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Fatwa CenterConfused about her Islamic obligations
Question
Please give me advice in my situation. I am a convert Al-Hamdulillaah, living in a non-Muslim country. I graduated at university this month. Now I have to search for a job, because otherwise I have to move back from the capital to my parents' house, in a small town, which in itself is not bad but I need to live in the capital because it is the nearest city where I can attend Islamic lessons and gatherings. But for living in the capital I need to work, since I have to rent a room there and have to earn money to feed myself and also I need money to pay back the student loan I took during my university years (long before my Shahada). In my country it may take a long time to find an honest job where I am allowed to wear Hijaab and perform my prayers in their fixed time. What do you think is more important, to insist on wearing Hijaab/prayers, or to be among Muslims and pay back what I owe? Or can you suggest me any other solution for this problem? Actually, wearing Hijaab is also not possible in my hometown, because my parents forbade me to do it, as I am the only Muslim in this town, and my parents feel that would be a great shame for them if people would see me wearing Hijaab. I read somewhere that according to Islam's teachings my father is supposed to feed me until I get married. But even if my father was Muslim I'm not sure I could expect him to do so, because he already sacrificed a lot (mostly materially) for making me able to attend university. I'm a little bit confused about this.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
First of all we ask Allaah to reward you greatly for embracing Islam, make you steadfast on this religion, and make a way out of your difficulties. You have to know that a Muslim always finds a way out to his difficulties, as whoever fears Allaah, Allaah makes a way out of the hardships that he encounters and provides him from sources he never could imagine. So we advise you to be steadfast on the right path and be sincere and truthful in words and action. We also advise you to be patient as it is the key and the solution to every difficulty, Allaah says (which means): {Verily, he who fears Allaah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds and by performing righteous good deeds) and is patient, then surely Allaah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.}[12:90].
It seems, Allaah knows best, that it is more appropriate for you to stay in the capital with the Muslim community because there you could help each other in righteousness, rather than staying in your own town where no one could help you to do good and you would be exposed to temptation (in your religion). We advise you to present your case to the Muslims who are running the Islamic centres in your country or to the trustworthy Muslim people. We think that they would find a solution to your problem because they know that it is an obligation on them to help you.
If we suppose that you need to work, then it is an obligation on you to look for work where you will be able to perform prayers at their prescribed fixed time and to wear the Hijab. Moreover, it is not permissible for you to take a job that does not allow you to perform your prayers as prescribed, and if there is a dire need to combine prayers like Thuhr and 'Asr, and Maghrib and 'Ishaa', then there is no harm.
Finally, we remind you to be kind to your parents and keep ties of kinship with them as much as you can. The best thing that you could do in being kind to them is to call them to Islam as Allaah may guide them thanks to you.
Allaah knows best.
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