Why Doesn't Allah Guide Me?

You are on a road trip, trying to reach your destination, but somewhere you took a wrong turn and ended up lost.  While lost, you drive at random, hoping that you will still reach your destination.  You complain that no one is guiding you.
"Why won't anyone point me in the right direction?"
If you don't pull over and ask for directions, how can anyone guide you?  If you don't read the signs on the road, and refuse to look at a map, how do you expect to arrive where you intended to go?
We are all tourists of the Dunya, trying to reach the ultimate destination: Jennah.
Like the random traveler, we have all the resources we need at our disposal, but it is up to us whether we use those tools or neglect them.  It is up to us whether we fulfill the purpose of our journey, or end up lost.

Despite the fact that these resources have been laid out for our disposal, many still claim that they have not been guided.
Those who were heedless of Allah's signs will say this on the Day of Judgement:

"Lest any man should say 'If God had guided me I would have been a righteous man.' For God will say to him: 'Yes, indeed.  My revelations did come to you; but you denied them.  You were arrogant and had no faith at all.'" (39:57-59)
أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِي لَكُنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ
بَلَىٰ قَدْ جَاءَتْكَ آيَاتِي فَكَذَّبْتَ بِهَا وَاسْتَكْبَرْتَ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ

When thinking about guidance, this is the approach many use in the Dunya. Many use the excuse "Allah didn't choose to guide me.”  The above Ayah shows us what Allah’s response will be so we must avoid falling into this trap of placing scapegoats for our own deficiencies.  We must take our guidance into our own hands.  We must guide ourselves.  

Of course, no one can seek guidance through any other place but through Allah, for He is The Guide الهادي, and whomever He chooses to guide, no one can misguide.  But the question is: Who does He choose to guide? 
Allah sends His guidance in many forms, it is never Allah who misguides us, but rather our own flawed nature.  The opportunity for guidance may come knocking at our door but we choose whether or not to open it.
The problem is when we ask Allah to guide us with our tongues, but we don't seek Allah's guidance through our actions.  You may say you want guidance, but if your actions don't correlate with it, then you probably don't really want it in your heart.  If you strive for something in your heart, you should be willing to sacrifice for it, to obey it and to serve it.  If you strive for the love and guidance of Allah, you must first sacrifice in His name, obey Him, and serve Him.


“Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in their own hearts.” (13:11)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ

The person who asks Allah for guidance but makes no effort to change himself is like the student who expects his professor to give him an A but refuses to study for the exam.

The doctor may prescribe medicine for a patient, but he won't drive to your house and make sure you take the recommended dosage.  If your sickness worsens is it the doctor's fault or your own?


If you enter an incorrect equation into a calculator do you blame the manufacturer when you arrive at the wrong answer?  We may be entering the wrong equation, looking for guidance in the wrong way but that does not mean that Allah has not provided a path for us.

Some people wait for their faith to become strong before practicing Islam, they don't understand that practicing Islam is what will strengthen their faith.

"A light has come to you from God and a glorious Book, with which God will guide to the paths of peace those that seek to please Him." (5:16)
يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ


"Indeed, Allah lets go astray whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back to Him." (13:27)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ أَنَاب

In the above Ayah we are told clearly that once we turn to Allah, and seek Him, not just with empty words, but with actions, we will be rightly guided. 

When you ask Allah for guidance, don't just stand there...start walking!
Allah says:

"Whoever comes to Me walking, I will go to him running." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith Qudsi)

Those first steps toward Allah are often the hardest, and many may find themselves overwhelmed.  You don't have to memorize the whole Quran and wake up for tahajudd prayers every night in order to gain the love and guidance of Allah, the simplest actions and efforts are the most beloved to Allah as long as we are consistent. 

"My servant does not come closer to me with anything more dear to Me than that which I made obligatory upon him...." (Hadith Qudsi)

“The most beloved actions to Allah are those performed consistently, even if they are few." (Bukhari)

Performing the acts which are beloved to Allah are how we establish our main connection with Allah.  Until we have that connection to Allah we will not be able to SEE His guidance clearly or reflect upon it. 

The Quran is our main link to Allah, through it Allah speaks to us and this is also one of our main resources of guidance.  
Think of Quran as the map which, after we study, allows us to feel safe enough to venture into the Dunya with the confidence that we won’t end up lost.

"This Quran will guide men to that which is most upright" (17:9)

إِنَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًا

“But whoever turns away from My Remembrance (Message), he will have a hard life, and we will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgement.” (20:124)

وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ


The soul that is corrupted with too much love of this world will not be able to clearly see guidance when it comes to it.
If you are searching for God, you will find Him in the good deeds you commit.  You will find Him in the friend you aid, the elderly you care for, the needy you help, and the face you smile in.  Purify your heart with the desire to please Allah and Allah will open your heart up to His guidance and you will see His signs everywhere around you.

So next time you question whether or not Allah is guiding you, instead question your own self, your own intentions and efforts.  Have you chased Allah's guidance?  Have you reached toward it with both hands, trying to grasp it but failing?  Chances are, Allah has sent guidance knocking on your door many times, but you mistook it for a stranger and refused to open the door.


We ask the One who loves to give and gives repeatedly to grant us a special mercy and secret weapon, a heart that does not deviate from the true path.

"Lord, do not deviate our heart after you have guided us, and grant us from Yourself mercy: You are the Ever-Giving." (3:8)

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ

I apologize for any incorrect information or mistakes, all mistakes are from myself and all correct information and beneficial knowledge is only by the  Mercy of Allah, and Allah is knowing of all things