Ah, it’s that time again. The year is winding down, you’ve sent ‘let’s pick it up in the new year’ more times than you can count and already had three Harry Potter marathons. Talk of New Year’s resolutions has surfaced and you’re either excited or filled with dread. The approach to goal setting at this time of year seems to be a contentious topic. Some people love the idea of setting goals for the new year, some use the spring solstice as their launch point, while others reject a shared calendar moment altogether, preferring to plan their refined vision for the future on their birthdays. I, for one, stopped calling them New Year’s resolutions because of all the bad PR they get. There’s too much tacit acceptance that resolutions were made to be broken (read: too many memes about how much the gym empties out by the third week of January) and that’s not the mindset I wanted to take into a new year, so I started calling them my annual goals.  

A year can seem like a long time but the older we get the faster it feels like it’s going (the earth is also seemingly rotating faster, and a theory is that it’s due to melting glaciers). If you don’t plan out your year, it’ll pass you by, and there’s nothing worse than the feeling on New Year’s day (or your birthday, sigh) about how the previous year has gone and you have nothing to show for it. Oftentimes it’s a matter of perspective, you need to congratulate yourself for the progress you’ve made and give yourself grace for the obstacles you’ve faced. But it’s still worth outlining some intentions for the short-term and the long-term, so you’re not idly wasting time, have a motivating force day-to-day, and can track your progress and feel that pride and satisfaction both in the destination and the journey. 

I spoke to Muslim women about their goals, and the driving force behind them, and got a wide array of answers. Some goals are quite practical – spending less time online, doing more dhikr, while some are a little more lofty – freeing Syria, causing the downfall of evil empires, the kinds of things you might not achieve in one sitting on a Tuesday afternoon. (N.b. Since this article was first drafted, Syria has in fact been freed from its oppressive, psychopathic tyrant, Bashar Al Assad, alhamdulillah.) 

Seeking Knowledge

Seeking knowledge is a popular goal that manifests in many different ways for Muslim women. Some are aiming high academically, “This is the year I’ll apply for a PhD inshaAllah”, while others are seeking out more Islamic readings and lectures “Alone, specifically!” One lofty goal was to memorise 10 surahs from the Qur’an, while another was a little more niche – “to read the People vs Tech,” – a response to an Instagram story of mine. 

Sofia has big goals for 2025, “I want to become a hyperpolyglot, including mastering the Arabic language. I’m also aiming to become a polymath as well as a scholar in the Islamic sciences. I want to solve the problem of a lack of female scholarship in Islamic sciences and also to revive scholarship in other sciences using the Qur’an and sunnah as inspiration. For instance, there’s a whole chapter dedicated to the bee, this amazing creature of Allah. Start exploring every aspect of a bee and the ways it provides healing and a whole discipline is born out of it. This area lacks research in the Muslim world, while in the West it’s incorporated into apitherapy.”

Lena has compiled a list of books to expand her mind and is going to intersperse them with the books she already owns. “I just like reading so reading is a joy and goal in itself. I like filling my brain with more useful things than endless social media brain rot – making gaining knowledge an end to itself. It makes you understand more about the world, and empathise with different experiences, and it’s a window into another world. It means I can be a more educated and informed participant of society. Basically, I just like being smart.”

Nurturing Creativity 

A focus for Muslim women in 2025 is nurturing their creativity. It’s a trend we’ve seen across the board in the last few years – probably owing to lockdown and people’s rediscovery of the activities they enjoyed in their youth – with the rise of sip and paint workshops and pottery classes. 

Maryam, a skilled fashion design student, is striving to be more conscious and active in how her creativity can be useful for causes she cares about. Rakaya, a renowned poet and singer, hopes to create and release a poetry collection, while Mariyama, a vibrant presenter and model, is pursuing acting lessons, “I don’t know how adults manage to learn lines because sigh.”

Nila’s goals are broader, “I want to be more creative: write more, mould things out of clay, paint, embroider – stop telling myself that I’m not good at these things and just enjoy them!”

Muslim women have gone a step further this last year, creating wholesome spaces for themselves to pick up old hobbies or try new things. Fika was started by two best friends, Fawjia and Ifrah, with the goal to ‘curate memorable experiences, awaken your inner child, and facilitate the beginning of meaningful connections. They’ve hosted everything from tote bag printing sessions, to gulab jamun cooking classes, to flower arranging workshops, and have big plans for the future.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @fika.global

Momna founded Tanka to create a welcoming “third space” through thread-based workshops that blend traditional craftsmanship with modern contexts. Originally launched as corporate wellbeing sessions, Tanka has expanded into community initiatives, fostering creativity, connection, and cultural exchange. By sharing heritage stories and crafting together, Tanka aims to make the big city feel more like home while preserving and celebrating diverse traditions.

Artist and videographer, Shaimaa Osman (salamsanctuary) recently hosted an intimate Create & Chill space in a converted loft in east London that brought together creatives of all mediums, with a photography studio space, supplied canvases and paints, and most importantly, a beautiful space where Muslim women could meet one another and work on their own artistic endeavours. There is certainly an appetite for creative spaces that cater to the needs of Muslim women, with these activities having a range of benefits from improving mental health to enhancing cognitive function.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shaimaa Osman (@salamsanctuary)

Health

This last year has also seen the rise of speed dating sessions run clubs, and the popularity of yoga and pilates. The quarter-life crises are well and truly underway, with an increasing number of Muslims signing up for marathons and triathlons (shoutout to Nafisa Bakkar!). But all jokes aside, Muslim women are taking steps to take care of their health, both physical and mental, and thankfully there’s been greater empowerment in making this progress, whether alone or with the encouragement of peers. 

Alaa set herself the goal to average 10k steps a day for 2024, from an 8.4k average the previous year, and achieved it. For 2025 she wants to build on this and is aiming for 11.5k – by taking the scenic walk home and hiking both in London and further afield. “I also want to go back to regular self-defence classes! For me, it’s not about losing weight or anything like that, it’s about feeling strong. I want to feel capable, I want to be able to defend myself if anything happens God forbid, and I want to be able to age gracefully. Right now I’m the youngest I’ll ever be, with the greatest capacity for good health, mobility, and fitness, so why do I feel like a 50 year old in a 27 year old’s body? I need to fix that.”

Zahra is hoping to be more active while prioritising healthier eating, Sabrina is focusing on her physical health amongst an array of goals, while Mariyama’s aim is clear, “My goal is working out this body, I want to feel sexy and dangerous under my halal shield.”

Heba is striving to run a 10k next year, and she’s taking the steps to make this a reality. “I’m currently on week 4 of the Couch to 5K challenge and I love seeing the progress I’m making, for example seeing my stamina improve. I want to find out what my body’s capable of, and how far I can stretch it.”

The focus on physical health is for a multitude of reasons. For some, it’s about improving their current state, feeling healthy, disciplined, and accomplished after they work out; finding that it helps with chronic pain flare-ups; noticing a marked improvement in their mental health and happiness after they exercise; or for aesthetic reasons – “sorry I’m vain!” While for others they’re looking to the future, the main piece of advice they’ve received from older people is to look after their health. They’ve seen their parents suffer in old age, or they want to be healthy for their future kids, “I don’t want to rely on others sooner than is necessary.” 

Prioritising better health isn’t exclusive to physically working out, though as discussed this can have a positive impact on your mental health. It’s also journalling, counselling, and investing in yourself whether it’s through skincare or better eating. 

For instance, Asma wants to take better care of her skin since seeing it dull or having acne episodes makes her feel down, “I’m going to start taking collagen with everything and wearing sunscreen every day – a mammoth task!” And Fatima is going back to therapy, “I stopped seeing my therapist because I didn’t feel like I could trust her anymore. But it’s been a while now and I want to open myself back up to talking through my issues and thoughts with someone. I need to heal and it’s going to take a while so I need to start now.”

Careers and Finance

I won’t bore you so I’ll keep it short. Someone put it beautifully and incredibly articulately, “Make more shmoney!” 

Another worthy contribution, “I want to build up my savings. The next time I’m unemployed,  I want to be frolicking around the globe, not calculating how much money I’ll be giving to TfL that day.”

Others are planning on shouting about their achievements and experiences. “This is the year I become a LinkedIn warrior. My next post? What my failed engagement taught me about B2B SaaS sales efficiency.” 

Getting Closer to Allah ﷻ

As always, a priority for many Muslim women in the coming year is strengthening their relationship with Allah ﷻ. They’re driven by a love for Allah, a consciousness that each year is a step closer to the grave, a strong feeling of reliance on Him, and a fear that their current level of worship won’t be enough on the Day of Judgement. 

Nafisa wants to make sure that her time and energy aren’t reserved for worldly affairs. “I create space for so many things and I’m ambitious, so I feel I should ensure that sense of ambition translates to my deen too. I decided a few years ago that I will always strive to undertake some sort of formal learning as it is good for accountability.”

Rawja consciously incorporates religion into her goals rather than leaving it abstract, “I don’t make progress when I don’t set goals, intention alone isn’t enough.”

“My relationship with Allah ﷻ provides me with peace and guidance for my life that I don’t get with anything else,” says Fatimah. Heba expands, “Having a strong relationship with faith is strongly correlated with having good mental health for me so I bring intentionality to my worship because I know the benefits in clarity it’s provided.”

Fawjia put it simply, “Day of Judgment is getting close bruva.”

Having an accountability partner can be a good way to make sure you stay on top of your goals throughout the year, particularly with religious-based ones where you don’t see an immediate return on your invested time and energy. Sharing your good deeds with others can also be a way of getting closer to Allah.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever guides someone to virtue will be rewarded equivalent to him who practices that good action.” (Muslim)

However, it’s important to have some acts of worship that no one knows about but you. There are abundant hadiths on secret worship that allow a person to maintain sincerity in their intentions.

The Prophet ﷺ said ‘Whoever among you can afford to have good deeds stored in secret, let him do it.’ (Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 34751)

Some of the goals shared included consistency in the daily, small acts of worship; saving specifically for Umrah; fasting on Mondays and Thursdays; incorporating dhikr into the day -for instance, while waiting in a queue or on public transport; and practically challenging their own limiting beliefs: “Because do you really have tawakkul on Allah?”

Self-love

I know many of us have collectively gained an aversion to this phrase since it’s mostly used as a euphemism for unfettered consumption of gimmicky plastic merchandise on TikTok shops and the like. Still, it’s probably the best term to encapsulate the kinder, gentler approach Muslim women are taking towards themselves this year.

Mariyama hopes to spend the next 12 months tending to her younger self and the goals she had, namely getting into gymnastics and painting.

Having the luxury of resources, confidence and time to invest in their childhood hobbies is a novelty for several Muslim women and one that feels temporary with the future responsibilities of homemaking and childrearing on the horizon. Being able to finally buy that skateboard or take long-yearned for piano lessons is an opportunity they’re leaping at. 

Ayah is aiming to instill a more established routine and structure into her life and Maryam elaborates on this beautifully, “I want to reframe discipline as an act of love to myself and building the life I want to see.”

Rather than fighting against what often feels like the confines of adult life – deadlines, a growing admin list and an overflowing laundry basket – they’re choosing to embrace having systems that allow them to achieve their greater purpose in life. 

Rejecting arbitrary markers of success that are societally placed on particular ages, Maryam says, “I want to centre acceptance of the self over feeling like I ‘should’ be a certain way by now.” There are no God-given rules dictating that if you don’t graduate by 21, get married by 25, or buy a house by 30, you’re a failure – so why do we place these pressures and expectations on ourselves? You can achieve anything you strive towards, at any time you wish to start. A Tiktok comment that changed my brain chemistry was a response to someone asking if they should get a degree at the age of 27, “the time will pass anyway.”

Miscellaneous

Muslim women are nuanced and complicated so of course their goals don’t all fit into the neat categories I created. Here are some more noteworthy targets for 2025.

Soumia says “I want to spend more time offline and invest in real relationships.” Touching grass, a noble target.

Hafsa wants to learn a practical skill like carpentry or woodworking to be prepared for the eventual collapse of society as we know it, “I’m not an apocalypticist, I promise.” 

Heba’s aim? “To free Syria.” Check! 

Salsabeel says this is the year she finally passes her driving test. So real, I’ve had this goal since I was 16 and I’m deeply regretting not taking advantage of pre-inflation driving lesson rates. 

Ayah hopes to centre her female friendships, “Less dates, more dance parties with the girlies.” 

Nila wants to finally learn how to ride a motorbike, “Every time I get close to booking the CBT, I see statistics about motorcycle accidents being the highest amongst all other vehicles but from now on I’m closing my eyes.”

While Thamina is hoping for “Peace and justice for all with the downfall of evil empires everywhere while maintaining a dark sense of humour.” InshaAllah x1000.

Next Steps

Islamically we’ve been instructed to make the most of the blessings we have while we have them, and the best way to do that can be to set clear objectives.

Ibn Abbas reported, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your free time before your work, and your life before your death.”’

How can you best take advantage of the time you have? Approach your goal-setting with these 5 steps.

1. Review your year: What worked well, what didn’t work so well, and what habits and mindset you’re bringing into the upcoming year.
2. Your vision for 2025: If this is going to be your best year yet, what will it look like? Do this through journaling or cracking open that Pinterest board.
3. Set your goals: Not to trigger any of the project management baddies but think SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. This will take your big goals from out of reach, seemingly silly dreams, to genuinely attainable targets that you’re working towards bit by bit every day. Try to also break your goals down into categories of spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial, so you can be comfortable in the knowledge that you’re holistically taking care of your future self.
4. Reverse engineer your goals: What habits and routines are required of you to make these goals a reality? Try using a habit tracker to help you achieve these every day or week.
5. Track and reward: Schedule time to review your progress every month, or every month and make the necessary tweaks if you’re finding some things to be unrealistic or too easy. Break down your learnings from each month and celebrate your wins!

I hope you’ve been inspired while you read these, and are wishing well for your fellow sisters. Drop a little dua now asking Allah to grant everyone the capacity to strive towards these goals, and the ability to achieve and exceed them if that’s what’s best for them. May this new year bring us all abundant blessings in this life and the next. Ameen.