Leverage the 6-day Fast of Shawwal To Grow & Cultivate Resilience

As-salamu alaykum,

It’s integration week or white days week when we typically hit the pause button at SakeenahMD and would usually not be sending out a newsletter.

However, it’s also only about 10 or 11 days left in the month of Shawwal, the famous Hijri calendar month that follows the blessed month of Ramadan in which fasting for 6 days is highly recommended because of the immense reward highlighted in this prophetic wisdom;

Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari (RA) narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be (rewarded) as if he had fasted the entire year." Related by Muslim [Riyad as-Salihin 1254]

So I wanted to drop a quick nudge to all of us to take advantage of the next few days to tap in to this great opportunity that we risk missing out on if we haven’t already started as the month is fast slipping away.

Beyond that though, I also wanted to highlight the growth opportunity that is weaved into making a commitment to fast these six days after Ramadan. 

When we slow down to really consider the commitment that we are making here, we can appreciate three key messages;

1. Self-Discipline & Growth

Choosing to fast is a quiet, and powerful declaration of discipline for our nafs and the foundation for growth. Unlike in Ramadan, Shawwal doesn’t come with the communal energy, or the chained shayateen. Yet we choose to fast during this quieter time hoping for the reward of a year's worth of fasting while tapping into the deeper opportunity to cultivate a deep sense of intentionality and self-mastery that drives our growth and long-term transformation.

2. Resilience Grounded in Discipline 

For healthcare workers, the practice of fasting outside of Ramadan becomes a training ground for resilience. It strengthens our discipline across all four dimensions of our integrated work-lives: physically (managing nutrition, movement & sleep), socially/emotionally (navigating our relationships at home and at work with clarity), mentally (staying focused under pressure), and spiritually (renewing our connection with Allah that grounds our service in purpose). 

3. Commitment to Self Builds Identity

In many ways, our decision to fast in Shawwal mirrors the high-performance habits we often struggle to build—waking up early, exercising, studying, journaling—especially when no one is watching. It reaffirms the identity of someone who does hard things quietly and consistently, a hallmark of resilient healthcare professionals. This commitment becomes a bridge between Ramadan’s spiritual momentum and the rest of our lives, reminding us that the journey of growth is not seasonal—it’s a lifelong path.

This is at the epicenter of what we strive to do at SakeenahMD and our parent company, Sakeenah Growth Company; helping our clients grow and transform for the long haul taking them from a place of overwhelm, burnout and feeling stuck to a station of clarity, renewed drive and God-centeredness that fuels their purpose and contributions to humanity through healthcare service and beyond by Allah’s leave.

We are building a group coaching program that can support you on this journey in sha Allah. If you would like to explore the possibility of working with me, then simply email me at [email protected] or register your interest here for the group coaching opportunity.

May Allah, the Most High, continue to assist us all on the path of life long growth, cultivating resilience and impacting the ummah and all of humanity. Amin

Sincerely,

Sulyman

P.S. If you’re seeking a space to cultivate resilience, deepen your self-mastery, and thrive in your career and life—grounded in faith—then join us in the SakeenahMD Community. Together, we are committed to faith-driven excellence in healthcare and beyond. Let’s navigate this journey together. 💙