There is nothing left. Years of hard work and savings for my future endeavors are gone in vain. I am extremely depressed and sad now. I blame myself for being blind and falling into this trap without realizing what’s been going on.
I filed a complaint against them through available sources in my country. However, I know that I cannot do much neither will I get any of my money back.
Now, I have to work hard to pay my debts, and start saving up again from zero which will take many years. I am going through sleepless nights, depression and anxiety.
I need your help and guidance please, so that I can get out of my guilt and depression. I pray that Allah helps me in this situation inshallah.
Answer
Understand that this was a loss from Allah SWT which was meant to come your way and nothing could have prevented it.
Instead of criticizing and blaming yourself, be kind to yourself and take this as a learning experience.
Rather than being overwhelmed by the loss, make time every day to treasure who you are as a person and the things that have helped you come this far.
Have to have faith, persevere and accept whatever Allah SWT has written for you.
Assalamu Alaikum Brother,
I am sorry for your financial loss, and I can sense that you must be going through a lot of pain, guilt and depression for being scammed. We often do not realize that some things are beyond our control and they are meant to happen.
We tend to think that if we would have acted wisely, the loss could have been prevented when in fact, nothing could have prevented it.
It was simply meant to happen. While understanding this will not ease your pain and loss in any way, it can help you accept what has happened and not blame yourself for it.
Believe in Destiny
Belief in fate or destiny is an integral part of being a Muslim. While we cannot argue why we suffered from a loss, it is just the way things are meant to be sometimes.
In the Quran, Allah SWT says:
“Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation, as written in the Book of Decrees Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz).” [54: 49].
Similarly, according to a Hadith:
“A man does not become a true believer unless he believes in fate good and bad and till he knows that what confronts him could not have escaped and what escapes him could not have confronted him.” [At-Tirmidhi]
Therefore, understand that this was a loss from Allah SWT which was meant to come your way and nothing could have prevented it.
Allah SWT says:
“If Allah touch thee with affliction none can remove it but He; if He touch thee with happiness He hath power over all things.”[6:17]
This Life Is a Test
Life in this world is a test for the Believer. Allah Suhanahu WaTa’ala tests His believers in different ways.
He tests some with health, some with wealth and financial losses, yet others by relationships and children.
However, He also rewards His believers manifold as they continue to persevere and obey the commands and limitations prescribed by Him in Islam.
In the Quran, Allah SWT says:
“Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried?” [29:2]
In another place in the Quran, Allah SWT says:
“Verily, We shall put you to test with some fear, and hunger, and with some loss of wealth, lives, and offspring. And (O Muhammad) convey good tidings to those who are patient, who say, when inflicted by hardship, “Verily we are of God and verily to Him shall we return;” upon them is the blessings of Allah and His mercy.” [2:155]
Be Kind to Yourself
Brother, ups and downs are parts of life. There are no manuals for life; we learn as we experience failures and successes throughout the course of our lives.
You had no idea that you were being scammed, and what you were doing was something that seemed like a good investment.
The loss that happened was not in any way in your control. There is no need to berate yourself about something that was meant to happen. Instead of criticizing and blaming yourself, be kind to yourself and take this as a learning experience.
If it makes you feel better, do your part by telling others the way you were scammed so that other people can be saved from making the same mistake and losing their money.
Online scams have become very common these days; it would be best if you are cautious about dealing with such sources again in the future.
Take Care of Your Emotional and Physical Health
It is essential that you take care of your emotional and physical health. Financial loss, success and failure are all parts of life.
The most important thing is how you deal with losses and failures, and move forward. While what you are going through is highly unfair and uncalled for, taking care of your physical and emotional health will help you regain the strength to start earning the money from the scratch.
You are young, energetic and hardworking. You made your earnings once, and I am sure, with the help of Allah SWT you can do it again. What’s important is not to be consumed by the setback which you have experienced.
Make Time for Yourself
When we experience failure or loss, we tend to become fixated on it. Instead of taking it as merely an event, we start defining our whole worth based on the loss or failure. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that this loss does not define who you are.
You are a person of worth and value no matter what wrong decision you made, whether knowingly or unknowingly. One bad decision does not mean that you are incapable of making any right ones.
Rather than being overwhelmed by the loss, make time every day to treasure who you are as a person and the things that have helped you come this far. Value yourself, and you will be able to rebuild yourself from scratch before you know it.
Allah SWT Is the Sole Provider
Brother, we often find things difficult because we tend to take everything into our own hands. Remember that Allah SWT is the sole provider and the Raaziq.
He provides food even to the small black ant, on a black mountain on a dark night. He is the All Seer and All Listener. He listens to each and every one of His creations and knows what hardships they are going through.
In the Quran, Allah SWT says:
“Verily thy Lord does provide sustenance in abundance for whom He Pleases, and (for some) He provides in a just measure: for He does know and regard all His servants.” [17:30]
Indeed, Allah does not burden anyone more than they can take as He also says in the Quran:
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear…” [2:286]
Ask Allah SWT for Help and Guidance
Nothing is difficult for Allah SWT. Like you said, it took you years to earn and save money then, you lost it within a couple of days.
Brother, it is also possible to make a fortune within a short span of time. Nothing is impossible for Allah SWT. You just have to have faith, persevere and accept whatever Allah SWT has written for you.
May Allah give you the strength to bear the loss and reward you for persevering.
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