Overcoming barriers.

i have been thinking about this for awhile now.

if you have a goal/s you want to reach, say seeking knowledge, getting married, basically you are trying to attain something that isnt currently in your control and that you will need to work hard to attain it, how do you go about it?

for example, with the above 2 examples, you may have parents/family that stop you, or you need to look after your own family or you dont have the money... generally there is some sort of hurdle you need to overcome which isnt it your hands to dispose of.

but

you really want to achieve those things and benefit yourself and your community and have a conformable aakhira, no?

so how do overcome these things to achieve this great thing you want to achieve? is it possible that you may be getting stopped because of your sins and Allah has deprived the blessing of their reward (i cant remember, is it possible to be prevented good because of your sins?)

but on the other hand, i cant help but think maybe that's they whole idea behind achieving such great things, that some rules barriers have to be broken unwillingly (not unless they go against your parents if allah hasn't allowed it though).

so yes, my question is how do you overcome these barriers and attain whatever it is you want to achieve?
what are the practical measures you can take?

Hazrat Ali (Karam Allahu Wajha) said "I recognized my Lord by the failure of my determination."

Whenever people fail in whatever they have determined to do, no matter how great it is, if the Lord does not want, then it wont happen because He is knower of all that is in the Unseen (Ghaib).What might seem great to us, might not be for us. It might be generally a good thing, but not the right time for us to do it or may be we are not fit for it.

Also in the words of Hazrat Ali (r.a) , our failure to do things because of Our Lords decree, makes us understand and feel how Powerful God is, which might make us increase our Consciousness of Him, bringing us more close to Him.

(11:07) ...Verily Your Sustainer is a Sovereign dooer of whatever He wills.


Being conent with whatever Allah (swt) decrees for one, makes one at peace.Any person who is poor, and wants to make a lot of money and tries struggling much for it, however he is destined not to make more than what he does by Allah, but does that mean it cannot change ? Yes it can if Allah wills, He can change his destiny as He has control over everything. But till his destiny does not change, a True Believer is supposed to accept it and is content with it, like the one who willingly drinks bitter Medicine.


Prophet Muhammad (saw) said "No Muslim is afflicted by an injury, be it sickness or some such thing, but that God, may He be Exalted, makes his sins drop off (by means of this) just as a tree sheds its leaves." (Bukhari)

So even though the Muslim struggling and being content with whatever God has written for him, and faces tough time, and is obedient to his Lord, then he still gets rewarded for it for him being patient with God's decree.

So if God has not decreed, we cannot over come, we would be much at peace within ourselves by accepting rather than trying to change something we cannot.

While I agree with what Bro.Syed said above. I personally tend to look at barriers in a different light. I see the barriers as being the exercise equipment to build up the strength we need to attain our goals.

While it is true if we are not intended to have something, we will never get it. That does not mean we will not benefit in our attempts to get it. A person may have a goal of becoming a surgeon, yet never overcomes the barriers, but while fighting those barriers he may become an excellent research biologist.

Assalaamu Alaykum,

Masha'Allaah that is a good question and many good replies have been given.

As mentioned above, it may be that Allaah (swt) knows it is better to delay reaching that goal until we are ready, hence it is His way of preparing us for it. Perhaps the things we learn along the way will allow us to derive much more benefit when we finally reach that goal Insha'Allaah. And one of the greatest things to prepare is the right intention for that goal.

It is also a great test of patience. Barriers don't necessarily have to be broken, but I guess it depends on the circumstances. But things might go better if you can find a way of achieving your goal without causing damage elsewhere. It's no good rushing into something and then finding you have created more problems than have been solved.

I think one of the most beautiful things to remember is have the intention. Intention is a very powerful tool. A person can be rewarded for something he didn't do, simply because he intended to do it if it were in his ability to do so. So even if you're held back from your goals but in your heart there is a firm determination for a noble goal like seeking knowledge, you could still be rewarded for it. Allaah knows best, but maybe this is similar to the following:
And Allaah (swt) knows best.

So many good posts! I don't have anything to add. There are all so valid.

Further to what I mentioned about intentions, I just came across the same thing elsewhere: