How Do I Get Over My Failure and Start Studying for My Retakes?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

How do I start believing and relying on Allah Most High in this hard time? How do I shut down the thoughts that I’ll fail again?

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah facilitate your exams for you and give you success in the paths you choose.

Patience

The best thing that you can do is patiently endure and do your best. Trust that Allah has written your destiny and that what is meant to happen will happen. Whatever occurred in the past should be taken as a learning experience, not a failure. Do recite “Inna liLlahi wa inna ilayhi raji`un“ as per the following verse.

Allah Most High says, “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.‘ They are the ones who will receive Allah’s blessings and mercy. And it is they who are ˹rightly˺ guided. [Quran, 2:155-157]

Please see this link as well:

• What Does It Mean to Rely on Allah and No One Else?

Supplications

Say these supplications so that you turn to Allah in your distress. Anas (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “O Allah! There is no ease except for that which You’ve made easy, and You make the worrisome easy if You wish.” [Ibn Hibban]

اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ سَهْلًا إِذَا شِئْتَ

Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) would make the (following) supplication in times of difficulty:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ أَنْتَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ، وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

There is none worthy of worship but Allah, the Mighty, the Forbearing. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Also, pray the Prayer of Need, especially before dawn.

• How Does One Perform The Prayer of Need (Salat al-Haja)?

Please see these links as well as the study tips within:

• What Are Some Prophetic Supplications That Can Help Me Deal With Trials in My Life?
• No Motivation towards Studying Aalimah Course

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.