This morning, I found myself sitting at my desk as the first light of day began to creep through my window. It wasn’t particularly early—around 7:00 am—but we are in that season when the sun takes its time, when the darkness tends to linger a little longer.
The world outside felt hushed. Rain tapped steadily on the roof, a gentle but insistent rhythm that made the air feel fresh and clean. I sat there with a warm cup of tea, a blank page in front of me, and instead of rushing to write, I let myself be wrapped in the sound of the rain.
Gratitude bubbled up; gratitude for the season, for the cleansing rain falling from the sky, for the way autumn clears away the dust of summer and ushers in a slower, gentler pace of life.
Around me, the signs of the season and Allah's generous rizq are abundant: boxes of pears gathered from our trees, baskets of apples from a local orchard, and the almost impossibly large squash and juicy tomatoes from my father-in-law’s garden.
This rhythm that I feel tapped into this morning, the gathering of fruit from seeds planted months ago, is ancient. Farmers have always waited with patience and care to reap what they sowed.
As I look at the fruit before me, and contemplate the beauty of the season unfolding around me I can't help but reflect that this is the rhythm of our spiritual lives as well.
The Spiritual Rhythm of Autumn
Every whispered dua, every good deed done with sincere intention, every choice to turn our hearts back to Allah is like planting a seed.
Some seeds grow quickly, surprising us with blossoms we never expected. Others take years, sprouting and growing slowly and quietly until the season is right. And yet, not a single one is forgotten by Allah.
Allah reminds us in the Qur’an:
“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.” (Qur’an 99:7)
Even if we don't see the outcome right away, no prayer or sincere effort of ours is ever lost.
A Time to Reflect
In addition to the bounty of the season, autumn also invites us to pause. The days shorten, the evenings lengthen, and nature itself seems to tell us to slow down. It is a perfect season to reflect on the seeds we have planted this year.
Here are a few reflection questions you might bring to your journal during the autumn season:
- What seeds have I planted this year—through prayer, through mindful intentions, or through acts for the sake of Allah?
- Which of those seeds can I see have already blossomed?
- Are answered duas, or growth in myself I may have overlooked?
- Which seeds still need tending (or maybe were forgotten about entirely)?
- How can I nurture them with patience, trust in Allah, and consistent effort?
Sometimes, the waiting itself is an act of worship. Autumn shows us that growth doesn’t only belong to spring. Often, the most beautiful results come after long seasons of patience and care.
Your Journal as a Garden
One of the gifts of journaling is that it becomes a record of the seeds we've planted: our prayers, our gratitude, our small efforts. Looking back at pages written months ago, you might notice a dua that has since been answered, or a worry that no longer feels heavy. In this way, your journal becomes a garden, filled with traces of growth you might have missed in the rush of daily life.
This week, I encourage you to set aside a few quiet moments with your journal. Look back through what you have written. Notice the fruits that have appeared, and let your heart express gratitude for them. And for the seeds that haven’t yet blossomed, place your trust in the One who never lets a sincere effort go to waste.
May this season be a time of gathering, gratitude, and gentle patience, ameen.