Maybe Your Gift Does Not Look Like Theirs

My Hifdh teacher told me today that “ﷲ gave people different types of gifts. Some people are good at waking up for Tahajjud, some are good at charity/ helping others, some are good at memorising, etc. We gotta be thankful by doing it to the best of our abilities.”

‎It shifted my perspective maybe it will shift yours too.

We’ve all been there—scrolling through social media or listening to a lecture, feeling a sudden, heavy wave of spiritual inadequacy.

You hear about the person who wakes up every single night at 3:00 AM for Tahajjud (night prayer), their soul perfectly aligned while the rest of the world sleeps. Or the person who effortlessly pours their wealth and time into charity, seemingly running a marathon of good deeds without ever breaking a sweat.

Meanwhile, you’re struggling to focus during your mandatory prayers, or you find yourself stumbling over the same verse of the Qur'an for the tenth time this week.

It’s easy to look at the spiritual giants around us and feel like we’re failing

The Tailored Distribution of Mercy

Islam is not a assembly-line factory designed to produce identical souls. It is a mosaic. Allah, in His infinite wisdom, did not create us with the exact same capacities, inclinations, or strengths. He distributed His gifts intentionally.

This concept isn't actually new; it echoes the beautiful wisdom of the early scholars. Imam Malik once received a letter from a devout worshiper encouraging him to leave his work teaching Islamic jurisprudence and dedicate himself entirely to isolated worship and fasting instead.

Imam Malik wrote back:

"Allah has divided acts of righteousness as He has divided provisions. Many a man has had prayer opened up for him, but not fasting. Another has charity opened up for him, but not fasting. Another has Jihad opened up for him. Publishing knowledge is among the best of righteous deeds, and I am pleased with what Allah has opened up for me. I do not think what I am occupied with is any lower than what you are occupied with, and I hope we are both upon goodness."

If you are constantly trying to force yourself into a mold that wasn’t designed for you, you will burn out.

The secret to a fulfilling spiritual life isn't mastering every single lane; it's recognizing which door of goodness Allah has opened for you, and running through it with everything you’ve got.

The second part of my teacher’s advice is where the real work begins: "We gotta be thankful by doing it to the best of our abilities."

I have heard many reminders about gratitude before.

But this one felt different.

In the Islami, gratitude (Shukr) isn't just saying "Alhamdulillah" and moving on. True gratitude means weaponizing the gift you've been given for good.

If Allah gave you a sharp mind, be thankful by studying and teaching.

If He gave you a soft heart that feels for the broken, be thankful by being the one who mends them.

If He gave you the discipline to wake up before dawn, use that precious time to pray for the rest of the Ummah that is still asleep.

You don't need to be everything to everyone. You just need to be the best version of who Allah created you to be.

Changing the Lens

The next time you feel spiritual envy, catch yourself.

That person excelling in charity isn't a reminder of your lack; they are a manifestation of Allah’s beauty in one domain, while you are meant to manifest it in another.

Find your lane. Cultivate your gift. Be grateful for the specific way Allah fashioned your heart, and trust that your "best" is entirely enough for Him.

May Allah make us people who recognise His gifts, protect them from pride, and use them in a way that returns us to Him. Ameen.

If this reminder shifted something in you, I wrote a book for the moments when you want to return to the Qur’an not just for recitation, but for direction.

The Qur’an Speaks: Will You Listen? is a collection of reflections designed to help you sit with Allah’s words, understand their depth, and carry them into your everyday life.

Read it here

[The Quran Speaks; will you listen]