Can You Help Stop Fearing the Future?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I have a lot of worries, and I hope to find more clarity. Since I was small, the people around me have always told me that I am being afflicted with the evil eye. I often got fevers and still get sick very quickly throughout my life. When I was a teenager, my mother made me aware that there were several relatives trying to perform black magic on our family.
Although I try to hide my blessings and seek protection from Allah in dua and adhkar, I still can’t help feeling unhappy about people’s envy towards me. There are many problems that have been erased from my life, Alhamdulillah, but I still can’t help fearing the future.
Answer
Thank you for your question. I am sorry that you are getting caught up in the fear of what may or may not happen, but you must place your trust in your Lord. You must be balanced between fear of Allah and hope of Allah, not have a fear of people.
Black Magic
Please know that it is not necessarily true that relatives have been practicing black magic against you. It could be just a cop-out for explaining the problems in your life, or it might stem from a victimhood point of view that, unfortunately, many traditional cultures have. We have been given the tools to deal with black magic, as you mentioned. Once you use them, you need thereafter only seek Allah’s pleasure and fear Him, not people. After all, black magic can only work with His permission, so place all your reliance on Him.
Fear and Hope
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “If the believer knew what is with Allah of punishment, none would hope for Paradise, and if the disbeliever knew what is with Allah of mercy, none would despair of (attaining) Paradise.” [Tirmidhi]
Please see these excellent details about living your life with fear and hope:
- How Do I Balance Between Fear and Hope?
- Divine Oneness, Hope & Fear – Renewal by the Book: Quran Tafsir Based on Imam Ghazali’s Ihya – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Don’t Fear People
Instead of worrying about how much others envy you, which is a complete waste of time, immerse yourself in gaining religious knowledge and worship. Review or learn the basics of Arabic, tajweed, personally obligatory fiqh and aqida, spirituality, and sira (the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)), and then apply that knowledge.
Seek to surround yourself with practicing pious Muslims who apply the shari’a in their lives and are a positive influence on you. Seek to purify yourself and make sure that you do not envy others. To be honest, I feel that when you truly stop fearing people and only fear Allah, you will not try hiding your blessings but rather rejoice in them.
Allah Most High has told us in the Quran, “It is none but Satan who frightens (you) of his friends. So, do not fear them; but fear Me, if you are believers.” [Quran, 3:175]
Please see these links as well:
- What Are the Different Kinds of Envy?
- Means of Seeking Closeness to Allah
- How Do I Cure My Envy?
- Day 11: Get Rid of Envy – 30 Deeds, 30 Days
- Is It Impermissible (Haram) to Worry About What Others Think?
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
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.
