Becoming an Early Riser A practical step-by-step guide on how to sleep and wake up earlier while leveling up your hifdh. with the help of Allah BY A FELLOW AMAU STUDENT This is an unprofessional guide from a layman student who is struggling with sleep and hifdh like you are. A student who decided to do something about this with a more or less professional plan. Because I dont like gatekeeping I decided to share this with you so that we improve together in sha Allah. The plan consists of several phases that you can personalize and optimize for your own need. For demonstration purposes I made the plan for a fictional person and the practical examples quite detailed. And Allah is The Best of Planners. it follows: → short introduction → examples & training → 5 phases plan → planning exceptions → decision aid → recovery → templates Assalamu aleykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh The following plan is based on a 5-Phase Habit System from the book Atomic Habits. This system works like leveling up in a game: You start small, build consistency, and gradually refine your habits until they feel natural and effortless. The main idea is to first establish the habit itself before you optimize it - how can you improve a habit that doesn’t even exist yet? Each phase focuses on just one or two manageable changes — that’s what makes it sustainable. When your current phase feels easy, move on to the next. In each phase you can for example bring forward your sleeping time and increase in your hifdh goals. The first phase is for you to start getting comfortable, and the fifth Phase is what your ultimate goal is. Short explanation so that you don’t get lost The 5-Habit System Phase 1 → Design this phase so that it almost feels too easy and laughable, that’s intentional. Don’t skip this phase, do it several times even if you can’t take yourself serious. You’re establishing the habit itself, training consistency and showing up. Phase 2-4 → in every phase increase in difficulty and quantity with practical, realistic steps. Phase 5 → This is your final goal. When you reach this phase, you reached the final level of your new habit and you will hold it consistently in sha Allah. Between the phases you want to do gradual shifts not bungee jumps. Something that feels like a doable improvement. Each phase you describe precisely and fair, considering your character and your circumstances. How to design the phases Rules Stay in each phase until it becomes second nature, then level up. Don’t skip phases. You are not your enemy. The plan is for you, not against you. If you have children, work, studies, appointments, consider them in your plan. Examples and Training Imagine you want to include hifdh in your sleeping routine. Your goal is to regularly revise Quran starting at 8:30 pm before you sleep. This is Phase 5. So how can you design the first 4 Phases? Idea: in the first phase practise sitting in bed at 9:30 while reading a book you enjoy or something else that is very easy and calms you down. In the next phase make it 9:00 and instead of reading any book you now read Quran. In the next phase make it 8:30. Now you don’t just read Quran but you actively revise until you go to sleep. 1. Imagine you want to wake up earlier. Your goal is to sleep at 10 pm and wake up at 5 am. This is phase 5. So how can you design the first 4 Phases? Idea: Start by removing your distractions by 9 pm: For example turn off your devices at 9 pm. In the next phase you simply sit in bed at 9:30 and do anything. In the next phase you not only sit in bed at 9:30 but you start your sleeping routine (adhkar etc.). Optional: Change the terminology: instead of “sleeping” at 10 pm make it “close your eyes” at 10 pm. Because the timing of falling asleep you cannot control but closing your eyes you can. 2. ready for the final plan? Here comes your example to customize and adjust ' Phase I have all devices turned off at 9 pm. I use an analog alarm clock. → Helpful apps: Android: Digital Detox: focus & live / iOS: ScreenZen ☕ Phase My devices are turned off since 9 pm. I sit in bed at 9:30 pm to read þ Phase I sit in bed at 9:00 pm and revise Quran of what I memorized that day - Phase I sit in bed at 8:30 pm, revise Quran of what I memorized that day and revise what I can from my last memorized Juz. I wake up at 5:30 am v Phase I sit in bed at 8:30 pm, revise Quran of what I memorized that day and revise what I can from the last memorized Juz. I close my eyes at 10:00 pm and wake up at 5:00 am (Exception: Wednesdays I sit in bed at 9:30 pm and wake up 5:30 am because I have a late class). This is the plan; all of it is just if Allah wills Congratulations — you are now an early riser. Early Riser 1 2 3 4 5 Disclaimer A good plan doesn’t only work when everything goes right. A good plan also works if something goes wrong. There will always happen unexpected things - This is the reality. So we need to anticipate these exceptions and plan how we react to them. P L ANNE D E XC E PTI ONS U NE XP EC TE D E XC EP TI ONS How to consider exceptions and fall backs in your plan Planning the Exception Regular appointments or events that conflict with your plan and time schedule, for example a late online class every Wednesday or a late visit to your parents every Wednesday having a bad day big sleep deprivement unexpected appointment etc. → to solve these you make ABC plans (example follows) → consider them from the beginning and incorporate them in your plan “On Wednesday I have a late class so I sit in bed at 9:30 pm instead of 8:30 pm. And I wake up later at 5:30 am instead of 5:00 am biidhnillah The Idea The ABC system is a habit management strategy: instead of “all or nothing,” you have 3 tiered options that ensure habits are maintained consistently, without letting a bad day completely break your routine. Flexibility: No guilt if you can’t perform at 100% Continuity: The habit continues even on difficult days Motivation: Small efforts (C-level) still count, preventing loss of rhythm ABC Plans v A-Level – Optimal / Ideal Maximum execution of the habit; full routine, full intensity for high energy and motivation Goal: ~90% of the time, aim for A-Level ☕ B-Level – Medium / Light Adjustment Reduced intensity or slightly shifted schedule Compromise for days with lower energy or minor delays/exceptions Habit is still maintained, just at a lighter level Frequency: 1–2 times per week ' C-Level – Minimal / Emergency Mode Minimal execution of the habit Only the absolute essentials are done to maintain the routine Used when very tired, sick, or heavily distracted Frequency: once per month or in extreme necessity Rule: Never do two C-Level days in a row. After a C-Level day, aim for a B-Level day Core Principles ABC Plans - Night – Optimal / Standard Day Devices off: 9:00 pm In bed: 8:30–8:45 pm Hifdh: Daily portion + last Juz revision Sleep: 10:00 pm Wake up: 5:00 am - - Night – Small delay / tired In bed: 9:00–9:15 pm Hifdh: Daily portion / review difficult parts Sleep: 10:15 pm Wake up: 5:30 am - Night – Minimal / Emergency mode In bed: after routine, latest 9:45 pm Hifdh: Recite once aloud Sleep: immediately Wake up: 6:00-6:30 am & 20 min nap after Dhuhr → of cou rse in every case you pray Fajr on time, no matter your waking time, I think this is very clear. Early Riser ABC Plan Rule: Never wake up later than 7:30 am. No “sleeping in” – it breaks your rhythm and motivation. A B C Decision Aids You know yourself. Earlier or later you will come to the point where you have to decide between two conflicting options. For example: It has gotten late and you are behind your time schedule: Now do you revise your hifdh to keep your hifdh plan or do you go to sleep to keep your sleeping schedule? You need both: Revision and sleep, so what will you do? Ask yourself now: which of these decision conflicts do you usually face when trying to stick to your plans? Write them down and set principles on how to decide. You might also ask other people or AI to suggest ideas. Regarding hifdh and sleeping schedule there will follow some decision aids which you can adjust - Following them will save you a lot of energy and time in sha Allah. principles to help you decide between confliction options Example Decision Aids H IF DH OR SL E E P? W HE N TO WAK E UP ? It is too late, you are very tired and need to wake up early but you haven’t revised yet. You neither want to mess up your hifdh nor your sleeping schedule. What to prioritise? You went to bed too late. You have a B or C night. You want to wake up early but don’t want long term sleep deprivation. You also don’t want to break your sleeping schedule. Ask yourself: “Am I physically exhausted or just a bit tired and unfocused?” Ask yourself: “If I sleep now, how much sleep will I get biidhnillah?” If exhausted → do Minimal Hifdh (C-Night) and sleep. If a bit tired → do B-Night (shortened), sit upright and remind yourself: “I honor the Qur’an, even when it’s hard.” If you’ve had 7 hours of sleep, keep 5:00 am. If you’ve had less than 6½ hours , take 6:00 or 6:30 am (once only). → This keeps your system biologically stable and mentally disciplined. Even the best plan cannot be perfect. So consider that there might be days where you feel like it is just getting too much, You have lost your motivation and are mentally and physically exhausted. But don’t worry, this is normal. And it doesn’t mean that you have to give up on your plan - not at all. Instead design yourself a recovery option which you will use in these cases of necessity without feeling bad about it. For example, if you make yourself a 5-Phases study plan add the option for recovery. Maybe this is a day or even just three hours where you grab your favourite book, drink a tea and win your energy back in sha Allah. Or if it is about your sleeping plan: If you feel like you are very sleep deprived and it is just getting exhausting, consider an evening where you go to bed early, maybe watch your favorite lecture and do something relaxing that you enjoy and sleep the next day until 6:30 pm. Recovery & Restart Recovery & Restart You have neither failed nor do you need to start over. You just took an extra option to come back even stronger in sha Allah. Remember that the ultimate goal is to please Allah. For all your efforts that you exhaust in His way you will be rewarded in sha Allah. Also remember that Allah is the Best of Planners and that nothing happens except that He wills it. So let it be Allah alone whom you ask for help and before any plan first of all make dua to Him that He helps you achieve your goals and success in this and the next world. If this was beneficial to you, feel free to share it with others in sha Allah. Everything that was said that is right is from Allah and everything that was said that is wrong is from me and Shaytan. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like one who did it.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1893 Barak Allahu feekum There follow Templates: Templates Early Riser Templates General Templates These templates are for yourself to create your personal plan and do adjustments where needed. You could print the templates and write on them or you could edit them online. Early Riser Templates ' Phase ☕ Phase þ Phase - Phase v Phase Exception: Congratulations — you are now an early riser. Early Riser 1 2 3 4 5