Sleeping Through Barakah: How Kashmir risks Losing its Children to Laziness
By: Dr. Aftab Jan
It pierces the heart to witness how a habit so noble, so transformative — rising early — has become a subject of ridicule and lazy debate in our society, particularly in Kashmir.
What was once a sign of strength, spirituality, and success is now resisted as a burden, as though discipline has somehow become cruelty. Recently, when school authorities in Kashmir shifted school timings to the early morning hours, an uproar exploded across social media, echoing through countless angry posts, live videos, and emotional debates.
Self-styled Facebook journalists and countless parents began crying out in protest: “How can children wake up at 6 AM?” as if the very idea of waking before sunrise were an oppressive punishment rather than the gateway to discipline, mental clarity, and divine blessings.
Yet the true tragedy lies not merely in the question, but in who is asking it — the very parents who should be living examples of discipline and faith. Many of these parents themselves fail to rise before the sun, skipping Fajr, drowning in excuses about cold mornings, fatigue, or modern comforts, forgetting that both modern science and Islam have loudly proclaimed that early to bed and early to rise is not merely a quaint proverb but a law of nature and a path to barakah — the secret to physical strength, mental clarity, and spiritual blessings that no wealth on earth can purchase.
The deeper wound is how parents, society, and even our educational mindset have allowed comfort, laziness, and the intoxicating pull of screens to choke the noble values we inherited. Our ancestors rose in icy winds, under heavy blankets of snow, grateful for every breath of life, and built empires of knowledge and faith before the sun touched the sky. Today, we tremble at the idea of waking our children early, forgetting that great human beings are not shaped in comfort but in the fires of sacrifice, routine, and resilience.
It is deeply painful to see how, despite mountains of scientific proof and the luminous guidance of Islam, we keep turning our backs on one of life’s simplest and most miraculous gifts: the early morning hours. Science has shown again and again that dawn is not merely numbers on a clock but a sacred biological and psychological window when the body and soul can heal, renew, and grow stronger.
Our natural circadian rhythm, etched into our cells by Allah’s perfect design, is meant to sync with the sun’s rising and setting, blessing us with better sleep quality, lower stress hormones like cortisol, and an immune system ready to defend us against disease. Waking early floods the mind with unmatched clarity and creativity because the prefrontal cortex — the seat of decision-making, planning, and problem-solving— is at its sharpest in the quiet dawn, untouched by the chaos of the day. Scientists confirm that early risers are more proactive, better organized, and enjoy deeper satisfaction with life, experiencing lower rates of anxiety and depression, partly because the soft glow of morning light fuels serotonin production, the brain chemical that steadies our mood and emotional health.
Physically, the health benefits of rising early are monumental: fat-burning hormones like cortisol and growth hormone peak in the morning, making dawn the most effective time for exercise, helping control weight, reducing obesity risk, and improving muscle tone. Morning exercise reduces blood pressure, improves cardiovascular health, boosts oxygen levels, strengthens bones, enhances insulin sensitivity, and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.
For brain health, early risers enjoy sharper memory, better cognitive speed, and reduced risks of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Early rising helps stabilize blood sugar, balance hormones, and supports a healthier gut, which scientists now link directly to mental health and immune resilience. Even the skin benefits: research shows early risers have better skin regeneration and fewer signs of aging because they avoid the sleep debt and hormonal chaos that destroys collagen and increases inflammation. The benefits extend to longevity itself: studies repeatedly show that people with early rising habits live longer, healthier lives, with lower risk of chronic illnesses and greater life satisfaction.
Yet our society continues to bury this knowledge beneath layers of excuses and an unrelenting devotion to comfort. We stay awake deep into the night, bathed in the false glow of digital screens, our eyes dry and minds exhausted, then lament the constant fatigue, stress, and emptiness we carry into our days. It is a bitter tragedy that we trade the miraculous blessings of dawn for the fleeting intoxication of scrolling and entertainment, leaving our homes starved of peace, and our children restless, aimless, and spiritually hollow.
Yet beyond the physical lies a spiritual and emotional healing in the dawn that modern life has nearly forgotten. The silence of early hours is not mere quiet; it is a sacred canvas where Allah paints peace, clarity, and hope. It’s a time when the heart whispers secrets it cannot speak during the day’s noise, and when the soul dares to touch the divine. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ rose long before Fajr to pray Tahajjud, seeking the highest stages of closeness to Allah.
Allah says in the Qur’an: “Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words.” (Surah Al-Muzzammil 73:6), revealing that the pre-dawn hours were crafted for deep worship, reflection, and transformation, when the soul is soft, and distractions vanish. Modern psychology confirms what Islam taught centuries ago: gratitude, mindfulness, and prayer practiced at dawn reduce stress, heal trauma, build mental resilience, and strengthen the soul against life’s storms. The Prophet ﷺ prayed: “O Allah, bless my Ummah in their early mornings.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1212), teaching us that the early hours carry barakah — blessings that stretch time, bring success, and unlock doors no human effort alone could open. He ﷺ also declared: “The two rak’ahs of Fajr (Sunnah) are better than this world and all it contains.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 725), reminding us that the wealth of early worship is worth more than every treasure in this fleeting world. Spiritually, rising early purifies the heart, cleanses the soul from darkness, and strengthens connection with Allah.
It fosters humility, discipline, and tawakkul (trust in Allah), essential qualities for navigating the storms of life. On a purely life-management level, early rising grants time for planning, uninterrupted learning, business, or creative work — allowing people to achieve in months what others fail to achieve in years. It increases confidence, decisiveness, and cultivates the respect of colleagues and society. Financially, early risers are statistically more likely to reach leadership positions and higher incomes due to proactive habits and clearer thinking.
All these truths shine like the first rays of dawn, yet we hide them behind curtains of sleep. It is soul-crushing that in Kashmir — a place of snow-kissed mountains and dawns more beautiful than poetry — people argue about whether children can rise with the sun, while children in Darul Ulooms rise at 3 a.m., forging minds and spirits that go on to guide, lead, and illuminate the Ummah. The dawn holds secrets that transform ordinary people into extraordinary souls, yet we trade it for laziness, distractions, and darkness.
It tears at the soul to see a generation collapsing under exhaustion, plagued by anxiety, addicted to glowing screens, while right outside their windows dawn waits patiently, shimmering with Allah’s mercy, radiant with healing light, offering silent invitations to a life fuller, healthier, and closer to Him than they’ve ever known. Physically, mentally, and spiritually, the benefits of rising early are monumental, yet tragically ignored in our modern world. Those who make a habit of waking up at or before dawn gain access to one of the most powerful healing tools gifted by Allah. Beyond health, the benefits spill into every corner of life: marriages flourish when spouses share peaceful early mornings, families bond deeply during Fajr and breakfast, friendships grow stronger through shared discipline and mutual support. Rising early grants extra hours to learn, earn, read, or serve society — making a person an asset rather than a burden. Time becomes a weapon against regret because early risers control their day instead of chasing it. It’s as if Allah has placed hidden keys in the silence of dawn — keys to unlock a life of barakah, focus, joy, and strength — yet we leave them untouched, rusting under the dust of laziness and excuses.
Perhaps the most painful truth of our time is that many parents fail to understand a truth as old as time itself: children do not simply learn from advice — they absorb every gesture, every habit, every pattern of their parents’ lives. It is gut-wrenching that countless parents sleep through Fajr, silence their alarms, and only rise when the sun stands high, unaware of the silent messages they’re sending about faith, discipline, and the sacred value of time. How can we expect our sons and daughters to become disciplined, spiritually awake, responsible souls when their first teachers — their parents — model only laziness and endless excuses? It’s not just sleep we’re indulging in; it’s the quiet burial of our children’s future. A family that rises together in the sacred silence of dawn doesn’t merely share food or prayer — they forge bonds of love, resilience, and mutual respect, creating memories around Fajr that nourish both body and soul. Children who grow up in homes where dawn is sacred carry that discipline and peace into adulthood, where it becomes the key to health, mental clarity, strong faith, and the strength to stand firm against this world’s chaos.
Yet how tragic that instead of this precious legacy, we hand our children only excuses, gadgets, and fatigue. The hollow cry of “Kaise uthenge?” has become a shield for our own weaknesses, robbing both ourselves and our children of treasures that no money could buy. Every dawn surrendered to sleep steals more than time; it drains our days of barakah, robs us of peace, and closes doors of divine connection that may never open again. Allah swears by time in the Qur’an: “By Time. Indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who believe, do righteous deeds, and advise each other to truth and patience.” (Surah Al-Asr, 103:1-3).
The Prophet ﷺ warned us not to squander this gift and prayed: “O Allah, bless my Ummah in their early mornings.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1212). He ﷺ also said: “The two rak’ahs of Fajr (Sunnah) are better than this world and all it contains.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 725). Despite these luminous reminders, we choose the illusions of comfort, raising children who will one day echo our same cries of fatigue, time slipping away, and spiritual emptiness. Our society may rage over school timings, but until we, as parents, as believers, as leaders, reclaim the dawn as sacred, no true change will come.
The dawn is not merely time on a clock; it is a sacred treasure overflowing with physical energy, mental brilliance, and divine light. In those hushed moments, the world holds its breath, distractions dissolve, and the soul dares to dream, to plan, and to draw nearer to Allah. Rising early unlocks a life of discipline, health, peace, productivity, and blessings beyond count. Whether we yearn for success in career, health, family life, or the Hereafter, the habit of waking early grants an advantage no treasure on earth can rival.
We must shatter our excuses and embrace the dawn — not merely for ourselves, but as a legacy of faith, strength, and wisdom for generations yet unborn. For if we continue to neglect this sacred hour, we risk leaving our children not merely without discipline and health but without the spiritual armour they will desperately need in a world that grows darker with every passing day.
