use is an interesting challenge.
The purpose of Ramadan
But I remind myself that, that is the point of Ramadan. It’s a training camp that Allah gave us to refocus ourselves towards our real purpose. It’s a month where we learn how it is possible to become devout worshippers of Allah, while being full-time workers, mothers or students. If Ramadan was a month where we were meant to throw everything of this dunya away and only focus on worship, Allah would have mandated Itikaaf for the full 30 days. But He didn’t.
He locked Shaytan away for us to make it a tad easier for us to get back on track. To allow us to get into those good habits without him whispering to us all the time. So by the time Ed arrives, we are all trained back to be His best servants, ready to excel in the next 11 months. Insha Allah.
So yes, it’s going to be different. But I’m no longer worried. I’m ready, bi ithinallah, to take on this challenge and grow from it.
