Is Speaking about One’s Difficulties to Another or Writing about It in One’s Diary Permissible?
Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch
Question
Is it allowed to speak about one’s difficulties to another or to write about it in one’s diary?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
It is permissible to speak of your tough times and difficulties to another.
However, if by tough times you mean sin, then it is only permissible to speak of your sins to another if you feel they can help you overcome such sins. This is because exposing one’s sins is a sin in itself, unless for the intention of seeking help for one who is able to help. [Ghazali, Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din]
Note that when speaking to another, strive to have manners with Allah Most High and not word your expressions in a way that portrays discontentment or objection with the decree of Allah Most High.
An example of this is the following:
When His son Ibrahim passed away in His arms, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The eye weeps and the heart is saddened, but We do not say except that which pleases Our Lord. We are deeply saddened by your loss, O Ibrahim.” [Abu Dawud, Bayhaqi]
Have A Good Opinion of Allah
Islam is not a religion of pessimism. Islam teaches us to have high hopes and good opinions of Allah Most High. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said that Allah Most High says, “I am to My slave as they think of me.” [Bukhari]
In the narration of Imam Ahmad, the following addition is narrated: “So let them think good of me.“ [Ahmad]
Remember that Allah Most High wants you to be guided, to be forgiven, to be successful in this world and the next, and you should seek help from Him and rely on Him while having a good opinion that Allah Most High will come to your aid in these tough times.
May Allah give you ease in your difficulties. Amin.
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Yusuf Weltch teaches Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom Seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences.
He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he studied for three years in Dar al-Mustafa under some of the most outstanding scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib.
In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Quran and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Quranic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.
