Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salamu Alykum,

First of all, May Allah reward you with goodness for your effort doing this wonderful website, Machaallah. If you do not mind, I have some life issues to share with you and if you can advise me:

I am from Morocco and I live right now in the USA. I came here because I had some problems when my first experience in the workplace. I realized that I could not deal with people there. It is very taught.. I have been in the USA like 15 months. Everyone in my family want me to stay here cause in USA I can built my career. When in USA I have changed completely, I became Al hamdoliallah very close to Allah (swt), I found the right path, I understand the purpose of this life, which is worship Allah. Al hamdoliallah I feel better, I read Quran, I memorize it, I read Sira, fast 2 days a week, I go to the mosque, attend Halakat, listen most of the time to Quran, lectures and Islamic Nasheed...Alhamdoliallah But subhanaallah I feel it is not here I should be, I have to be in my country with my brothers and sisters in Islam. There I can do a lot even the environment to practise Islam is harsh!!. Also, I have my mum lives at home alone, so I was saying it is a good opportunity cause the paradise is under her feet.

You may ask the question: then where is the problem?

The problem is I really cannot work there cause the issue of dealing with people, wallahi I cannot help it!

Please your advice, do I have to stay here or go back to my country? if so, then what are the alternatives.

Jazakum Allah Khyrn

May Allah lead us to the right path, show us is just and grant us the way to follow, show us what is evil and grant us the way to avoid, Ameen

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Live serve mother

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: …..Please your advice, do I have to stay here or go back to my country? if so, then what are the alternatives.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 20 Surah Ta Ha verses 4-6:

4 (This Quran is) A revelation from Him Who created the earth and the heavens on high.

5 (Allah) Most Gracious is firmly established on the Throne (of Authority).

6 To Him (Allah) belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and on earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 42:

42 Yea! To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; and to Allah is the final goal (of all).

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, the whole of the universe, every single inch of it beyond exception, belongs to Allah Subhanah Alone….thus it is perfectly permissible in Islam for one to stay and reside anywhere one wills. Wheresoever one may choose to reside on this earth, one should know with total and absolute conviction that Allah Subhanah Alone is their Lord, Creator, and Sustainer and it is He and He Alone Who deserves all worship.

It is entirely upto you to choose where you will be best able to fulfill your test and trial of life….in a foreign land or in your own country. If you indeed feel that living in a country other than yours has helped and developed you to be a better muslim and worshipper of the Lord, by all means, stay in that land and serve your Lord.

The issue of your mother living alone away from you is obviously a big one!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Bani Israel verses 23-24:

Your Lord has enjoined the following: You should not worship anyone but Him Alone! Treat your parents with great kindness; if either or both of them attain old age, do not even say ‘uff’ to them; nor rebuke them; but speak to them kind words. Treat them with humility and tenderness and pray, “O our Lord, be merciful to them, just as they brought me up with kindness and affection in my childhood.”

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4941 Narrated by Abu Umamah

A man said, "O Messenger of Allah (saws), what rights can parents demand from their children?" He (saws) replied, "They are (or your relation with them will determine) your Paradise or your Hell."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4939 Narrated by Mu'awiyah ibn Jahimah

Jahimah came to the Prophet (saws) and said, "Messenger of Allah (saws), I desire to go on a military expedition and I have come to consult you. He (saws) asked him if he had a mother, and when he replied that he had, he (saws) said, "Stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6189 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Let him be humbled into dust! Let him be humbled into dust!’ It was said: ‘O Allah's Messenger (saws), who is he?’ He (saws) said: ‘He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise (through his deeds of service towards them)!’

Dear and beloved brother, although it is possible for one to make arrangements for the proper upkeep of one’s parents from afar, it would obviously be best if one finds one or both of one’s parents old, and one was near at hand to serve them.

In our humble opinion brother, your best and most righteous option is to humbly and politely ask your mother what is it that she wants or prefers…..if you get even the slightest hint or indication that she would be better served and happier if you were to live with her, then either bring her to your adopted land and serve her there, or if that is not possible, you go and live with her and serve her where she resides. If you could bring yourself to give preference to her likes and dislikes above your own only for the Sake and Pleasure of Allah Subhanah, Allah is our witness brother, you cannot even imagine the rewards that will await you in the Presence of your Lord Most Gracious, Most Merciful…..Insha Allah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan