وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

I can relate so much with this. I don’t follow the news closely either and I struggle between feelings of guilt when I don’t and anxiety when I do.

I know this will sound a very basic response, but I believe the answer is in the intention.

If we ignore the news because we don’t care about the ummah, or humanity, that would harden the hearts. But if we don’t follow it because it’s too much to bear, it’s a different story.

Allah says He doesn’t burden a soul with more than it can bear. There are 2 billion Muslims in the Ummah, there’s no soul who can bear the pain of all of them.

He also guides us to prioritise based on closeness, our faith first, parents, family, kinship, neighbours, etc. Most of us can struggle to manage even this inner circle and that is okay, that is human.

And how much we can bear and how much we can do for the Ummah changes throughout time. Maybe right now we are powerless and hopeless, but in the future Allah will create ways for us to help more inshaAllah.

As long as we keep our intentions pure and strive to do all that we can bear, I have faith in Allah’s mercy and guidance. He knows what’s in every heart, and He creates ways from where we cannot expect.