I’ve Been Repenting, Why Is My Life Still Like This?

Words of the Prophetﷺ

Whoever frequently seeks forgiveness (istighfar), Allah will grant them a way out of every sorrow. ease in every hardship, and sustenance from unexpected sources.

Book33Ch.57No.3819

Ibnu Majah. (2008). Sunan Ibnu Majah. Translated by Mohammad Mahdi al-Sharif.

Istighfar thousands of times, but why does it feel like Allah isn’t listening? My sustenance is still the same, my problems aren’t resolved, and my life feels like it’s stuck in place.

More Than Words, It's a Heart's Process

Istighfar is fundamentally a process of heart-centered connection with Allah, through which we cleanse our souls, restore our relationship with Him, and reflect upon our true intentions and purpose.

Minimalist illustration depicting the process of istighfar: a heart's transformation from darkness to purity and light.

This inner change is what opens the door to solutions. 1. A restless heart finds peace. 2. The problems remain, but the heart feels at ease. 3. The wealth isn't what you hoped for, but you start feeling like you have enough.

Moreover, the hadith mentions 'provision from unexpected sources'. It could be that Allah doesn't give us what we ask for, but instead gives us what we truly need. Your istighfar today might be preventing tomorrow's calamity or opening next month's blessing, because Allah has His own way of answering your prayers.

Visualization of the hadith on unexpected provision: a person seeking forgiveness receiving blessings from all directions.

Istighfar doesn't always make your problems disappear, but it changes the condition of your heart and mind in facing them. One of the most noticeable shifts is how your heart responds, because when you make istighfar, you realize that Allah is in control of everything, and you are not alone. That awareness is what turns panic into calm, despair into patience, and blame into acceptance. The same burden can feel so much lighter when the heart is at peace. It's not the situation that changes, it's your heart's capacity to carry it.

In Surah Nuh: 10-12, Allah says: "Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, ˹for˺ He is truly Most Forgiving. He will shower you with abundant rain, supply you with wealth and children, and give you gardens as well as rivers."