If you cannot say yes and cannot say no, look for the smaller version. Not the course, one module. Not every week, once a month

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If you cannot say yes and cannot say no, look for the smaller version. Not the course, one module. Not every week, once a month.

All or nothing is often what makes a decision impossible, since neither end is honestly true for you. A reduced version can sit at the level where you genuinely do want it, and it gives you something rather than the nothing you get from another month of weighing. You can always grow it later if it turns out you wanted more.

Qur’an and Sunnah

Recite as much of the Quran as is easy for you (Quran 73:20). A reduced portion is accepted as what was asked for, which is worth remembering when a smaller yes feels like a failure.

المزمل

۞إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعۡلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدۡنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَيِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَنِصۡفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةࣱ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحۡصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ فَٱقۡرَءُواْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرۡضَىٰ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضۡرِبُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَبۡتَغُونَ مِن فَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَٱقۡرَءُواْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنۡهُۚ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقۡرِضُواْ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنࣰ اۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرࣲ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيۡرࣰ ا وَأَعۡظَمَ أَجۡرࣰ اۚ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمُۢ

[Prophet], your Lord is well aware that you sometimes spend nearly two-thirds of the night at prayer––sometimes half, sometimes a third––as do some of your followers. God determines the division of night and day. He knows that you will not be able to keep a measure of it and He has relented towards all of you, so recite as much of the Quran as is easy for you. He knows that some of you will be sick, some of you travelling through the land seeking God’s bounty, some of you fighting in God’s way: recite as much as is easy for you, keep up the prayer, pay the prescribed alms, and make God a good loan. Whatever good you store up for yourselves will be improved and increased for you. Ask God for His forgiveness, He is most forgiving, most merciful

Qur’an 73:20read it in the library

Translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qur'an, Oxford University Press, 2004.

What the research says

A meta-analysis of randomised trials of motivational interviewing, a method built around drawing out a person's own reasons rather than supplying them, found modest but real effects on behaviour in medical settings. Finding the version you can back is that idea in miniature. The effects were modest, and this was tested with trained practitioners rather than as self-help.

Lundahl B, Moleni T, Burke BL, Butters R, Tollefson D, Butler C, Rollnick S. (2013). Motivational interviewing in medical care settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. Patient education and counseling doi

Strength of evidence: one line of research. A single study, or a theoretical account.

Why it works

A commitment scaled to what you actually want is one you can make today.

If you cannot say yes and cannot say no, look for the smaller version. Not the course, one module. Not every week, once a month.

Qur’an and Sunnah

What the research says

Why it works

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