Hello & Salaam!
Alhamdulillah I got the absolute honour of being invited for Hajj this year and have recently come back from it. I think I will be reflecting on my Hajj experience probably for the rest of my life subhanAllah. ๐ฅฒ
It truly was a journey of a lifetime and I am beyond grateful. I pray that all of you will be invited to complete this pillar of our faith soon too, ameen.
One thought that kept coming up as I was going through the rituals of Hajj, the walking (there was so much walking!), the tawaf, the prayers, the tears, the stoning etc, was that people would not do this except because of love and devotion of God. It could only be love and devotion.
Fear would not be a strong enough motivation for someone to go through all of that - all the sleep deprivation, the fatigue, and in the heat! Fear may have made someone leave their home to start the journey, but fear would not have been able to sustain it. Only love could.
And only love and devotion for God. Nothing less than Him. We could do much for someone we love, for a band, for a football team. But with this intensity? Only the Divine. SubhanAllah.
It was also a lesson in sincerity for me. Hajj doesn't give you a chance to be prideful at all. You think you're special you got invited for Hajj? Can't be that special if a million others are there too.
You think you pray a lot? You'll meet someone who wouldn't stop.
You thought your tears of repentance were sincere? You'll wipe your tears and laugh and then see someone who'd show you just how delusional you were.
You think you've sacrificed and are tired? You'll meet someone with much less than you, crying more than you, praying more than you, much older than you, with worse health than you, but with so much more gratitude and love than you.
Hajj was amazing and I keep tearing up every time I think of it subhanAllah. Please pray that Allah accepted my Hajj and of all pilgrims this year, that our sins are forgiven, and that we continue to journey towards Him until we meet Him.
Reflect & Reset - Welcoming Muharram 1448H
I first hosted these reflection gatherings last year as June and Muharram was coinciding. I did them again in December as the guides were made to reflect on the past 6 months and to look ahead for the coming 6 months.
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The sessions and responses moved me each time. Participants said it changed how they see du'a, how they set goals and how they hold themselves.
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I can't wait to gather again online for Reflect & Reset: Welcoming Muharram 1448H inshaAllah ๐ท
I'll be hosting 2 online sessions. If you can't make it for the live sessions, the Digital Reflection Guide is available for you to work through in your own time.
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Part planner, part prayer companion - it was designed to help us take account of ourselves and begin again with purpose and intention.
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Ladies-Only Online Gathering Details (Choose one!)
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โSession 1: Sunday 21 June 2026 โ
8-930am Singapore/Malaysia time
10-1130am Melbourne time
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โSession 2: Friday 26 June 2026โ
8-930pm Singapore/Malaysia time
10-1130pm Melbourne time
Register for either of the online sessions here.
If you can't make it live, feel free to purchase just the Digital Reflection Guide here.
May the coming year be a witness to us being better and more grateful servants of Allah, ameen!
Sincerely,
โAmeera Aslam
- Final few spots left for my Remembering Death, Choosing Life spiritual retreat to Kashmir happening 4-12 July.
- I send a physical letter of my reflections on living open-heartedly together with reflection prompts and a surprise paper product each month through my Open Hearts Snail Mail Club. Join here.
- Buy my books or support my writing here.
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