Can You Advise Someone Who Fails at Everything?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I am a second-year computer science student. Recently, I ran for student council elections at my university, and I lost badly. Even in my studies, I work so hard, but I always fail. Everything I do in life, I end up failing, and I don’t blame anyone. I try to pray my salah regularly, and I always thank Allah for everything, no matter how much I fail. But I’m now fed up with failing, I feel like I’m destined for failure, and I need advice if there’s any to give.

Answer

Thank you for your question. I empathize with your frustration, and I pray that Allah gives you tawfiq in what you do and how you do it and that you never give up.

Work Smart

The first thing that strikes me is that you are no doubt working hard, but you might not be working smart. Are you using all the resources available to you? For example, if you are having trouble at school, you should be sure to get a tutor, attend office hours, email your professors, contact peer tutors, form a study group, and make friends with those who are doing well so they can help you. Never be afraid to ask for help; one day, you will also help another in need.

Don’t Give Up

In addition to taking the means to do the best you can, I ask that you turn to Allah wholeheartedly. Pray on time, give regular charity, supplicate at tahajjud time and surround yourself with positive, proactive friends, and reduce your screen time dramatically if you haven’t already. Trust in Allah’s promise and wait for the fruits of your efforts to come:

Allah Most High told us in the Quran, “O believers! Seek comfort in patience and prayer. Allah is truly with those who are patient.” [Quran, 2:153]

And He said, “And seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, it is a burden except for the humble, those who are certain that they will meet their Lord and to Him they will return. [Quran, 2:45-46]

And Allah Most High also promised us, “So, surely with hardship comes ease. Surely with ˹that˺ hardship comes ˹more˺ ease.“ [Qur’an, 94:5-6]

Consign all your problems to Him and never stop waiting for His answer, for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said this about impatience:  “The supplication of every one of you is granted if he does not grow impatient and say: ‘I supplicated, but it was not granted.’” [Muslim]

Please see these links as well:

• Am I Accountable if I Can’t Be Patient in a Test?
• I Feel Like I’m Destined to Be a Failure. What Can I Do? 
• Trying to Practice but Feel Like a Failure: What Should I Do?

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.