27 June 2025, 08:15 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.
Speaking of aligning with the Hijri calendar, we’ve created a beautiful 1447H wall calendar with Islamic dates, and space for your intentions. It’s the perfect tool to keep your spiritual year visible and intentional.
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
Step 1: Set ONE High-Himmah Intention
Before you plan anything else, you need a North Star, one overarching intention to drive your year. I call this “High Himmah Intention”.
A High-Himmah intention is:
- God-centered: focused on pleasing Allah, not impressing people
- Purpose and impact-driven: serves your family, community, and/or Ummah at large.
- Nervously exciting: It gives you butterflies because you’re unsure you can achieve it, making you depend on Allah’s help, not your own abilities.
Examples from some of our past students:
- “To raise my children as confident Muslims who love their deen”
- “To write a book that helps young Muslims navigate modern challenges”
- “I want to build a business that creates halal employment for my community.”
- “To memorize the Quran and teach it to others”
Step 2: Plan Across Three Core Areas
Plan your 1447H across these three interconnected areas:
