Gaza and the Fatigue of Waiting for Change

Growing up, my parents often said, “Give it time.” At the time, I didn’t fully understand it. I thought it was their way of dismissing my ambitions or delaying the outcomes I desperately wanted. To my younger self, patience seemed like a way of putting things off, as if they didn’t believe in my goals. But, how wrong I was.

Forty-five years later, the wisdom behind those words has become clearer than ever. Time has revealed their true meaning—not as a call to surrender, but as an invitation to trust the process. It was about recognising that life unfolds in ways we often can’t predict, and that patience is sometimes the most powerful tool we have.

Learning the Value of Time

As a young person, I craved instant results. Whether it was in my studies, personal goals, or understanding the world around me, I wanted things to happen quickly. “Give it time” felt passive, almost like a cop-out. But now, with decades of experience behind me, I realise how much of life’s most important outcomes require the steady hand of patience.

Have you come to the same realisation? What once felt dismissive now seems deeply wise. As I look back, I can see that many of the things I was anxious to rush through needed time to develop. Whether it was career achievements, emotional growth, or even healing from personal losses, time often provided the clarity and results I couldn’t grasp in the moment.

Gaza and the Fatigue of Waiting

Reflecting on this idea of time, I can’t help but think about Gaza and the ongoing suffering over the last year, emotions were running high. People were full of energy—activists, Islamic scholars (ulema), thinkers, and the general public alike. It seemed like there was a surge of hope, passion, and a belief that change was imminent. But as the months wore on, fatigue set in. Many have been left feeling deflated, disillusioned, or even defeated.

I’ve watched as that early surge of activism has slowly given way to despair. It’s easy to understand why: when you see no immediate change, it’s natural to feel frustrated. People begin to express this frustration in different ways—some resort to blaming others, some turn inward in anger, and others disengage entirely, burying themselves in the distractions of everyday life. The waiting becomes too much, and hopelessness creeps in.

And yet, this is exactly where the lesson of “give it time” resonates so deeply. It’s not a call to be passive, nor is it a way of brushing off the harsh realities of Gaza. It’s a reminder that real change—often takes much longer than we expect or hope for. The process is far from linear, and the victory we long for don’t always come on our desired timeline.

The Promise of Allah and the Importance of Perseverance

For Muslims, this understanding is rooted in our Iman . The victory promised by Allah isn’t something that follows a fixed timetable. No human being, with our limited understanding, can predict exactly when or how it will manifest. We don’t have the wisdom to foresee Allah’s plan. What we do have is the obligation to continue our efforts, no matter how long it takes.

We are taught to trust in Allah’s timing, knowing that our responsibility lies in the striving, not in the results. As the Qur’an teaches us, “Indeed, with hardship comes ease” (94:6). This verse doesn’t promise instant relief, but it reassures us that after hardship, ease will come—though it may not arrive when we expect it. The ease could come in ways we never anticipated, in times we never imagined.

Our efforts in seeking victory, advocating for the oppressed, and working for change are what matter most. These efforts may not yield immediate results, but they are valuable in themselves. It’s not our job to control the outcome; that belongs to Allah (swt) . What is required of us is to maintain our resolve, even when we feel drained and defeated.

Examples from Life and History

The life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offers profound lessons in this regard. His mission to spread Islam took over two decades of struggle, sacrifice, and patience. During this time, he and his followers faced severe persecution, loss, and hardship. The victory of Islam didn’t come overnight. Instead, it was the result of years of consistent effort, often in the face of what seemed like insurmountable obstacles.

In the Qur’an, Allah swears by time in the verse, ‘By time, indeed mankind is in loss” (Surah Al-Asr), highlighting the significance of patience and the passing of time in human life. Yet, despite this divine reminder, mankind often falls into the trap of wanting everything to happen immediately. In a world obsessed with instant results, we forget that time is a creation of Allah, meant to unfold events according to His wisdom and plan. Our desire for immediate outcomes leads to impatience and a sense of control over things that only Allah governs. While we may rush and demand results now, it is ultimately Allah who knows the right time for every outcome, reminding us to trust in His timing rather than our own short-sighted desires.

Balancing Patience with Action

It’s crucial to understand that “give it time” isn’t an excuse for complacency. Just as my parents encouraged me to be patient, they also pushed me to work hard. The two go hand-in-hand. Patience without effort leads to stagnation, and effort without patience leads to burnout.

In the context of Gaza, the same principle applies. We must continue our efforts—raising awareness, offering support, and speaking out against Occupation —while trusting that the larger outcome is in Allah’s hands. We aren’t passive observers; we are active participants in the process. But we must also recognise that the fruits of our labour may take time to ripen.

Looking back, I now see that my parents weren’t telling me to give up when they said, “give it time.” They were teaching me one of life’s most important lessons. Whether it’s in our personal lives or in the broader fight for justice, time plays a critical role in how things unfold. It teaches us patience, resilience, and faith in something greater than ourselves.

As we navigate the difficulties of Gaza let’s remember the wisdom of giving things time. It’s not a call to sit back and do nothing, but a reminder that our efforts contribute to the bigger picture. Victory may not come when we expect it, but it will come. And when it does, we’ll look back and understand that everything happened at the right time.

So, keep striving, keep believing, and trust that with patience, the change we seek will come, even if it takes longer than we had hoped.