As-salaam alaikum - Why Are We Taught to Keep Hope When Life Feels Unfair?
As-salaam alaikum. We’re often told as Muslims to stay hopeful no matter what: be patient, keep making dua, and trust that Allah will change things. That’s the usual advice when someone faces hardship. But honestly, when I look around and at my own situation, that optimism is hard to swallow. Life can feel so unjust. Innocent people suffer or are killed, children are harmed, others are imprisoned unjustly, the poor are taken advantage of, and upright people sometimes get left behind while dishonest people seem to prosper. This includes sincere Muslims who pray and make dua, yet their hardships don’t change for years. So I keep asking: why do we believe Allah will fix our personal problems just because we pray and try to obey Him, when there are so many examples of people who do the same and keep suffering? Why should I expect my situation to improve when others-maybe more righteous and more oppressed-remain stuck? Because of that, sometimes I hesitate to even ask Allah for relief. It feels strange to make dua when so many people are in much worse situations without any apparent change. If Allah hasn’t changed their state, why would He change mine? I want to be clear: this isn’t disbelief. I’m practising and trying to strengthen my deen. But long seasons of difficulty force these questions on me. For years my life has felt stalled. I struggled with studies, moved abroad for higher education, and even though I graduated over a year ago I still can’t find work in my field. I’m just surviving, stuck in a repetitive routine with no real progress. I’ve also wanted to marry for years, and every attempt has failed. In work and in finding a spouse, there were times I truly believed things would finally fall into place, only to be disappointed. Starting over each time takes so much emotionally, and after repeated setbacks I feel worn out. At my lowest I’ve begged Allah specifically for career success or for my nikah to happen, but I’ve faced rejection again and again. When failure repeats, it’s hard not to feel like one of those who’ve been left without relief, destined to struggle forever. I’m sorry if this sounds negative. I’m not rejecting faith - I’m trying to understand it while carrying the weight of disappointment, unanswered duas, and the fear that this might be my permanent state. Jazakum Allahu khairan for reading.