40 23 hour-days of Baraka
I had made space in my life to listen for guidance. I was ready, not much was really happening at first. So I armed myself with patience. I had been reading the Quran on a daily basis with Sourate Al Waqiah and the chronological progression of the Quran for a while .
Then one day it landed. I had heard it before and seen things on the internet but never really paid close attention: The invitation to read Surah Al Baqarah on a daily basis! I listened to tate video where a person was sharing about the benefits of this practice and then thought, ok I’ll start after my next cycle. Then immediately knew that it was all excuses and promised I’d start that day and keep up with it for 40 days.
I doubted my ability to stay consistent for 40 days in a row: life, kids, my own energy… How could I do it? The fact is, I didn’t need to know how, I just had to do it and trust. My first resistant thoughts were loud: where am I going to find the time to do it? How am I going to be consistent for 40 days in a row? What will I have left in terms of energy and time for the rest of things I am supposed to do? And on and on…this is exactly the definition of Weswas, The Shaitan’s manipulation of our minds as Islam describes. Now whether we want to see it from the psychological aspect as self-sabotage, resistance, and procrastination or mere Weswas, the outcome and the action required is the same. My strategy: no hacks nor complicated self-growth steps just ignoring this voice and doing my best while trusting. And there I was set on the journey!
When I listened to the video of a Sheikh sharing the benefits of reading this pillar Surah of the holy book every day for 40 days in a row he mentioned that the reading takes 30 minutes. It wasn’t true for me but I didn’t know it then, and thank God, so I went for it. The first day I did the reading it took me 1h10 minutes. Here goes the Shaitan again “Your days are now only 23 hours” he whispered to me. That was so scary to me, I was like no I don’t want shorter days and less time “to live”. The second I showed up and trusted. I read the Surah and set a timer, right from the second and third day my reading time started to improve, 1 hour, then 50 minutes until I reached my best time: 45 minutes approximately. I am sure 30 minutes is possible when you know the Surah by heart which is not my case -yet, who knows maybe one day-
Despite this reality that I was using close to one hour per day reading, something very clear started to happen right from the 1st day: abundance in my days. All of the sudden Subhan Allah there was time and energy for all I set to do. My own interpretation of Shaitan’s words about lack and taking action on the plan proved wrong -is that surprising?-. It was a miraculous thing to experience and that alone encouraged me to keep reading. This Surah is so powerful that fairly quickly things started to shift in my life, not in a dramatic, in your face kind of way but in a very subtle yet so clear way I couldn’t ignore it. The way this experiment lifts the veil of false perceptions is a miracle you have to try for yourself. You will experience and enhance your ability to see and feel, my eyes beyond seeing a new reality revealed to me, felt physically more open and my ability to feel and move and be alive more vivid and religiously augmented Al hamdu Lilah. Around me though it was a rollercoaster. I felt in the middle of a storm, things were shifting and I had to adjust to this new level of perception. I held strong to the practice with all my faith and backed it up with a lot of praying, faith, and patience. Which got me out of it stronger and grateful. So many doubts arise in the course of those 40 days, I heard my mind -Shaitan remember- justifying that maybe I am one of those who have brought losses upon themselves because they are part of the wrongdoers (Surah Al israa Aya 82). It scared me so much to see my life falling apart around me. What if it was all due to my sins? Was I allowed the forgiving of Allah? Yet something in my heart kept comforting me and inviting me to pursue my reading. I held strong, I added Surah Yusuf for sabr — patience — and An-nour for a brighter light in my heart. I backed it all up with Salate Istikhara for additional guidance on which action to take to move on in the right direction.
Eventually after almost the whole period of 40 days (and that number 40 and its symbolic in the religions of the book — we could write a whole article about it), the storm settled both in reality and in my heart. I didn’t have to take any radical action nor transform my life. Sometimes the best action is no action especially when so much energy is moving.
The details of the story here are insignificant. What matters is to realize the power of these words to impact your path. As I am writing this piece for you, I am 52 days in a row of daily reciting of Surah Al Baqarah and I am so grateful for it. I couldn’t stop not because it’s easy and fun every day — I have to be honest here — Sometimes it feels long and yet always fascinating Al Hamdu Lilah. Why am I keeping up with the experiment you might ask? The answer is a double edge sword answer. I keep reading for two dissonant reasons, one I am scared of the veil coming onto my sight again and of falling into wrong choices and actions without the protection of the Surah. Two, I am really feeling the benefits of consistent daily Quran reading. And even though I still dedicate time before sleep to reading other Surahs, I feel starting my day with Surah Al Baqarah showers me with more Baraka — Abundance- and stamina to not only read more of the holy book but also feel and understand more of it.
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After the reading I would perform a gesture to cleanse my body with the Surah: join both hands and bring them to the mouth, spit with more air than actual liquid in your hands and wipe the entirety of your body (yes clothes on) with the intention of healing. Wash your hands.
You can perform the reading over some olive oil and rub your body. Another variation you can also intend the reading on a glass or a bottle of water and drink it afterwards. These gestures can be aimed at yourself or another person you want to invoke God’s healing for. Duaa: praying is always a good idea after the recitation.
I wish I could tell you there is a secret in being consistent in reading a one hour Surah for 40 days in a row. All I know is that giving myself grace and being ok with disruptions and making my best was my only strategy. During those forty days I had to navigate a relationship crisis, a sick kid, a teenager going through emotional breakdown and an unplanned emergency trip despite which with the help of Allah I have been held by his power all the way. I read in my kitchen, in my bed, in a hotel room. I read with sleepy eyes, awake eyes and always a humble and marveled heart and soul.
On the productive side of things I have tried to improve my reading time (on the days I felt like it was in my power). I used a timer as mentioned above and added a metronome set to 115–120 bpm to keep up with the pace. Just some fun in the experiment, not that you have to take that into account when you start. I now think that it’s better to aim for memorization as a way to read it faster and always with contemplation and reverence.
Will I be able to keep up with daily reading for a long time? Only Allah knows. Do I want to? Definitely!
Being on a sabbatical in this chapter of my life, helps so much in being able to dedicate 1h to this practice everyday. I read it either before everyone wakes up on my best days or when everyone sets for their day when I didn’t manage to wake up earlier. Obviously reading it before Fejr and following up with Salate is the best feeling. It is advised to read it in the morning in order to benefit from its protection throughout the day.
Ramadan is approaching and closing up the full recitation of the holy book during this month is a beautiful Nafila — bonus- So maybe your practice can be enriched with daily Surah Al Baqarah.
You might want to research:
- What the Prophet Mohamed advised on Baqarah.
- The power of Ayah El kursyi.
Would you like to read more stories like this? Let me know in the comments.
