How Can I Regain My Faith After So Many Years of Financial Struggles?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

We have been facing financial difficulties for a long time. Everyone always says that Allah will improve our situation, but it’s not happening. It has created much stress. My life has been going downhill as well. I had been making du`a but nothing happened. I lost all faith and tawakkul (trust in God), and I stopped praying and making du`a. I am angry at Allah. I feel like I am losing my faith in Him. What should I do?

Answer

Thank you for your question. I empathize with your struggles, and I pray that you analyze your life and situation and realize that Allah has done nothing wrong.

Trials

Allah did not promise the believers that He would make their lives dandy and easy. Rather, Allah Most High said in the Quran, We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure—who, when faced with a disaster, say, “Surely to Allah, we belong and to Him, we will ˹all˺ return.” [Quran, 2:155-156]

Impatience

Allah the Exalted, asks you to patiently bear your trials and tribulations, as His promise of compensation and reward is true. I advise you to continuously make du`a and never give up because you don’t know what timing Allah has chosen to answer you. 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]

Means

There are several means that you can take to proactively make a difference in your financial state. Start with education and knowledge, and look at what you are good at. Many people can turn their talents into a business, or service, or simply work hard at something new. Additionally, there is much benefit in following this hadith, despite its being weak. Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas`ud, “I heard the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) saying: ‘Whoever reads Surah al-Waqi`a every night, he will not be struck by poverty ever.’ Ibn Masud said, “I have ordered my daughter to read it every night.” (Abu Ubayd in Fada’il al-Quran)

Reaction

Your reaction to this problem of not praying and not supplicating is the exact thing that the Devil wants. Don’t give in to him. Know that this whole world is a test and that the perfect lies ahead, in sha Allah, where one will live in utter bliss, where thirst, hunger, pain, suffering, stress, negativity, anger, and sadness will not exist. But you must work and worship here in order to try and get there! Please think this whole through and realize that you must do the opposite of what you are doing now.

Remember this important hadith: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Successful is the one who embraced Islam, was blessed with just enough provision for every day, and who was made content with that by Allah.” (Muslim)

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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.