The Hardest Battles: Against Oneself or Others Part 1

 




                    Sometimes I pause and think about how fragile yet powerful it is to be human. We feel joy and pain. We understand love and loss. We experience hope and hardship. This is what it means to exist. Among all of Allah’s creation, human beings are unique, because He is our Creator.

                    We were never meant to be perfect or free from pain. We were created exactly as we are meant to be—with hearts that feel deeply and souls that grow through struggle. We are beings who can see, hear, feel, and understand. Allah ﷻ reminds us of this truth in the Qur’an:

“Indeed, We have created mankind in hardship.”
(Surah Al-Balad 90:4)

                This verse reminds us that hardship is not a punishment or a failure. Life was never promised to be easy. Struggle is part of being human. Some struggles are visible, and others are hidden. Some are physical, some emotional, and some stay quietly in the heart. But every struggle has a purpose.

                From the moment we are born, we face challenges. As we grow, we take on responsibilities, experience emotional pain, suffer loss, and are tested with patience. Even worship requires effort, discipline, and consistency because growth only comes through striving.

After reading and reflecting on -- >   The Creator and the Creation , 

Why Religion, and Which One ? , Lost? Maybe You Misplaced Your Manual ,


 Do You Know How Special You Are? , Divine Decree - (Qadr) & Trusting Allah-


 (Tawkul ) --> The Two Wings of a Believer’s Heart

                  We believe that Allah does not give us hardship without a reason. Through struggle, we learn patience. Through pain, we come closer to Him. When we feel weak, we often discover strength we did not know we had. Struggle keeps us humble and reminds us that we always need Allah. In every hardship, there is a chance to grow, to be rewarded, and to become closer to Him.

But… not all struggles are meant to be continued.

                At the same time, not every struggle is meant to last forever. Every struggle may have a reason, but some exist to teach us when to stop, change, or walk away. A struggle is not worth continuing if it destroys your peace, harms your body or heart, or pulls you away from Allah. Those struggles are not tests to stay in they are signs to protect yourself and make better choices.

True wisdom is knowing the difference between a struggle that builds you and one that breaks you.


1. Struggles that destroy your well-being

If a struggle is harming your body, mind, or soul—such as abuse, constant humiliation, or deep emotional damage—it is not something you are meant to accept.

Allah does not want oppression for His servants.

“Allah does not love injustice.”
(Qur’an 3:57)

Sometimes the lesson is to leave, seek help, or protect yourself. Taking care of your needs is also an act of worship (ibadah). Your body is an Amanah (trust) from Allah, and you are responsible for caring for itjust as you care for others.

2. Struggles caused by sin or harmful choices

Some pain exists to wake us up.
If a struggle comes from addiction, toxic habits, or harmful relationships, its purpose is not to be endured but to be corrected.

The struggle is teaching you: change your path.

3. Struggles that pull you away from Allah

Any struggle that makes you lose hope, abandon prayer, or believe that Allah does not love you is not meant to be glorified. Its purpose may be to remind you to return to Allah, not to remain stuck in pain.

4. Struggles that stay because of fear, not faith

If you stay in pain only because you are afraid—of people, judgment, or the unknown—that struggle may not be worth holding onto.  Islam encourages courage, dignity, and trust in Allah.

The most important point

Some struggles are tests to grow through. Some struggles are warnings to walk away from.
Wisdom is knowing the difference. 

A helpful question to ask yourself is:

“Is this struggle bringing me closer to Allah and making me stronger or is it breaking me and pulling me away from Him?”

The beauty of Islam is that it wants us to enjoy our blessings. It encourages us to live fully, to experience peace, and to feel content while obeying Allah and respecting the rights of others.


A ranked perspective on struggles:

Spiritual struggles – Feeling distant from Allah, having doubts in faith, or losing purpose. These affect inner peace and all other areas of life.

Solution: Start reading the Qur’an, understanding it, and living by it. When you open, read, and understand the Qur’an, many struggles begin to make sense. If you do not read and understand the Qur’an, then who are you truly turning to?

Emotional struggles – Loneliness, grief, anxiety, or depression. These shape how we experience everything else.

Solution: Pause for a few seconds. Write down what you are feeling. Ask yourself why you feel this way. Look at both the negative and positive sides of that emotion. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. If the emotion is guilt, turn it into hope—hope in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.

Physical struggles – Illness, pain, or exhaustion, which limit our ability to act and worship.

Solution: Have Sabr. Be gentle with yourself. Do not burn yourself out. Make lots of du‘a. Seek medical care. Take your medicine on time. If you are tired, rest first, then return to your responsibilities. Do a little, but do it consistently. Be happy that you are doing something—because something is better than nothing.

Financial / survival struggles – Poverty, job loss, or lack of basic needs. These cause stress but can often improve with effort and support.

Solution: Give Sadaqah, even if it is just $1 a day. Read a lot of Istighfar. You will begin to see barakah and blessings in your life.

Life transitions – Changes like moving, marriage, aging, or new responsibilities. These push us out of our comfort zones but teach growth.

Solution: Accept change and keep moving forward. Do not stay stuck in one place. Trust Allah. Change always brings khayr. Think about your life from childhood until now—how many changes did you face, and were they not worth it?

Social struggles – Toxic relationships, betrayal, judgment, or harmful behavior from others. These affect happiness and trust deeply.
This is one of the most important struggles and often affects us more than others.

I will go into more detail about this in Part 2 of my blog. Click Here 

The beauty of Islamic faith is that it lifts you out of pain. Hope keeps you alive, and having certainty in a better tomorrow is the key to enduring pain. Because In Islam, struggles are opportunities for spiritual growth and reward. The more patiently and faithfully you endure them while seeking Allah, the greater the reward both in this life and in the Hereafter.

Hardships are never meaningless. Even small pains can erase sins. Those who remain patient are raised in rank, and their faith grows stronger. Often, after hardship, Allah brings ease and blessings. Many hadith tell us that patient endurance can lead to Paradise.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim—even the prick of a thorn—except that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it.”
(Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)

To earn the reward of struggle:

  1. Accept that struggle is a test
    Believe that Allah allows hardship for wisdom, purification, and growth. Acceptance does not mean giving up it means trusting that the struggle has purpose.

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient.”
(Qur’an 2:155)

  1. Control your reaction
    You may not control what happens, but you control how you respond.
    – Practice patience (sabr)
    – Keep hope in Allah (raja)
    – Avoid choices that make the situation worse.

  2. Take practical steps
    Allah allows struggle, but He also commands effort.
    – Seek solutions
    – Ask for help
    – Maintain worship through prayer, dhikr, and Qur’an

  3. Focus on what you can control
    – Your attitude
    – Your thoughts and emotions
    – Your actions and choices

You cannot stop every hardship, but you can turn it into growth, peace, and reward by controlling your response. Practice a positive mindset again and again. With time, it will become natural and automatic.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ - Visit Blog - Follow Instagram - Join What's App Community