Struggling with family and feeling lost at 17
Assalamu alaikum. I turned 17 just a few months back, and things at home are really tough. My family and I keep clashing-they don’t try to understand me and often gang up on me with my older sibling and mom. It’s been this painful cycle for as long as I can recall. I’m not claiming to be perfect, but I’m the only one in the house who really tries to practice Islam. I do my best to pray all five daily prayers, while my family doesn’t, and my older sibling doesn’t even know how to pray. This matters because they accuse me of lacking iman just because I asked about getting a nose piercing. My mom says I’m trying to shame her and the family by “choosing” to leave Islam-when all I did was ask a simple question. There’s a lot more going on, but it’s too much to share. What makes it harder is that we move around constantly, so I have no steady friendships. I spend many days in tears, feeling so alone. I turn to Allah, of course, but sometimes I wish I had someone to talk to for advice. I’ve never had a job because we’re always relocating and jobs are scarce. I’m scared I won’t find work before I turn 18. I feel useless-no job, no bank account, nothing of my own. I depend entirely on my mom. No car, not even a phone. No friends. I feel stuck with no clear way out.