Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) is the longest chapter of the Quran, containing 286 verses. Revealed in Madinah over a span of about 10 years starting from 622 C.E., it is a Madani surah that addresses the early Muslim community—guiding them on faith, law, and community-building, while often referencing the history of Bani Isra’il as lessons for believers.
Personally, I used to struggle with it. I found it long and complex. But the first time I read it fully was in July 2014—and that experience changed my life.
I remember texting my aunt, complaining about how difficult life felt—my father’s suffering, and my desperation to find a job to support my family.
She told me: Mariam, read Surat Al Baqarah FULLY everyday for 40 days and pray for what you want, see how miracles happen around you.
She then added: Sometimes the change happens within those 40 days. Sometimes it comes months later. Just be sincere in your prayers, in how you live your life. Stay connected to God, stay away from sin as much as you can, and trust the process.
The First Time: For my Dad to receive Justice & our Home to be Free from Pain
In July 2014, I committed to reading it daily while my parents took their afternoon nap. It took me 1–2 hours each day. I cried through my prayers, asking for the same thing over and over again.
Nothing happened during those 40 days… or so I thought.
On day 39, I had my second job interview.
On day 40, I received my first job offer—from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.
I was grateful… but things at home were still painful. My father’s condition was worsening, and emotionally, I was struggling.
Then something unexpected happened. A colleague—an older, wiser woman—noticed something in me. I opened up to her, and she told me:
Mariam, you can help your father get his pension back.
I was shocked. I was 22, a fresh graduate, with no connections and not even able to drive. But somehow… she was right.
After four mentally exhausting months of searching, asking, and pushing forward, I found myself standing in front of the CEO of my father’s former workplace. I asked him directly:
“You dismissed my father unjustly in 2003. Why?”
They had no answer.
That moment led to justice for my father. I didn’t pursue legal action—I didn’t have the emotional capacity, and he was already nearing the end of his life. But he passed away with dignity, and with his rights restored. That, to me, was everything.
The Second Time: Shifting My career & Studying My masters Degree
This time, I wanted something deeply personal. I used to dream of walking through thick fog—unable to see clearly, but knowing that at the end of it was my master’s degree.
In December 2017, I started reading Surat Al-Baqarah again.
Three months later, I was in New Zealand, attending my first day of my master’s program.
I had been rejected for sponsorship. My family did not support the idea. The only support I had was from my mother—and that was enough.
I went alone. And I made it.
The Third Time: Getting Married
This one… was a rollercoaster.
I began reading Surat Al-Baqarah again on November 11, 2023. At the time, my now-husband was struggling. His family refused to support our marriage. He was under immense financial pressure, carrying significant debt, and emotionally exhausted.
Everything pointed to this not working.
So in Ramadan 2024, I made a difficult decision—I cut off communication completely and focused on myself and my prayers.
Every day, I made the same du’a:
“God, if this man is good for me, my family, and my future, make it easy and bring him to me. If not, take him away and heal my heart.”
On April 5, 2024, my mother called me:
“Come home. Omar called. He wants to marry you.”
I rushed back, only to discover that my mother, Omar, and my uncles had been discussing everything behind the scenes.
Things were still complicated—almost impossible. But somehow, everything aligned.
We had only until April 22 to get married before my only brother left for military service for 11 months (he was basically the only one who can legally marry me).
And yet… everything fell into place.
I became a wife that day.
It took me time to process it all, but I was fortunate to have a husband who supported me and understood what I needed to find my footing in this new chapter of life.
What I’ve come to understand is that Surat Al-Baqarah was never just about getting what I asked for—it was about becoming the person who could receive it, carry it, and walk through it with faith. Sometimes my prayers were answered exactly as I hoped, and other times they were answered in ways I could have never planned. But in every single instance, something shifted within me first—my patience, my clarity, my strength. So if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s this: keep showing up, keep asking, and trust that what is meant for you will find its way—at the right time, in the right form, and often in ways far greater than you imagined.
Mariam Alzaabi 