(this is probably a long shot but i'm almost out of options so here goes nothing) hi, everyone. i'm a 400lvl chemical engineering student of the university of lagos seeking a six-month undergrad internship position for my SIWES. i'm of good academic standing (a 4.56/5.0 CGPA) and
Al-Imām Ibnul Qayyim explains this with a clarity that is both sobering and merciful in his book Ad-Dā wa-d-Dawā (The Disease and the Cure). He explains that sins have real, tangible consequences, even when we prefer to imagine them as merely abstract. One of those consequences is deprivation. And it's not always in obvious forms, but often in subtle effective ways—like a door or goodness that should have opened but didn’t, a heart that feels heavy in worship and hence doesn't find khushū’ (tranquility) in it, a duʿā’ that finds no response, a provision that comes with strain instead of ease.
He explains that obedience is light and disobedience is darkness. When darkness accumulates, it clouds perception, weakens resolve, and interrupts the flow of Allah's assistance. He also explains that blessings are not limited to just money or ease the way everyone has clouded their judgement of these two things; they include clarity, barakah in time, tranquility of the heart, love for good deeds, and being guided toward what benefits you. Sin can subtly block these without you realizing what you lost, because Allah may still give you what sustains your body while withholding what sustains your soul. Quick breakout, but this is one of the reasons why people who enjoy the dunya think people who are Allah-driven or Islam-centered are missing out.
At the same time, Al-Imām Ibnul Qayyim was careful and balanced. He neither said that every hardship is a punishment, nor that every delay is proof of sin. In fact, this idea was a lot referenced in the early chapters too. Some delays are elevation. Some trials are purification. Some hardships are gifts wrapped in difficulty so that the servant will rise to the level of that goodness. But he makes a crucial distinction: when sins are persistent and repentance is absent, deprivation becomes a form of discipline. And in cases like this, it is not that Allah has abandoned the servant, but that He intends to correct him.
He likens sins to poison. A little may not kill immediately, but repetition weakens the body over time. Likewise, repeated sins weaken īmān, and weakened īmān struggles to carry Barakah. Allah is generous, but His generosity flows through wisdom. He gives, withholds, opens, and delays in ways that align with justice and mercy together.
The cure, then, is not despair or obsessive self-blame. The cure is sincere tawbah, humility, and returning to Allah with honesty. Al-Imām Ibnul Qayyim reminds us that repentance itself attracts provision, relief, and light. When a servant turns back to Allah, Allah turns to him more swiftly. Many blockages are removed the moment the heart softens and admits its need.
So the question is not meant to paralyze us; it is meant to orient us—are our blessings being blocked by our sins? If something feels blocked, look inward before you look outward. And don't panic...just be a person of sincerity in that moment. Because sometimes the blessing you’re waiting for is already written, and repentance is the key Allah placed in your hand to reach it. Hence, the repentance becomes the sabab (means).
@AskMichaelTaiwo@MtScholarships 1. Unique ID: 453091 (2025) 541648 (2024)
My name is Oyebanji Hiqmah Kehinde, I graduated last year with a 2:1 in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Ilorin. I was the sole recipient of the Super Volunteer award at my induction into the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Writing my PhD. thesis has turned me into a disciplined person. I've never met this version of myself before. And those who talk down on degrees underplay how difficult it is to be self-motivated. It is a battle of wits and will combined.
Dear Prospective and Serving Corps Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),
✅The state where you serve doesn’t guarantee a successful service year; what you do with the service year does.
✅Refrain from wanting to lobby to serve in your most preferred location. Your preferred location might be a comfort zone, and to succeed, you must learn to leave your comfort zone. The hottest fire makes the finest steel.
✅Get involved while in the orientation camp. Pretending to be sick so you won’t do anything throughout the orientation period isn’t being smart. The connections you make while actively participating in orientation activities will become valuable later in life.
✅Before reporting to your place of primary assignment (PPA), know your rights as a corps member and the regulations guiding your service year.
✅Teaching one or multiple subjects from JSS1 to SSS3 alone isn’t being hardworking, it’s exploitation. Don’t do it.
✅Don’t fall for “we’ll retain you if you work hard.” They’ll drain you and move on to the next “corper.” You’re most likely not the first “corper” to serve there. How many “corpers” did they retain before you? “Corpers” will come and go. Do your job like every other staff and leave, but if they choose to retain you, that’s a plus.
✅Don’t avoid Community Development Service (CDS). Be intentional about the CDS group you belong to. I joined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) CDS because of my interests in goal 3 (good health & well-being) and goal 4 (quality education). Today, I’m a study abroad/grad school advocate and a PhD candidate doing public health-related research.
✅Develop a savings culture. I saved from my N33k allowance to pay for my first-ever (international) passport and one grad school application fee. That’s the passport my US visa was stamped on.
✅Don’t spend this 1 year on frivolities. See this as an exclusive year to AGGRESSIVELY pursue your life goals. It was during this one year that I applied to 7 schools in the USA and got 6 fully-funded (scholarship) offers. I received my first funded admission on my POP day. All my admission letters bear my Benue address. You can do great things from anywhere—your location isn’t a barrier.
✅During this service year, make friends and connections that align with your post-NYSC goals. One of the strongest recommendation letters in my grad school application packet came from an NYSC connection. You could build the next “Fortune 500” startup with your NYSC friend.
✅Your undergrad, pre-NYSC, and NYSC years are the only years of your life that are excusable. During these years, if someone asks you, “What have you been up to?,” you could easily say, “I’m still in school,” “I’m waiting for NYSC mobilization/call-up,” “I’m currently serving.” After that, no more excuses.
I’m a proud ex-Benue (Makurdi) “corper.”
Even if you’re not a corps member, send this to any prospective or serving “corper” you know to help them make the best out of their service year.
#IWillNotWinAlone
📣 It’s official! #Chevening applications will open on 5 August and close on 7 October!
We’re looking for people who are passionate about solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges… could you be one of them? 👇
https://t.co/g6Jgl1Paio
#MyFriendsACheveningScholar
✨ announcing #thecrimsonvigilante preorder campaign ✨
preorder THE CRIMSON VIGILANTE and submit your receipt by 25/7 to receive an art print with your copy!
preorder and submit receipts here: https://t.co/9ComfHtR9x
open internationally.