Why does Allah create people who are less attractive?
Assalamu Alaikum. I’ve been thinking about something and wanted to share my thoughts and get opinions. Why would Allah create some people who are considered unattractive when animals seem to be wired to pick attractive mates? It feels unfair. Nowadays many young people (including Muslim sisters and brothers) seem to look for partners by checking looks, height, physique, etc. A lot of them say “I don’t care about appearance,” but behavior often suggests otherwise. People also say beauty is subjective, yet if someone is conventionally good-looking, many people will prefer them - so is beauty really subjective? There’s research saying newborns look more at faces that we call attractive. For men, height seems important too: taller men are often seen as more respected or intimidating, which is why some women prefer tall husbands. That makes me wonder how this is a test from Allah. Physical appearance appears to affect life outcomes: less attention from potential spouses, fewer chances in arranged marriage screenings, being treated differently, bullied, or not taken seriously. If someone is shorter, it can even feel like they can’t protect their family in a conflict. That makes it hard to see how this fits as a fair divine test. I’ve seen it personally. A friend who was shorter and less attractive got bullied at school and couldn’t defend himself because others were bigger. I was once overweight and felt people treated me with disgust; after I lost weight people listened to me more and I got more attention (Alhamdulillah I stayed within Islamic boundaries). That shift showed me how much appearance changes treatment. For marriage people often pick good-looking partners; yes personality matters, but how do you discover personality if you don’t first feel drawn to someone’s looks? In arranged marriage cases people often decide based on a photo before talking, which seems unfair to those who don’t fit conventional beauty standards. I’m struggling with the idea that Allah would favor some people this way. How should I reconcile this with faith? Is there an Islamic perspective or practical advice for dealing with these realities - both emotionally and when looking for a spouse - that keeps trust in Allah while addressing the social disadvantages of not being conventionally attractive? JazakAllahu khair for any sincere insight.