Hope is one of the most powerful forces in human life. Dictionaries define it as “the feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen”. It is an inner conviction that tomorrow can be brighter than today.

In Islam, however, hope is not a vague optimism. It is rooted in faith in Allah (swt), His mercy, and His promise that after hardship comes ease. True, hope in Islam is intertwined with trust (tawakkul) in the Creator and the belief that His plan is always just, even when life feels uncertain.

Hope lies within, in the core of us, in our heart. It is the fuel that enables people to rise each morning with determination, to endure struggles, and to strive for better outcomes. Without it, despair takes root, and despair can lead to destruction. In fact, losing hope is often the beginning of giving up – on education, on careers, on relationships, even on life itself.

This is especially true for the youth. When young people feel hopeless, they are vulnerable to depression, destructive habits, crime, and even thoughts of suicide. A society that allows its youth to drown in hopelessness is a society walking towards its own decline.

The Koran and Sunnah are filled with reminders that Allah’s mercy is greater than all hardship. Allah says: “And never give up hope of Allah’s mercy. Indeed, none gives up hope of Allah’s mercy except the disbelieving people.” (Koran, 12:87). This verse teaches that to despair of Allah’s mercy is to misunderstand Him, for He is Ar-Rahman, the Most Merciful.

Islam balances hope with fear. Fear keeps us from arrogance and wrongdoing, while hope lifts us from despair and pushes us to improve. Together, they nurture a healthy, balanced soul. The believer never despairs, because he knows Allah forgives, guides, and replaces sorrow with ease.

Having God in one’s life is the ultimate source of hope. When a young person realises that the Creator of the heavens and Earth is watching over them, their struggles become lighter. Hope becomes more than just a wish – it becomes an act of faith.

Hope is not passive. The Koran commands believers to create and safeguard hopeful societies through justice and action: “Let there arise among you a group inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. And it is they who will be successful.” (Koran, 3:104).

This means every believer, and by extension every family, community, and nation, is responsible for upholding what is right. Hope is nurtured not just through words but through environments where justice is visible, opportunities are created, and compassion is lived.

Allah also warns: “If you turn away, He will replace you with another people, and they will not be like you.” (Koran, 47:38). If societies neglect their duty to uphold justice and provide hope, they risk being replaced. Thus, hopelessness is not merely an individual crisis but a collective failure – one that endangers the survival of communities themselves. This is the Koranic call to responsibility. A total civic duty guided by divine command.

A life without hope is a life without direction. When hopelessness spreads, especially among the youth, it leads to cycles of poverty, crime, addiction, and violence. A young person who believes the future holds nothing good may abandon education, fall into despair, or even become susceptible to extremist ideologies that exploit their sense of loss.

This is the soil of which gangs are planted, allow to grow and thrive; this is the danger of hopelessness. Hopelessness is not just an emotional struggle; it is a societal wound. If left untreated, it festers and eats away at the moral and social fabric of a nation.

Mahatma Gandhi, said: “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.”

Every stakeholder in society – governments, educators, faith leaders, parents, and community organisers – has a duty to provide hope. Governments provide hope by ensuring justice, equality, and opportunities for all citizens. Schools provide hope by equipping young people with knowledge and skills to thrive. Faith leaders provide hope by reminding people of God’s mercy and guiding them through spiritual challenges. Families provide hope through love, support, and encouragement.

When these stakeholders fail, hopelessness grows. But when they succeed, hope becomes a collective light that empowers the individual, uplifts the community, and strengthens the nation.

For young people especially, hope must be anchored in faith. They must be reminded that the power to succeed lies within them, but it only reaches its full potential when coupled with trust in Allah, the God of us all. A youth who believes that Allah is with them will never see themselves as powerless, no matter the hardship.

Islam gives us the tools to instil this hope: prayer, Koran, community support, and the reminder that, “Indeed, with hardship comes ease.” (Koran 94:6).

Hope is more than a feeling; it is a lifeline. Without it, people crumble. With it, they rise. Islam teaches us that true hope is not blind optimism but a firm belief in Allah’s mercy, combined with action, justice, and responsibility.

If communities wish to survive and flourish, they must protect hope – in their policies, in their schools, in their homes, and most importantly, in the hearts of their youth. Because when hope is alive and tied to faith, despair has no chance, and a nation thrives under the light of Allah’s guidance.

I attended a function where Juan Wolffe, the Supreme Court judge, spoke and his words resonated profoundly with me. He said: “Any society that proclaims to be for its people must as a primary mandate ensure that the most vulnerable people are taken care of. I’m talking about our senior citizens, our youth, and yes, I’m talking about those who do not have a piece of this Bermuda pie.”

In my opinion, right now in Bermuda, hopelessness is at an all time high. Homelessness abounds, jobs are scarce, especially to the children of the soil. Industries that have given the reputation of being ambassadors of Bermuda are under threat, with privatising by large foreign conglomerates targeted to take over. This will benefit only a few; leaving the masses to suffer.

When systems diminish hope, they threaten the very foundation of justice – and that is a cost no child, no family, and no society can afford. The cost of living in Bermuda is already high … let not the cost of hope be much higher.

The genocide across the globe is getting worse as the powers that be allow it, no command it, to spiral into a crazy frenzy. Where is the humanity to stop the madness or is it selected humanity? Animals and plants threatened to become extinct are hastily preserved and protected. Are the lives of selected humans considered unworthy of protection?

Let us ponder on these words: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” by Martin Luther King Jr. He wrote it in his Letter from Birmingham Jail in 1963, where he explained the need for civil rights activists to fight for equality, even in places far from their homes.

The quote emphasises that injustice is not isolated to one specific location or group. It argues that when people are treated unfairly, it undermines the principles of justice for everyone, everywhere. It highlights the interconnectedness of society and the idea that everyone is affected by the injustices experienced by others.

So let us continue to use our voices and our hearts to demand immediate ceasefire and let justice ring both at home and abroad.

Bermuda, have a safe and blessed week and make it your priority to keep hope coupled with faith alive!

As salaam alaikum (peace be unto you).

• Linda Walia Ming is a member of the Bermuda Hijab Dawah Team, a group of Muslim women who reside in Bermuda and have a goal of educating the community about the religion of Islam