Assalamu Alaikum - Where do I put all this anger?
Assalamu alaikum. Sometimes it feels like my life was decided before I even had a say. Being a Muslim woman in a poorer country often feels like I'm serving a sentence of hardship. The only thing I ever felt I could control was my education, and I worked hard and did well. Now it feels like there’s nothing beyond that. My parents stick to religious and cultural rules about daughters not travelling alone. I’ve missed so many chances for career and personal growth. Friends have moved abroad, are married, going on trips, building lives - and I’ve been stuck for years, barely stepping outside because the local infrastructure and community are so limiting. People suggest marriage as a way out, but I haven’t met a man who doesn’t want children or who accepts my feelings about not wanting them. Even on good days I can’t understand wanting kids when this life is clearly a test and full of hardship. I can’t move out by myself because it’s frowned upon and it would make life harder for my younger sister who wants to get married with the family’s support. I feel anger toward my circumstances, my parents, and the world. It affects my worship - I can’t concentrate in prayer because being alone with my thoughts makes me spiral and feel like my head will burst. I don’t make specific dua often because I’m unsure what would be best for me, and I don’t keep my hopes high since not every dua is answered and everything is a trial. Sometimes I even think the only way to avoid eternal punishment would have been to never be born. Does anyone have advice on where to channel this rage, how to find peace and purpose within our faith, or practical steps to slowly gain more independence while respecting family and community? JazakAllah khair.