Why Aren’t My Duas Being Answered?
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, dear brothers and sisters, I’m writing this with a heavy heart, feeling totally lost and like there’s no way forward. Every day is just about getting by, and I’ve become so numb inside. I’m a man in my early thirties, and life hasn’t been easy. My parents split when I was little, and my siblings and I were raised by our mother, who struggled a lot emotionally. As the oldest, I had to be the man of the house from a young age. Because of cultural shame, our relatives distanced themselves from us after the divorce-even though it was our father who left. So my childhood and teen years were really tough. I always dreamed of having a happy, healthy family of my own-a place where I could finally relax and feel safe, not just keep functioning. But the tests keep coming. For over seven years, after I finally got stable with my job and finances, I’ve been trying to get married. And it’s just failure after failure. The women I’m interested in aren’t interested back. Whether it’s through family suggestions, friends, or just meeting someone in daily life, I’m constantly rejected because I don’t fit their physical standards-height or looks. Most times, I don’t even get a chance to talk; as soon as they see my photo, it’s a no. I’ve had more than a hundred suggestions by now. I’ve tried apps, new places, traveling… nothing works. On the flip side, the sisters who are willing to meet me often carry burdens I can’t manage: severe past trauma from bad marriages, untreated mental health issues, or they expect me to support them completely while moving far away. It feels like I’m never given a fair shot just because I’m not seen as handsome. As a man, this is breaking me. I cry daily. All my brothers and sisters are married and content. I’ve never had a moment to just breathe. I don’t have close friends anymore since everyone’s wrapped up in their own married lives. I pray to Allah day and night, try to be a decent person, help others where I can. But I’m exhausted. Years of setbacks have crushed my confidence and filled me with doubt. I’ve lost hope in ever having a loving marriage. I’ve never been in a relationship or even had a proper "getting to know each other" phase. Now, even the suggestions have dried up because nobody knows anyone left to introduce. Keeping my desires in check gets harder daily. I ask myself, why isn’t Allah answering my prayers? I’ve become so emotional-seeing friends with their families makes me weep. I’ve made every dua, went for Umrah and prayed at the Kaaba, asked others to make dua for me there. Still, no doors open, only more disappointment. And on top of that, my family blames me, saying I should’ve married younger. But how could I? My family was in turmoil, I had no career, and as the eldest, I had to take care of my mother-who would have done it then? I’m at a loss. I feel myself slipping toward sin and bitterness. I even tried therapy, but all I got was "just accept your fate and be happy." What should I do in this situation? Please, any advice would mean the world. Jazakum Allahu khairan.