🌱 The Productive Muslim’s Guide to Planning Your 1447H (#GoHijri)

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For years, I’ve been on a mission to help Muslim professionals realign their lives according to the Hijri Calendar. I wrote an article on why the Islamic calendar matters more than you think and we built a mini-website with resources to help people #GoHijri (gohijri.org).

I’m particularly passionate about aligning our planning with the Hijri calendar both as individuals and organizations. Aligning our lives and companies with the Gregorian calendar may feel “professional” by worldly standards, but it leaves us spiritually depleted. What do January, February, March… etc mean spiritually? Compare this to Rajab, Sha’ban, Ramadan… it has a different ring!

Everything changed when I started planning my life according to the Islamic calendar chosen by Allah SWT for our Ummah. Several friends, including some who run companies, switched to Hijri planning and advocate for it now.

Today, I want to share the framework I’ve been using for years to plan each Hijri year. It’s the same system I teach in our Annual Intentions Masterclass every Ramadan, and it transformed my productivity and relationship with time.

Why the Hijri Calendar Changes Everything

Most planning systems focus on what you want to achieve. Hijri calendar planning starts with why you want to achieve it.

Ibn Ata’illah said:

“Praiseworthy planning is planning that seeks to enhance one’s relationship with God. Blameworthy planning is planning that revolves around the self and its appetites, heedless of one’s debt to God.”

Aligning your planning with the Hijri calendar brings profound results:

• You remember your purpose: Every month is an opportunity to draw closer to Allah. For example, you remember fasting on special days like Ashura or the white days.
• You tap into spiritual seasons: You remember sacred months. Ramadan becomes an opportunity for spiritual growth, Dhul-Hijjah for reflection on sacrifice, Muharram for fresh starts, Rabi Al-Awwal for seerah review.
• You feel connected to the global Ummah: 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide sharing the same spiritual calendar – a clear marker of civilizational identity.
• You escape the secular hamster wheel: No more chasing arbitrary January goals, or consumerist holidays, disconnected from your faith.

When your planning starts with the right calendar and intention, everything that follows becomes an act of worship.

The Gardener’s Approach to Planning 1447H

Before we dive into the practical steps, I need you to understand a fundamental mindset shift.

Most planning systems treat you like a carpenter. You must set precise goals, create detailed blueprints, and execute with precision. If you don’t hit your targets, you’ve “failed.” A gardener plants seeds with sincere intention, tends to them consistently, creates the right growth conditions, and trusts Allah with the results. A gardener knows that growth happens in seasons, some of which are invisible.

This is the foundation of what I call “Gardener Mindset planning“, planning that seeks Allah’s blessing and operates according to His natural laws.

The 7-Step Framework for Planning Your 1447H

3 Common Mistakes to Avoid

As you plan your 1447H, watch out for these pitfalls:

1. Over-committing: It’s better to do fewer things with ihsaan than many with mediocrity.
2. Forgetting Your Season of Life: If you just had a baby or have elderly parents that need your help, you can’t plan like you did when you were single or when your parents were less dependent on you. Honor where Allah has placed you in life.
3. Chasing Others’ Dreams: Your intentions should excite your heart, not impress others.

Final Reflection

The Prophet’s ﷺ companions didn’t have productivity apps or goal-setting frameworks. But they had something more powerful: clear intention, reliance on Allah, and commitment to continuous effort for His sake.

As you plan your 1447H, remember you’re not just setting goals. You’re designing a year of worship. Every project becomes an act of ‘ibadah with the right intention. Even if you don’t achieve your 1447H intentions/goals due to illness, busyness, or even death, you’ll be rewarded for your intentions insha’Allah.

May Allah bless your planning, accept your intentions, and grant you success in this life and the next. Ameen!

Bismillah for 1447H.