Living purposefully as a woman of faith (for me it is being a Muslimah, a Muslim woman) isn’t about performing to perfection, but about performing to progress: as I remind my children almost always, "practice makes progress, not perfection." Living purposefully is about remembering that every choice, every breath, every moment—can become worship when intention meets sincerity.
For me, purpose starts in the quiet. As a mother, yes, that can be very hard to get up if you've had sleepless nights with one or more kiddos or you are at 'that time' of the month where your hormones are out of whack and messing with you emotionally. But the goal is to strive for that morning quiet, with Allah, with yourself and your thoughts. It's true, the saying that success begins before the sun rises, in the stillness of Fajr, whispering my isthighfar and du'as. It took quite a long time to understand that success is not about the hustle in doing more, but in doing better, with Allah at the centre.
In the world we live in, womanhood often comes with pressure to be productive, polished, and have it all together. But Islam redefined success long before the world defined productivity. As mentioned in Surah An-Nisa (Qur'an 4:32), "righteous women are devoutly obedient and, when alone, protective of what Allah has entrusted them with." The best of women are those who are obedient to Allah and protect what Allah has entrusted them with. That includes our time, our family, our health, and yes, our hearts.
Success is not about the hustle in doing more but in doing better, with Allah at the centre.
Her Purposeful Soul
Purpose for me looks like:
- being up before the kids, in the darkness of the morning with Allah and my thoughts
- journaling my intentions and reflections to understand where Im slipping up, so I can focus in and work towards bettering that slip up
- sitting a little longer than usual on the prayer mat just making Istighfar
- praying on time, even if that means pausing the to-do list, as hard as that can feel sometimes
- choosing words with my children that shape their souls, not just correct their behaviour,
- and whispering dhikr as I walk the house, fold the laundry, or wash dishes.
- sharing my knowledge along the way to empower and uplift others, if Im growing you're coming along to grow too
I wasn’t always this way. There were seasons of my life where I sought validation in all the wrong places, where I didn’t know how to rest without guilt - depending on the state of my home I still can't sit without the guilt setting in - or slow down without shame. But the more I returned to Allah, and focused on the purpose of being in this world, the more I understood that barakah isn’t about how much we get done—it’s about how much we remember Him while doing all that needs to be done.
This blog, Her Purposeful Soul, isn’t about showcasing a lifestyle. It’s about reminding myself (and you, my lovely reader) that we are allowed to live gently and meaningfully. And for the mothers reading, that our faith can grow alongside our motherhood, whilst we teach them, we teach or importantly, we reteach ourselves. That ambition, softness, and sincerity can all exist together when we build from the inside out.
If you ever feel like you’re behind or not doing enough, remember this: The most purposeful step you can take today is one that draws you closer to your Creator. Whether it’s through a prayer, a pause and dhikr, or a page written in your journal or a page read in the Qur'an, let that be enough.
With love,
Zainab