Zayna sits in a crowded lecture hall, tapping her pen on her notebook. Her attention drifts from the professor’s voice to the students around her. Then she sees Ayan sitting near the window. The sunlight hits his face just right, and he looks completely at ease as he jots down notes.
Zayna can’t help but stare. He’s so different, she thinks. The words on the professor’s slides blur as her mind starts to wander. A voice in her head whispers, it’s just admiration, no harm in looking. Zayna shrugs it off, but the seed has been planted.
The Obsession Begins
Later that evening, Zayna is in her bedroom, scrolling through Instagram. Absentmindedly, she comes across a familiar face—Ayan’s profile. He’s tagged in a group photo from an event on campus. Curiosity grips her. Just one click, the whisper says. You’re just being friendly.
She hesitates, then clicks. His profile opens up, filled with candid photos of him smiling, traveling, and hanging out with friends. She scrolls deeper, intrigued by his captions and the way he seems so approachable yet unattainable. Without thinking, she taps the follow button.
Over the next few days, Zayna finds herself constantly checking Ayan’s profile—during class, during meals, even before bed. The whisper in her head grows louder. He’s perfect for you. Imagine getting to know him. Maybe this could be something special.
She starts noticing him more on campus – his laugh, the way he carries himself, even the way he talks to others. It becomes harder to focus on her studies as her thoughts revolve around him. When a notification pops up on her phone – Ayan posted a new story – she feels an unexplainable excitement.
“Reply to his story,” the whisper suggests. “It’s harmless.”
The Illusion of Harmlessness
One evening, Zayna decides to reply to one of Ayan’s Instagram stories. He had posted a picture of a book he was reading. Her message reads:
“That’s a great book! I read it last semester.”
To her surprise, he replies:
“Really? What did you think of it?”
That small conversation opens a door. Over the next few days, their chats become more frequent. Zayna starts looking forward to his replies, checking her phone every few minutes. The whispers encourage her to keep going.
“You’re just getting to know him. It’s not like you’re doing anything wrong.”
But deep down, she starts to feel uneasy. Her salah is rushed. Her Quran sits untouched on her desk. She feels distracted during conversations with her family, even missing important deadlines for her assignments.
Weeks pass, and Zayna is consumed by her thoughts of Ayan. She overanalyzes his replies, wondering what he thinks of her. She even starts daydreaming about a future with him.
One evening, Zayna sits alone in her room, refreshing their chat. He hasn’t replied to her latest message, and it’s been hours. Her heart races as doubts creep in.
“What if he’s losing interest? What if he never liked you in the first place?”
The whisper feeds her insecurity.
“Try harder. Send another message. Don’t let him forget about you.”
Zayna feels an ache in her chest – a heavy, anxious feeling that doesn’t go away.
A Wake-Up Call
One weekend, Zayna is sitting with her older brother, Naveed, during a family dinner. He notices she’s distracted, constantly glancing at her phone.
“Zayna, you’ve been glued to that thing all day. What’s going on?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
“It’s nothing,” she replies, setting her phone down reluctantly.
But Naveed doesn’t let it go.
“You’ve been different lately. You’re distracted, stressed. If something’s bothering you, talk to me.”
Zayna sighs, opening up.
“It’s complicated. I’ve just been thinking about someone a lot. I don’t know why, but it’s like I can’t stop.”
Naveed’s expression softens.
“Zayna, listen to me. Sometimes, Shaytan tricks us into thinking we need something or someone that isn’t good for us. You’re letting your thoughts control you, and that’s exactly what he wants. You need to take back control.”
His words hit Zayna like a wake-up call. She realizes how much time and energy she’s wasted and how distant she’s become from the things that matter most.
That night, Zayna sits on her bed, staring at her phone. She knows what she needs to do but hesitates.
The whisper returns, desperate.
“Don’t do it. You’ll regret this.”
But this time, Zayna fights back.
“No. This has to stop.”
She unfollows Ayan’s profile, deletes his number, and turns her phone off. A heavy weight lifts from her chest as she leans back, closing her eyes.
Finding Peace in Letting Go
Over the following days, Zayna fills her time with more meaningful activities. She picks up her Quran again, spends more time with her family, and focuses on her studies. It’s not easy. There are moments when she’s tempted to check Ayan’s profile or send him a message – but she resists.
Whenever the whisper returns, she reminds herself: This is a test, and Allah’s pleasure is worth far more than temporary feelings.
Weeks later, Zayna sits in the park, reading her Quran under the shade of a tree. The sun is warm, the air is peaceful, and her heart feels light. She realizes that the emptiness she felt wasn’t because of Ayan – it was because she had distanced herself from Allah.
As she closes the Quran, a faint smile appears on her face.
“This is what I needed all along,” she thinks.
My Advice
Sometimes, it’s not even a whisper from Shaytan – it’s a genuine feeling. But how do we judge whether a feeling is from Allah or from Shaytan? The answer lies in what we do after that feeling arises.
If it leads us to sin, distraction, or distance from Allah, then it’s a test we need to overcome. If it brings us closer to Allah and makes us a better person, then it may be something worth pursuing.
If you truly like someone, make it halal – get your family involved, consider marriage, and seek Allah’s guidance. But if it’s not in your hands, then let it go. Make dua to Allah either to give that person to you or to remove the attachment from your heart.
And in the meantime? Focus on your career, your studies, and your relationship with Allah. Because true peace isn’t found in chasing someone – it’s found in trusting Allah’s plan for you.
