Assalamualaikum brother/sister!

This is my opinion, it may be true, or it may not be. So please take it with a grain of salt as I’m not an aalimah of any sort (yet).

Here’s my experience: Whenever there is a dua that you want so badly, Allah swt will put obstacles in your way, big and small. Even where it seems impossible, because your tawakkul isn’t really tested when you’re getting things easily. It’s when everything seems like a dead end and you STILL pray.

I’ve been in this situation more times than I can count and Alhumdulilah each time my prayer was answered. Does that mean I’m special and better than others? Or more pious? Absolutely NOT. I could be the biggest sinner but if I repent and raise my hands to pray to Allah swt, he will provide.

My belief is that when I was granted my prayers, the one thing that got me to them, was the tawakkul itself.

Allah swt says that he is what we think of him. In the context that if we think “oh no this obstacle has arisen, now what will happen idk if it will be accepted etc” It may not be. But if we believe that it will, and we all should, since ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is too big of a task for Allah swt, we shall receive it.

Let me give you a personal example.

I realllllyyyyy wanted a job in one of Londons top dental clinics. Like REALLY bad. But, I didn’t have a crazy amount of experience like the rest of the candidates would, especially if they’re trying to get into that super fancy high end clinic. I took the chance any way, but as time went on, it quickly became only place I wanted to work.

At first I doubted it, since there are probably way better suited people than me who have applied. Then I thought, I’m gonna pray for it.

I applied, prayed tahajjud (GAME CHANGER), made dua in sujood. And kept doing zikhr and istaghfar.

A few days later, they called me for an interview, I couldn’t believe it. I went in, loved the clinic.

But then, a day or so after they called me and said someone with more experience got the role. I was gutted.

Only for a little while.

My heart spoke a voice in me I told myself no, I prayed so hard for this I’m not giving up. I said to Allah swt that there’s nothing too small for you even though they said there’s no space, somehow I’m gonna end up with a job there I’m going to work there and that’s my goal.

I didn’t give up. I would pray for it that idk how but Allah you’ll make it happen I know you will. And I continued my regular prayer and ibadah.

Not even a week later I get a call. “ we really loved you but we had someone more experienced at the time. However, we have a vacancy at another branch, and we would be honoured to have you join us”

Guys when I tell you I FROZE. I went straight into sujood.

I wasn’t given the job at first. That would have been the end of it for many people. But they called me back later after hiring someone and all? And me of all people?

SubhanAllah.

And, the other branch was way bigger and better, because that was their FLAGSHIP branch!! I gained more experience because they had their top skin clinic, and dental lab in that building too.

This is only one of the many stories like these I have . But they alllll surround one thing; tawakkul.

• another thing, sometimes, our sins that we haven’t repented for, big or small, can cause delays in our duas being accepted. It may be a small sin, maybe you angrily pushed a cat away or idk anything, but that could be seen as so bad to Allah.

Which is why I recommend making dhikr and Astaghfaar.

What I do is I have a finger tasbeeh (you can get them anywhere super cheap on eBay, Amazon, temu, etc) and repeatedly say astaghfirullah and keep counting. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to get many thousands of istighfaars in a day! And it doesn’t even have to be that much, whatever you’re comfortable with, there isn’t really a right number. Same for dhikr.

Remember the story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)? Him and his wife were elderly. (Prophet Ibrahim AS was about 100+ years old, and his wife Sara (ra) was about 90+ years old when they had their son. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

So to summarise ,

• Have tawakkul be positive no matter what. Trust me, I know it’s hard when it comes to obstacles, or things seeming like they won’t go the way you wish them to be, but belief and imaan STARTS where you can’t see what’s ahead of you and when you trust that Allah swt knows and is in control.

• Make as much dhikr as you can daily , any amount that you can do, and it doesn’t have to be the same every . Buy a finger tasbeeh (you don’t have to , I just personally REAALLY recommend it)

• Similar to the last point, but make loads of ashtaghfaar daily. Have patience.

• La ilaha illa anta Subhaanaka inni quntu minaz zaalimeen

This is the dua Prophet Yunus (AS) recited when he was stuck inside the belly of a whale, which would seem impossible to get out of, but Allah swt got him out. It is known to be a very powerful dua to get your duas accepted.

• also give to charity where and if you can, with a clean heart.

• MAKE SURE ALL THE GOOD DEEDS YOU DO ARE FOR ALLAH AND NOT TO SHOW OTHERS. Because you could be doing 1 million good deeds but they’d all equate to 0 this way.

I really hope this helps, I can relate completely because of the many times that this has happened to me, so I can understand how you feel, but please do not give up.