How Can I Prepare Myself to Move from Egypt to the West?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I’m a recently graduated high school student from Egypt and will be doing my undergrad studies in the Netherlands. What practical steps should I take over the summer to prepare for life in the West? I’ve already begun learning about the fiqh of food, gender interactions, etc.
Answer
Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for thinking ahead and for anticipating problems before they happen.
Local Resources
The best thing that you can do is go to your local mosque and ask most of your questions there. They will be familiar with what you need, connect you with different services, and tell you where to find halal food, etc. They can also advise you about school and work, and how to navigate working environments with non-Muslim co-workers. Also, brace yourself for the shocking things you will see. There is much to learn, but don’t worry, much is learnt on the job, and some things are impossible to prepare you for until you face them.
Values
No matter what, stay close to your religion and maintain prophetic character as much as you can with everyone around you. And hold strong to the cultural values that you have from Egypt, many of them are Islamic. Allah Most High has told us: “(…) And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them, and provide for them from sources they could never imagine. And whoever puts their trust in Allah, then He (alone) is sufficient for them. Certainly, Allah achieves His Will. Allah has already set a destiny for everything.” [Quran, 65:2-3]
Also, you should learn how to cook Egyptian koshari at home since you may not be able to find any restaurant that has it.
Please see these links for more tips:
Obeying the Law of the Land in the West
Working Within Non-Islamic Law
How Do I Deal with the Growing Trend of LGBTQ All Around Us?
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
