It’s easy to take advice from people we admire.
But what happens when the lesson comes from someone who annoys you, criticizes you, or even hurts you?
Sometimes, Allah sends wisdom through people we least expect not to humble them, but to humble us.
THE UNLIKELY TEACHER
You pray for growth, for patience, for stronger faith.
Then Allah sends you a coworker who tests your manners.
A relative who drains your energy.
A stranger who insults you online.
In that moment, you’re not meeting a random person you’re meeting your lesson. Because Allah often wraps guidance in discomfort. The people who irritate you become the mirror reflecting what still needs healing inside you.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The strong one is not the one who defeats others, but the one who controls himself in anger.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
Anger management isn’t learned in peace; it’s learned in provocation. Mercy isn’t mastered through ease; it’s practiced with those who test your limits.
WHEN EGO GETS IN THE WAY
Your ego will whisper, “Why should I learn from them?”
But sincerity means accepting truth, even when it’s delivered by someone you dislike. Ibn Qayyim once wrote that Allah hides His lessons “in the mouths of those we look down upon” to break our pride and polish our hearts.
That’s divine irony at its finest: the person you resist might be the one Allah chose to correct you.
THE GIFT IN ANNOYANCE
Every time you respond with patience, you’re not letting them win — you’re winning yourself. Every time you choose silence over anger, Allah raises your rank. Every time you learn from an enemy, you prove that guidance belongs to Allah alone, not personalities.
“Whoever humbles himself for Allah, Allah will elevate him.” (Muslim)
So the next time someone frustrates you, pause before reacting. Ask yourself — what is Allah teaching me throughthem? Because not all teachers come with kind words or kind faces.
Some come wrapped in irritation, sent for the sole purpose of shaping your character.
And when you finally understand that, even the people who once bothered you become part of your gratitude list for through them, Allah refined you.
