I just checked my account, and it’s at 1K+! I’m so excited to see that so many people like reading my thoughts, journey, stories, and feelings.

I started Substack in January 2026, and in just seven months I got so much love and support. Honestly, I didn’t expect any of this. I was kind of afraid to write about my journey, like this post (my tafsiir journey), or about parts of my past that left me with trauma, like this one (The story I was afraid to tell) where I wrote about the car accident that made me afraid of big cars. And even the situation I’m in right now (Feeling lost after graduation ).

But instead, I received so much love, support, and kindness. It was more than I ever expected. Thank you so much.

Now I feel more comfortable sharing my stories peacefully, haha. Even though there are more of you now, I know that comes with more responsibility. But I promise I’ll still be the same Naima. I don’t want to pretend to be someone I’m not. I just want to keep writing honestly, the same way I always have.

Substack is my safe place right now. Whenever I’m tired of this world, I come here to read articles, and sometimes I write whatever is on my mind. It has made my life better, Alhamdulillah, and somehow easier. Before Substack, I used to overthink all the time and never knew what to do. Now I read, I write, and it gives me peace. I don’t know if that makes sense, but that’s exactly how it feels.

And yeah, I’m just a simple person. I don’t write professionally. I just write how I’m feeling, and I think by now you can probably tell how happy I am.

Thank you to every single one of you. I can’t thank you enough. I didn’t want to go to sleep until I wrote this article.

On 14.06.2025, I started my journey of learning Qur’an tafsir. At first, I almost gave up because it was difficult. On top of that, I was preparing my university thesis book. I spent my whole day sitting in front of my computer, fixing errors, doing research, and searching for information. During those days, I really wanted to quit tafsir, but I didn’t.

There was always a voice inside me encouraging me not to give up. I remember waking up at 3:00 a.m. every morning. I would first take my tafsir lessons, then go back to my computer and continue working on my thesis system.

I also remember the nights I cried because I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. My biggest supporter, my mommy, always told me, “Take a nap, then go back. Everything will be okay.” Those simple words made me the strongest woman throughout this journey.

After my thesis defense, my thesis book received an A+. I truly believe that was because of the barakah of learning tafsir and because I never gave up. I kept holding everything together.

After I graduated from university, I was so happy because I finally had more time to catch up on all the tafsir lessons I had missed.

Qur’an became part of my daily routine. It became a habit to listen to a tafsir lesson every day. Now that I have completed it, my life honestly feels kind of empty.

Before, I was just reading the Qur’an. Now, I can read it and even translate every ayah.

My Sister Asked Me to Translate the Qur’an

I remember one day my sister came to me and said,

“I was trying to memorize this ayah, but it looks difficult. Can you please translate it so I can memorize it more easily?”

I was kind of nervous because I thought I wouldn’t remember the translation. But Alhamdulillah, I translated every ayah for her.

She looked at me and said,

“MashaAllah, I am so proud to be your sister. Now I can memorize it because I know the meaning.”

Wallahi, you can’t imagine the feeling I had. I was so happy and so proud.

How I Encourage People to Start Tafsir

I have a community on TikTok, and they fell in love with the way I take my lessons and the way I film my vlogs. I encouraged them to start learning tafsir too.

I can’t even tell you how many messages I have in my message requests asking me about this program. Alhamdulillah, I can honestly say I encouraged many people in a positive way, and that makes me so grateful.

Why I Decided to Start Again

I want the Qur’an to always be part of my life, and I don’t want to forget any ayah.

That’s why I decided to restart the tafsir classes again, in shaa Allah.

I honestly can’t imagine my life without tafsir, and I pray that I can continue this journey forever.

Today was my graduation day, and you can’t even imagine how happy I was.

There were 3,592 students graduating. Can you imagine how huge that was?

And yes… this is me. 🤍

My Last Words

I recommend everyone who wants to understand Allah’s creation, learn about the previous prophets, our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the stories behind every ayah, Paradise, the Day of Judgment, and so much more, to start learning tafsir.

Make time to understand the Qur’an, not just to read it.

It is one of the most beautiful journeys you can ever begin.

Alhamdulillah for everything.

Sida caadada ahayd marka safar loo baxayo waxa lasii diyaarsada waxyaabaha loo baahanyahy inta lagu gudo jiro safarkaas.

safarkayaga maalin ka hor hooyo waxay isoo iibisay wax kaste oo aan u baahna sida cream timaha ah, cream jidhka ah, kabo cusub, bijaan aan habeenkii ku seexdo iyo biinan ay timaha iigu xidhxidho.

Intaas oo dhan iyada oo sida ayey hooyo noo timi alaabtii ayaan furfuray xoog ayaan ugu farxay waan isku eegeegay intaas ka dib waxaan hooyo weydiiyey wakhtiga aan bixi doono waxay ii sheegtay hooyo inaan bixi doono bari xilli hore.

Habeenkii anoo faraxsan ayaan seexday waayo bari safar ayaan galayaa weliba waxaan raacaya labadii qof ee aduunka ugu jeclaa oo ah hooyaday iyo aabahay.

Waa subaxdii aan safarka u baxaynay waxay hooyo ii xidh dhar qurux badan timahana waxay iigu dabtay biinankii ay xalay isoo iibisay qaar kamida.

Intaas ka dib waan quraacanay oo waxaan u diyaar garawnay inaan u baxno waxaan qaadanay laba shandadood oo dhar noogu jiraan iyo shandad wakhtigaas la odhan jiray biikays oo ah shandad dumarku qaadan jireen oo alaabta yaryar ku guran jireen, shandadaas hooyo waxay ku gurtay alaabtii ay isoo iibisay ee yaryaraa iyo cadaro ay hooyo lahayd.

Baskii aanu raacaynay ayaanu soo raacnay anjga iyo aabo iyo hooyo waxaan fadhinayaa daaqada baska waxaan daawanaynaa wadada.

Waxaan ku fadhiyey dhabta aabo isaga oo i daawadsiinaya daaqada oo meel kayn ah maraynay ayaan waxaan aragnay daanyeero markaas ayaa iigu horaysay daanyeer aabo ayaa ii sharaxayey oo itutusayey wakhtigaas wax iga farxad badnaa muu jirin hooyo waxay la sheekaysanaysay gabadh hooyo dhinac fadhida.

Intaas kadib gaadhigii meel ayuu yara istaagay waxa nasoo raacay nin iibinaya laws oo sida laws badan aabo ayaa igu yidhi aabo makuu iibiyaaa haa baan ku yidhi wuu ii biiyey.

Ninka lawska iibinayaa muu fadhiyin ee wuu taagnaa oo marba qof ayaa ka iibsanayey.

Aabo dhabtiisa ayaan weli ku fadhiyaa oo lawska intuu ii diiro ayuu kolba i siinaya.

Intaas kadib gaadhigi ayaa fuulay meel sidii buur ah oo kale oo laakiin wado ah kadib gaadhigii caadi ayuu usoconayey waxaan arkayey buurta meesha ka hoosaysa oo ah meel jar ah waan ka cabsaday barigaas ayaan ogaaday inaan ka baqo meelaha dhaadher.

Intaas kadib gaadhigii ayaa meeshii buurta ahayd ka dhacay oo islaba rogay ilaa uu dhulka ka gaadhayey wakhtigaas war umaan haynin waxa dhacayey inaan riyoonayo ayaan moodayey waxaan kusoo miiraabay aniga oo taagan meel kayara saraysa halkii uu gaadhigu ku dhacay gaadhigiina uu iga hooseeyo.

Hadalkii u horeeyey ee aan yidhi waxa uu ahaa “hooyo, aabo idin mee” waxaan arkayey oo kale gaadhigii aan saarnaa oo burburay oo iga yara hooseeya dadkii ku jirayna ay qaar ooyayaan qaar qaylinayaan.

Aniga gaadhigi waxa igasoo saaray halkan i keenay ma sheegi karo kaliyaata wax nabar ah waxa igu yaalay lugta ayaa gaadhiga quraaradihi ka jajabay iga mudeen oo dhiig yar iga socday bes wax kale oo dhaawac ah oo aan qabay ma jirin.

isla markiiba waxaan usoo daadagay halkii gaadhigu iga xiga aniga oo ku celcelinaya hooyo iyo aabo idin mee.

Waxaan soo ag istaagay gaadhigi aniga oo isku dayaya inaan raadiyo aabo iyo hooyo.

Waxaan arkay gaadhigu halkii uu u jiifay yacnii dhinicii uu u jiifay daaqad ka mid ah oo hooyo ku jirto naxdin iyo oohin wax aan sameeyo garan waayey waxaan ku celcelinayey “hooyo sideen kugu soo saara” hooyo aayar ayey hadlaysaa maadaama oo dhaawac tahy waxay igu tidhi hooyo ka fogow gaadhiga anigu uma jeedo gaadhiga iyo quraaradaha daadsan waan ooyayaa oo hooyaday aanan waxba u qaban karin ayaan ka murugaysanahay.

Hooyo waxa ku jiifa gaadhiga ama dhinaca gaadhigu u jiifu ayey ku jirta oo masoo bixi karto.

Intaas kadib waxaan maqlay cod aan isku cusbayn oo leh aabo naimay waan eegay mise waa aabo oo guurguuranaya oo gadhiga dirqi uga soo baxay markuu codkayga iyo oohintayda maqlay.

Aabo waan ku dhehdhegay oo hab ayaan siiyey inkasta oo uu dhaawac ahaa oo lug ka jabnaa waxaan ku yidhi aabo hooyo masoo saari karo.

Wuxuu igu yidhi aabo aniga soo saaraya iibanee aabo wuu isku dayey inuu hooyo soo saaro laakiin wuu awoodi waayey intaas ka dib waxaan arkay gabadhii hooyo ku xigtay ee la sheekeesanaysay oo dhimatay oo meel halkaas ah jiifta.

Waxaan meeshii fadhiyaba oo marba qof dhintay, dhawac ah iyo mid qaylinaya iyo hooyaday oo aanan waxba u qaban karin arkaba waxa noo timi gaadhi ambulance ah gaadhigii ayaa lagu guray dadkii meeshi waxa yimi wiish oo lagu qaaday baskii hooyo waa lasoo saaray laakiin way jaban tahy oo waa dhaawac aabo sidoo kale.

Isku gaadhi ayaa la saaray aabo iyo hooyo aniguna waan raacay gaadhigi aniga wax dhaawac ah ima soo gaadhin laakiin maskaxiyan ayuu dhaawac iga soo gaadhay maadaama oo aan yaraa oo aan arkay shilka intaas leeg iyo naxdintaas.

Bilaa kabo ayaan ahaa oo waan gariirayey oo marna aabo eega marna hooyo aabo ayaa igu yidhi aabo yaa kaa saaray gaadhiga aniguna waxaan ku jawaabah ma garanayo aabo aniga oo dabada taagan arkay.

Intaas ka dib waxa lana geeyey hospitalka oo halkaas hooyo iyo aabo lagu dabiibayey anigu cidna maan garanayn magaalo kale joognaa qolka dabadiisa ayaan ku sugayey hooyo iyo aabo.

inan dhakhtar ah ayaa igu yidhi kaalay adeero lugta ku dhiigaysa balastar kuugu soo xidhee inaanki ayaan raacay oo lugtii ii dhayey oo kabo ii soo iibiyey.

Intaas kadib waxa doctorkii noogu yimi familygii oo i kaxayey laakiin maalin kaste hooyo iyo aabo waan soo booqan jiray.

Doctorkii waxay ku jireen aabo iyo hooyo muddo laba bilood ah intaas ka dib waxaan ku laabanay magaaladayadii aan ku noolayn.

Sidaas ayuu safarkii farxada badna iskugu badalay murugo.

Hdaad i weydiiso goorma kuugu danbay inaad cunto laws waxa iigu danbaysy 20 may 2007 ilaa hadda lawsku waa cuntada ugu necebahay aduunka Maadama oo aan cunayey maalinkaas.

Sidoo kle maalinkii laga bilaabo waxaan phobia ama cabsi ka qaaday gaadhiga xoog u socda ama meelaha dhaadheer.

TANI MAAHA FILIM EE WAA QISADAYDA💔.

It’s your little daughter… oppsss!! … okay maybe I’m a big girl now, but no matter how old I grow, I will always want to be your little girl 🤍

Sometimes I sit and think about everything you’ve done for me, and honestly, I never know where to begin. How do you thank someone who gave you her whole life? How do you repay the woman who stayed strong for you even when she was tired, worried, or going through her own struggles?

Hooyo, I know I am one of the luckiest girls in this world because I was blessed with you.

I see every sacrifice you made for me. I see the dreams you quietly put aside just so mine could grow. I see the sleepless nights, the stress, the prayers you made for me when I didn’t even know. You carried responsibilities that were heavy, yet you still made sure I felt loved, safe, and cared for every single day.

And sometimes it breaks my heart knowing that no matter how much I do, I may never truly return even a small part of what you gave me.

But I promise you this: I will work hard. I will become someone you are proud of. I will carry your love, your lessons, and your strength with me everywhere I go. One day, I want you to look at me and feel that every sacrifice was worth it.

You know what, mommy? Whenever I see people talking about losing their mothers, I cry so much. I can’t even imagine a world where you don’t exist in my life. The thought alone hurts my heart deeply. It reminds me how precious you are to me and how much I should cherish every moment with you.

Allah yarxam every mother who has passed away and gives patience to every child carrying that pain. I truly believe losing a mother must be one of the deepest heartbreaks a person can experience.

Mommy, I remember everything. Every laugh, every little conversation, every moment you comforted me, every time you believed in me even when I doubted myself. Even though we may not have many photos together, I have thousands of memories of you safely kept inside my heart, and I will carry them with me forever.

You are more than just my mother.  

You are my safe place.  

My first home.  

My role model.  

My biggest supporter.  

My superhero.

And no matter how much I write, words will never be enough to describe how much I love you.

Happy Mother’s Day, hooyo. Even one whole lifetime would never be enough to celebrate you the way you deserve.

Waan ku jecelahay hooyo, maalin kasta, daqiiqad kasta waxaanan balan kaaga qaadayaa inaan kuu ahaandoono mudeecad sidaan ahay iyo si kasii badan ba..

Your favorite daughter. 🤍

The road was wet, the air was cold and fresh, and the sky had that soft grey color that only comes after rain. There were children outside playing on the street, running around without worrying about anything. Watching them made me think deeply about my own childhood.

Me and my mom stood in front of our door for a long time just talking. We talked about my childhood and how fast life changes. She reminded me of how I used to play outside for hours without getting tired. How little things used to make me happy. Rainy days like this used to feel magical to me when I was younger. I remembered running outside after the rain, stepping in water on the road, laughing with friends, and coming back home wet while my mother called me inside.

As I watched the kids playing today, it felt like I was watching a small piece of my old life. Childhood was so simple and beautiful. Back then, we did not think too much about life. We were happy with simple moments, simple games, and simple days.

The second picture felt heavy with emotion. The dark clouds covered the sky like a giant moving shadow, and the quiet wet road underneath them felt almost frozen in time. Everything looked calm after the rain, but the clouds still carried the feeling of the storm.

Looking at this view made me think about life. Sometimes storms leave behind more than wet roads and cold air. Sometimes they leave silence, peace, and time to think. The empty street, the soft light, and the fresh smell after the rain made the whole place feel beautiful in a quiet and emotional way.

This picture reminded me that even after the darkest clouds, there is always calmness waiting on the other side.

Watching it, I cried so much. Not because I was sad, but because I realized I had actually done all the things my little self thought were impossible. The things I once believed were too big or too hard… I completed them.

I cried for so long, feeling proud, happy, and a little amazed at how far I’ve come. Life had come full circle, and my dreams, my hopes, even my little wishes they all became real.

After that, I filmed a new video of myself. I wanted to capture who I am today, what I’m feeling, and what my life looks like right now. I wanted my future self to see it, to remember this exact moment, and to understand that even small steps matter.

Recording yourself is more than just making videos. It’s a way to leave a piece of your life behind for yourself. It helps you see how much you’ve grown, how far you’ve come, and what you’ve overcome. It’s a reminder that your dreams and struggles are real, and they matter.

It also teaches you to reflect, to understand your feelings, and to be honest with yourself. When you record your thoughts, your goals, or even your everyday moments, you’re creating a memory that time cannot erase. Years later, you can look back and feel proud of yourself, even if you forget the little details.

I think everyone should do it, even if it feels awkward or silly. Record your thoughts, your feelings, your dreams, your daily life. One day, you’ll watch it again and maybe cry too but it will be the kind of crying that makes your heart full, the kind that reminds you life keeps moving, and so are you.

Recording yourself is like leaving a message in time. It shows your growth, your strength, and your journey. And sometimes, it reminds you of how powerful and resilient you really are.

Not loud. Not perfect. But good in a quiet, grounding way.

I started this year with goals — yearly goals and monthly goals — but here’s the funny part: they mostly lived in my head. I didn’t write them down properly. I just knew what I wanted to work on, what I wanted to change, and who I wanted to become.

And somehow… I still completed some of them. Not all. Not perfectly. But partly — and that counts.

So if you’re reading this and you still haven’t planned your yearly goals yet, it’s okay. You’re not late. You’re not behind. Planning doesn’t always start on paper — sometimes it starts quietly in your mind, and that’s still valid.

That said, I do want to be more intentional this year. I’m planning to complete a bullet journal for my whole year — a space where I track my goals, habits, reflections, and progress. A bullet journal isn’t about being aesthetic or perfect; it’s about clarity. About checking in with yourself instead of rushing through life on autopilot.

Now, let me pause and actually acknowledge what January gave me — because I tend to forget unless I write it down.

Things I Did in January ✨

1. I continued learning Tafsiir and completed 20 Juz — this honestly grounded me more than anything else.

2. I traveled alone for the first time (yes, I survived and even enjoyed it).

3. I bought a new phone with my own money — small win, big pride.

4. I completed my second course: the Google Data Analytics Certificate.

5. I went on a solo date and realized I’m actually good company.

6. I shopped a lot… and I won’t justify it because it made me happy.

7. I spent quality time with my nephew, and that healed something in me I didn’t know needed healing.

8. I chose distance where peace mattered more (we’ll leave it at that 😭).

9. I started writing on Substack, even though I didn’t feel “ready.”

10. I reached 17K followers on TikTok — and honestly, I’m dreaming of 50K next. Is it possible? I don’t know. But I’m allowing myself to dream anyway.

When I look at this list, I feel proud.

But I’d be lying if I said there isn’t a tiny voice in my head whispering: “You could’ve done more.”

Overthinking is really funny like that. It ignores everything you did and focuses on what you didn’t.

So I’m choosing to talk back to that voice today.

I showed up. I tried. I grew. I lived.

January didn’t need me to be perfect — it only needed me to be present.

I may not have done everything I imagined, but I did enough to prove that I’m moving, growing, and becoming more honest with myself. Progress doesn’t always come with fireworks; sometimes it comes quietly, disguised as small courage and private wins.

So I’m closing January with gratitude, not pressure. With pride, not comparison.

And as I step into the rest of this year, I’m reminding myself of one thing:

I’m not behind — I’m just getting started. ✨

I don’t really know how to start this, but I guess that already explains how I’ve been feeling.

I graduated recently. I did well, I’m proud of that. But after everything ended, life felt… quiet. Not sad, not bad just quiet in a way I wasn’t expecting.

When I was a student, there was always something to do, something to worry about, something to prepare for. Now there’s more space. More thinking. More asking myself what I actually want to do next.

Some days I feel okay and hopeful. Other days I feel a little unsure, even though nothing is technically wrong. I think that’s the strange part everything is fine, but I’m still figuring things out.

I don’t feel lost, exactly. Just in between. Between being a student and becoming whatever comes next. And maybe that’s normal, even if no one really talks about it.

I don’t have a clear direction yet, just a sense that I’ll recognize it when it comes. So I’m trying things, thinking a lot, and reminding myself that not knowing doesn’t mean I’m stuck.

So yeah, this is where I am right now. No big conclusions. Just taking it day by day and trusting that things will slowly make sense.

This is my first time writing something here, and honestly, I’m still figuring out how this app works. I only discovered it recently, and now I’m kind of obsessed. I wish I had found it earlier—but I believe everything finds us at the right time, so no regrets.

I’m here to learn new things, explore ideas, and grow, and I’m already loving the experience. This feels like the beginning of something good.

So… hello again, and thank you for welcoming me 🤍