Ramadan is a time of fasting, reflection, and spiritual renewal, but it also brings moments of struggle. Hunger, exhaustion, and personal challenges feel more intense, yet there’s something powerful about enduring them with purpose.

There’s a verse in the Quran that really puts things into perspective:

“If you are suffering, then they too are suffering just as you are suffering, but you hope from Allah what they do not hope…” (4:104)

It’s a simple yet deep reminder—everyone struggles. Hardship is universal. But what sets a believer apart is hope. The knowledge that every difficulty, every sacrifice, isn’t for nothing. It’s a test, a purification, and ultimately, a path toward Allah’s reward.

Hardship Isn’t One-Sided

It’s easy to think we have it worse than others, that our problems are unique. But this verse flips that mindset. Even those we see as our opposition, the ones who seem to have everything together, they suffer too. The difference? They don’t have the same hope in Allah that we do.

That hope makes all the difference. It’s what allows us to push through, to trust the process, to believe that whatever we’re going through is shaping us into something better.

Ramadan Teaches Us This Firsthand

Every time we feel hunger pangs or exhaustion from fasting, we remember—this isn’t just suffering for the sake of suffering. It has meaning. It’s building patience, discipline, and reliance on Allah.

And that’s exactly how we should approach every other struggle in life:

• Patience is key. If we can be patient with fasting, we can be patient with life’s bigger tests.

• We’re not alone. Others are struggling too, and understanding that helps us be more compassionate.

• Hope is everything. Without it, suffering feels pointless. With it, suffering becomes a pathway to something greater.

This verse is a mindset shift. Struggles don’t make us weak—they make us stronger when we attach them to the right purpose. Ramadan is the perfect time to reinforce that belief.

So whatever you’re going through, remember: you’re not alone in your suffering, but you do have something others might not—hope in Allah. And that changes everything.