How Can I Trust Allah’s Justice During Hardship?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

I have doubts about Islam because I have suffered throughout my life, as have many others. I do not see Allah helping anyone, nor have I witnessed any miracle, divine intervention, or protection. I used to pray every day for a good life, but it seems that was too much to ask.

Now, because of my doubts about Islam, I fear I am among those who are lost.

Answer

I am sorry for your pain. You have suffered for a long time and asked Allah for relief, but did not see it. Now you feel burdened by the thought that your doubts have put you beyond hope. Please know that this is not true.

Your Doubts Do Not Damn You

Doubts that come to you without your choosing are not disbelief. Disbelief is when the heart knowingly rejects the truth. If you are troubled by questions you did not seek, and you wish they were not there, this is not rejection. It is a sign that faith remains in your heart.

This is not a soft reading. Companions came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said, “We find within ourselves something that any of us would find too grave to utter.” He asked, “Have you actually found that?” They said yes. He said, “That is pure faith.” [Muslim]

Notice what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say. He did not tell them to renew their faith. Instead, he told them that their discomfort at these thoughts was itself a sign of faith. A heart without faith does not recoil from such thoughts.

So do not think of yourself as among those who are lost. Nothing you have written puts you in that place.

On Not Seeing Allah Help Anyone

Now, let us turn to the more difficult part. I will not pretend that it is easy.

You say you have seen no intervention, protection, or miracle. But this assumes that if Allah were helping, you would always be able to see it. Often, Allah’s help comes in ways we do not notice: a harm that never reaches us, a difficulty that is quietly removed, or a delay that protects us from something worse.

These blessings do not always announce themselves.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The supplication of any one of you will be answered so long as he does not become hasty.” He was asked what hastiness is. He said, “He says: ‘I have called, and I have called, and I do not see that He is answering me’ — and thereupon he becomes weary and abandons supplication.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

This describes the situation you are in. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned it because it is common, and because it is something a believer can overcome.

Suffering Is Not Evidence of Injustice

The step your reasoning takes is from “I have suffered” to “there is no just God.” That step looks obvious and is not.

Allah tells us plainly what this life is: “Who created death and life to try you as to which of you is finest in works” [Quran 67:2; Keller, The Quran Beheld]. A world made as a trial is not a world where the absence of suffering was ever the promise. And He tells us the limit within which the trial runs: “Allah does not tax any soul but what it can bear” [Quran 2:286].

From this, two important truths follow. They are not just words of comfort, but realities taught by our faith.

The first is that nothing you have endured was wasted. “No fatigue, illness, anxiety, grief, harm, or distress befalls a Muslim — even a thorn that pricks him — without Allah expiating thereby some of his sins.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

The second is that affliction is not a mark of divine displeasure. It is often the reverse. “Whomever Allah wishes good for, He afflicts.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] And: “Greatness of reward goes with greatness of trial. When Allah loves a people, He tries them.” [Tirmidhi and Ibn Maja; hasan]

I am not asking you to be grateful for your suffering. But do not see it as a sign of Allah’s displeasure or a verdict against you.

What Was Actually Promised

You prayed every day for a good life, and you felt it was too much to ask. But consider what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us about supplication.

The Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him & his folk) said: “There is no Muslim who makes a supplication containing no sin and no severing of kinship but that Allah grants him by it one of three things: either He hastens its answer for him, or He stores it up for him in the next life, or He turns away from him an evil equal to it.” They said, “Then we will make many supplications.” He said, “Allah is more abundant.” [Musnad Ahmad]

Two of these three answers to supplication are not visible to us in this life. You may have been looking for only one kind of answer, while Allah may have given you another criterion you can see.

The ease that Allah promised comes with hardship, not instead of it. Allah says: “So verily with hardship comes utter ease: Verily with hardship comes utter ease.” [Quran 94:5–6; Keller, The Quran Beheld]

What I Would Have You Do

Three things, in order:

First, do not judge yourself harshly. This is the first burden to let go of. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave us clear words about this.

Continue to ask Allah. The only failure mentioned in the hadith is to stop asking. Allah Most High says: “I am as My servant thinks of Me.” [Bukhari and Muslim] What you expect from Allah shapes what you receive from Him.

Two. Do not carry this alone. You have been reasoning your way through the deepest question in religion by yourself, in the middle of your own suffering, which is the worst possible condition for it.

Third, seek out a teacher. Take a class on the foundations of faith. Let someone with knowledge guide you and support you.

You reached out for help. This is not the action of someone who has given up. I do not believe you have lost hope.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Related SeekersGuidance Answers

Suffering and Divine Wisdom — why the question “why?” is meaningful about divine wisdom and not about divine motive, and what our limited scope can and cannot see.

Why Did Allah Not Help Me With My Problems? — https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/why-did-allah-not-help-me-with-my-problems/ — the same question you are asking, answered directly.

The Reality of Allah’s Mercy and the Divine Wisdom Behind Suffering— the wider frame, if you want to go further than this answer goes.

The Problem of Evil and a Summarised Islamic Response — the philosophical form of your question, handled on its own terms.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.

Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.

In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.

Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.

Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.

His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.

«النصوص»

[مسلم]
«جَاءَ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلُوهُ: إِنَّا نَجِدُ فِي أَنْفُسِنَا مَا يَتَعَاظَمُ أَحَدُنَا أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ. قَالَ: أَوَقَدْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: ذَاكَ صَرِيحُ الْإِيمَانِ».

[البخاري ومسلم]
«يُسْتَجَابُ لِأَحَدِكُمْ مَا لَمْ يَعْجَلْ: يَقُولُ: قَدْ دَعَوْتُ رَبِّي، فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِبْ لِي»، وفي رواية لمسلم: «لَا يَزَالُ يُسْتَجَابُ لِلْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ، أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ، مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِلْ». قيل: يا رسول الله، ما الاستعجال؟ قال: «يَقُولُ: قَدْ دَعَوْتُ، وَقَدْ دَعَوْتُ، فَلَمْ أَرَ يَسْتَجِيبُ لِي، فَيَسْتَحْسِرُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ وَيَدَعُ الدُّعَاءَ».

[البخاري ومسلم]
«مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ وَلَا هَمٍّ وَلَا حُزْنٍ وَلَا أَذًى وَلَا غَمٍّ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةُ يُشَاكُهَا إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ».

[البخاري]
«مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُصِبْ مِنْهُ».

[الترمذي وابن ماجه، حسن]
«إِنَّ عِظَمَ الْجَزَاءِ مَعَ عِظَمِ الْبَلَاءِ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عز وجل إِذَا أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا ابْتَلَاهُمْ، فَمَنْ رَضِيَ فَلَهُ الرِّضَا، وَمَنْ سَخِطَ فَلَهُ السَّخَطُ».

[مسند أحمد]
«مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا إِثْمٌ وَلَا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ: إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا». قَالُوا: إِذَنْ نُكْثِرُ. قَالَ: «اللَّهُ أَكْثَرُ».

[البخاري ومسلم]
«يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَنِي».