With Hardship comes ease

My name is Fatoumata D, and for a long time I have heard my parents, scholars, and many others mention the ayah:

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

“Indeed, with hardship comes ease.” (Quran 94:6)

I never truly reflected on it deeply because I did not think it applied to me—at least not until I realized how true and powerful it is.

A little about me: I was born and raised in Guinea. I have always been an extroverted person who loves meeting new people and making friends. However, from a young age, I knew I was different. I struggled to see clearly. For example, my friends would point at things, and I could not see them. This continued for years and began to affect my performance in school. I did not understand why I was struggling, and I started to believe that I was simply not smart.

At the age of 9, I moved to the United States. After some testing, I found out that I had very poor vision. For the first time, I was given the opportunity to truly see Allah’s beautiful creation, just like everyone else. At the time, I did not realize it, but this was Allah’s plan showing me that with hardship comes ease. The struggle I faced in Guinea, feeling like I was not good enough came to an end, and I was blessed with the ability to see and experience the world differently.

But the challenges did not stop there. Moving to a new country without knowing the language or understanding the school system made it difficult for me to make friends. For a long time, I felt isolated. The lack of communication between me and my teachers also affected my grades. From 4th to 6th grade, I struggled academically, and at times, I felt like giving up. However, by the will of Allah, I kept going. I continued trying to communicate, even when my English was not perfect.

By 7th grade, I began to improve both academically and socially. The hardship of isolation turned into the comfort of having diverse and meaningful friendships. The struggle with school turned into growth and knowledge. Once again, I saw the meaning of فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا in my life.

My biggest challenge came in 12th grade during the college application process. After four years of hard work, it was finally time to apply. The process itself of writing essays, applying for financial aid, and waiting for decisions was overwhelming. My dream school has always been Stony Brook University. I loved everything about it: the programs, the campus, and the opportunities.

When I got accepted, I was beyond proud and grateful. I knew it was by the power of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. However, when I received my financial aid package, it was not enough. I would have had to take out loans, which I never wanted to do. So, I made istikhara and sincerely made dua, asking Allah to guide me toward what is best for me.

Today, I am happy to say that I will be attending Hunter College, and I am getting paid to go. What once felt like a disappointment turned into a blessing. The hardship of letting go of my dream school was replaced with the ease of attending a great college without financial burden.

Sometimes in life, we focus only on the hardship and fail to see the blessings within it. But if we reflect deeply, we will recognize that Allah’s plan is always better than our own. We plan, but Allah سبحانه وتعالى is the best of planners.

So always remember:
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
“Indeed, with hardship comes ease.” (94:6)

May Allah grant us all ease, protect us from harm, and accept all of our duas. Ameen.

This reflection is part of the MaadouDaftar “Quran & Sunnah Reflections” series, where individuals share personal experiences and connect them to Islamic teachings.