Oman - a good land to make Hijrah to?

Assalaamu Alaykum,

been a long time since I did a country profile for Hijrah purposes but here are my thoughts on Oman, a country hardly anyone knows about much less considers for Hijrah.

please bare in mind these are my thoughts based on my research but you may have totally different views based on your research and experience so if you disagree with anything let me know because I don't want to misguide anyone.

1. How easy is it to practice the Deen and to what level, also how practicing are the people there?

From what I can tell more people seem to be practicing than many other countries, women cover usually, men as well and praying five times a day is the norm with the promotion of the five pillars by the ulema there.

Oman is unusual in that it is 55% Ibadiyah, then a large minority Ahlus Sunnah, then a smaller Shi'a minority.

Ibadi's are as far as I can tell Ahlul Qibla, i.e Muslims but not of the saved sect, but have some strange rationalist beliefs and are very strict on the five pillars, believing it is kufr to abandon them.

There have been no reports of disappearances, torture, mistreatement etc of those calling to the deen of Allah, unlike in most other arab lands so seems at first glance to be a better place for making Hijrah than many other places.


2. Autopsy allowed or not?

Autopsy is not the norm, usually only when the Royal Omani Police decide there is some suspicious circumstances in the death will an autopsy take place and even then a letter from the British Embassy will usually be respected to stop this from happening.


3. How easy is it to move to this land and how easy or difficult is it to get citizenship?

Need a tourist or work visa to travel there, with little or no chance of getting citizenship but you can remain if have savings or children are supporting you. So would need financial stability to remain in this country or have the kids married and working here to remain long term.


4. What are the employment prospects like for someone like me, an English speaker with no degree?

Like most simular arab nations, the international companies want English speakers which is the normal language for such places, as well as this good opportunities in teaching English.


5. What are the medical facilities like for residents and citizens?

From my own checking the system is private but subsidised for citizens and some residents, would need to check the status of this before moving there to find whether the Job I was doing fell under subsidised medical care or not.


6. What are the other benefits like for residents and citizens?

Good benefits but only for citizens.


7. What is the general culture like there?

Culture is quite steriotypically Arab but they've tried not to become too westernised and hang onto their islamic roots more. They also have a reputation of being hospitable to outsiders unlike some gulf countries.

The cost of living is also much lower and they haven't gone for the boom or broke economic model of many gulf countries, keeping things more moderate and tame.



8. What are the environmental conditions like?

Any sea level rises will cause moderate damage but not too severe and no widespread coastal damage. The country also has a great deal of arable land and a fishing industry and with little tourist industry makes it quite alot more attractive economically when the oil crash comes or this countries oil reserves run out.


9. How stable is the country?

Seems very stable for a muslim country, no border disputes or any disputes so wars very unlikely.


Conclusion

In conclusion it looks very good, stable, not prone to the widespread damage we are likely to see elsewhere with global warming, sea level rises etc.

Seems a better option than many places due to the character of the people and country but issues of not being able to settle perminently unless the kids are there working also.

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Abu Abdillah

Bait ul ilm

Assalaamu Alaykum everyone,

We have now formally started our home schooling of our son, ok he is only 2 and a 1/2 but you cant start too young and he is uber smart already so best to get him learning.

We might ask how does this home schooling differ from the normal pre-school learning done by most kids before they are pushed off to nursery at 4 years old?

Well our house of knowledge, 'bait ul ilm' has started its first formal lessons, not just reading every now and again to your kids, but an hour a day Quran classes for the whole family, plus some basic learning for Abdullah when we can.

So far we've covered numbers, letters in english and arabic and today he learnt a little about weather with pictures of the Sun, clouds, rain, snow and wind. ok it wasn't a picture of the wind which is an impossibility but a picture of a flag moving in the wind but you get the idea.

Seems simple doesn't it? Is there anyone out there reading this who feels this is beyond them as parents to home school your kids at this level?

We have our own white board, pens, and just write out the letters and numbers to be learnt and ask him what they are, or draw simple pictures and ask him what they are in english and arabic.

We are enjoying it, and I know Abdullah does, shouting 'home school!' as he comes downstairs in a morning, wanting his first go at doing his letters and numbers, but alas his attention span is about 15-30 minutes so we are getting him to do short spurts but he is really doing well mashallah even if he does still mix up his 3 and 5!

I hope this has given people a taste for how much fun home schooling can be and I hope inshallah you all give it a go and realise it is not necessary to pack your kids off to be looked after by the secularists in school who will not only teach them what to think but even how to think.

From a hijrah point of view home schooling makes lots of sense, no need to keep moving schools as you take your school with you! plus some of the schooling in many countries is quite dodgy, expensive or more often both!

Assalaamu alaykum,
Abu Abdillah

So what is new...

Assalaamu Alaykum,

so what is new on planet Abu Abdillah?

I've applied for an open university course, Social sciences (not specialising yet, can do that later) which I hope should improve my employability both here and in Darul Emaan.

I also get a free laptop! which is nice. Should make things much easier for doing course work etc.

I have also applied for a TESOL course, but that is in september by which time i will have finished the OU course, after which I can return to something else.

Its just I dont like to stand still, I want to keep moving, keep improving, keep my mind active and in my life I tend to have three books on the go at any one time. One Islamic book, one fiction and factual.

Mashallah my son seems to get smarter every day, can now do Surah Fatihah, though not perfectly but I still think it is pretty good going at just over 2 and a half.

I have also just returned from my home town, they know how to treat brothers there. I went to two masaajid, one for jummah and one for Maghrib the same day, I almost couldnt get out both times for people giving me hugs, wanting to ask how I was, how was Abdullah doing etc and getting invited to eat.

It just isn't like that most places and it annoys me because it should be!

I think fundementally I am a spoilt child, in that when I first came into the deen it was into such an environment so I get vexed with brothers and with communities when they are not like this because I know this is from the sunnah and I know they should be.

But still it is an amazing emaan boost to see such brothers and feel such love for the sake of Allah, and makes me feel more and more determined to change things for the better where I am now.

Heay, it has only taken my 6 months of giving salaams and being consistantly ignored to finally get some of the local elders to reply to my salaams how difficult can the rest of it be?

I think the best way to change people is to act as a good example, so I need to take the first step more often, invite people to my home more even if they never return the gesture, Allah will still see I have done my bit and inshallah soften their hearts and put more love for their brothers in their hearts.

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Abu Abdillah

Frustrated at my fellow Muslims...

Assalaamu Alaykum all,

I am going to write a few things in this post and it is likely to offend others, but these matters need addressing as for too long they have gone unspoken and ignored within the Muslim community.

Many people reading this will therefore find themselves being addressed indirectly when they realise the people I am speaking about are they themselves.

The scholars have established the conditions of living in Darul kufr, even those scholars who permit living in Darul kufr are of the opinion that Da'wah is a Fard upon both the community and also upon the individual where they have knowledge.

This is because of the following two ayats as well as other evidences...

"Invite to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided."
16:125

“Let there arise amongst you a group that invites to the good, orders what is right and forbids what is evil, and they are those who are successful.”
3:104

The first verse gives a general command to give Da'wah, the second is showing there is a communial obligation to call to Allah as a group.

Now a few people do the first type of Da'wah, the personal Da'wah but even this is sadly lacking but practically no one does the second at all.

Let me show you what I mean from my own city, where we have about 35-40,000 Muslims, and 3 or 4 brothers doing a weekly Da'wah stall, one week a year given to Da'wah at the universities, one Deobandi Alim who has classes for new Muslims and non-Muslims and one centre which thinks it is calling to Allah by having people dance around to music (whirling dervishes) in the name of Da'wah once a year.

Now can we say we are seriously fulfilling our Fard kifayah responsibility here to call to Allah openly and as a group? Obviously not.

Everyone at this point usually agrees here we are not doing enough, fine we are all together at this point when I discuss these issues the problem comes next.

So people agree more needs to be done, but do they do it themselves? Do they go out and call the people to Allah either individually or as a group, a jammat, no they are too busy in their dunya, earning their wealth, paying for nice cars and houses is more important to the, that's right, your house and your car you worked so hard to buy is more important to you than calling to Allah.

What they mean is others should do it for them, which is fine if enough people are doing the public Da'wah (which they are not) but the personal da'wah is a fard aiyn responsibility, can someone do your fast for you or your salaah for you? no of-course not, but these are fard aiyn.

So people need a wake-up call, they need to get off their lazy butts and start doing some Da'wah, get out on the street, talk to your neighbours, do you even know your neighbours? Seriously when was the last time you spoke to your neighbours. I know it is difficult in today's Britain where everyone wants to be by themselves but make some effort at least.

And support the public Da'wah, give your time and help write leaflets if you are not good at public speaking, give some money as I can tell you everything we get for the Da'wah stalls comes out of our own money, but do something.

If you are too busy with the dunya to do Da'wah then I am going to be blunt, you are committing major sins just by doing that. Everyone one of those kuffar who was in your life, your school mates, college mates, work buddies, neighbours, shopkeepers etc in your life will all tell Allah you never gave Da'wah whilst here and had the opportunity and you will be answerable for every single such instance, scary isn't it?

My last job one non-Muslim asked me why we didn't eat beef in the break room, I said 'that is hindus not muslims' and then turned to the brothers sat there also who were on this kaffirs team with their pious jubbahs and huge beards and asked them 'have you never explained islam to him? why doesn't he know the difference between islam and hinduism?'

They said they stuck to themselves and didn't share their religion even though they'd worked with this guy for years, I think that is going to be true of most people reading this isn't it? you stick to yourself, you don't speak about Islam for fear of offending others and so big yourself deeper and deeper into sin just by living here in the UK and the west.

If that isn't enough to wake you up I don't know what will. You live here, you take jobs, take benefits, and you don't even bother to give them the offer of Islam in return, what is wrong with you? why are you so selfish and lazy? If you really wanted to give Da'wah you would, don't make excuses now because very few of them will wash.

Now get out there and do some da'wah, find some of the people in your city engaged in Da'wah and help them, call on your neighbours, people at your school / college / work to Islam because if you don't you might as well just leave now, it would be better for you to be poor back wherever your family comes from than putting yourself in spiritual danger here by not doing Da'wah.

You can't take your car, your houses, your beautiful stuff with you, only your good deeds and you are in a perfect position to do the work of the prophets but most of you are more interested in this life not the next if we look at the reality of the situation based on peoples deeds.

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Abu Abdillah

What to do whilst waiting for Hijrah?

Assalaamu Alaykum,

Sometimes it seems so frustrating, we want to leave, want to leave these lands, these corrupt people, a people who are at war with the muslims all over the world and just by being here I am adding to their numbers.

But actually doing it is much more difficult, especially if you have a young family like mine, if I was single it would be easy but I am not so it isn't!

So we have to work towards that day, that blessed day when Allah will let us leave and join the Muslims so we are learning arabic, but not only that we are starting to learn to be a little more self-sufficient.

So we have had massive clear outs, getting rid of lots of old books, toys, furniture, everything really that we didn't need. And clothes... if you haven't worn it in the past few months, then in reality you don't need it and get rid of it.

Something else I have started in growing my own food, not all of it as that would require quite a bit of land but at least I can grow some of it so when the oil crash does come or if I do ever get enough money to buy my farm somewhere then at least I will have an idea how to grow food and not die straight away along with my family.

So just start simple, get a few tubs and hanging baskets, whatever your garden will take and start planting stuff, experiment and soon enough you'll get the idea of it and be on your way to making yourself a little more independent, especially as that independence comes at the expense of the kuffar economy and any money you save puts you that little bit closer to hijrah.

Will inshallah get you all some pics of my plants soon, take care and keep making Du'a that Allah swt will help us leave soon.

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Abu Abdillah

Home Schooling... is there really any other choice in the West?

Assalaamu Alaykum brothers and sisters,

There was one thing I thought I could bring up with the readers as most of us are living in the West, which is Home Schooling, and as believers do we have any other choice whilst we are still in the West?

Anyone who is a realist will also know that the school system in the Muslim lands are perhaps not as good as we would like them to be for when we get over there and it comes to the time we need to enroll our little precious sprouts in the local school.

These schools are often just poor imitations of the West in the way of educating the young, instilling secular mindsets and ideas along with a few lessons a week on the Quran and what the government there considers to be Islam.

Many countries will not even allow 'foreign' children into school anyway, so it might not even be possible to send your kids to a good school even if you can find a good one.

The alternatives are therefore prohibitively expensive private schools or home schooling once we have made hijrah.

So home schooling is something good to get into now, not to wait until we make the move.

But to get back to the UK and the West, we all know families where the kids are messed up, I mean seriously messed up and far from the deen of Allah. Maybe you even come from such a family and started practicing later.

But it is a sobering experience when you are sat in a lecture in a local state school, as they've hired the room for the evening and all over the desk is graffiti such as who Maryam is ****ing this weekend or whom Abdullah wants to ****.

Most Muslims know this stuff goes off, and is getting worse as they went to such schools themselves, but when it comes to sending the ones they should want to protect most they suffer collective amnesia and send them into this den of fitnah and shirk.

I mean really, if you wanted to design a system that was most likely to tempt muslim children towards hardcore pornography, bf /gf relationships, smoking, alcohol and drugs, as well as being subjected to daily brainwashing in secular thinking and ideas than I think it would be possible to come up with a system that did this better than schooling in the West.

I mean, lets be honest here, the ulema are clear it is not even halal to mix with the opposite gender for the purposes of dunya education, but the very people who are often strictest in not allowing their wives and daughters to come to talks and lectures to learn about the deen are almost always sending their daughters to mixed education. So they forbid the halal and enjoin the haram which is a trait of the munafiq.

The hopeless optimism of people amazes me, that they believe they can send their children into a process that is aimed at instilling the ideas and thoughts of the secular kufr west into young impressionable minds, leave them there for 8 hours of their waking day and hope that they can undo that damage with an hour or two of Quran lessons and maybe an hour with the parents in the evening before bed is just strange.

Muslims in the West have however swallowed the very concept of doing this, they don't even think of it as something strange, it is something normal to them and the one who chooses not to is seen as the strange one.

Alhamdulillah I am happy to be the stranger in this matter, this is something to be pleased about but in case those reading this don't yet know it there is another alternative to the secular system other than the so called islamic schools which lets face it are either poor in the teachings, misguided in the aqeedah or manhaj or prohibitively expensive.

I will inshallah return to the subject of home education again the future but feel this is a good introduction for you all, but to get you going here is a link to IHSAN, the Islamic home schooling network.

http://www.islamichomeeducation.co.uk/

Assalaamu alaykum,
Abu Abdillah

All quiet on the home front...

Assalaamu alaykum all,

As the title suggests, all things are quiet at the moment.

So I am still keeping an eye out for jobs overseas, still looking for that way out and in the mean time keeping up the Arabic as best I can in the hope that one day I will get out of here Inshallah.

Some news is we have blitzed the house, well when I say we I mean the Mrs with me deputising and making myself useful watching the kids whilst she turns the family home upside down for a few days.

So we have got rid of bags and bags of clothes, books, pictures, everything that was not used, not needed has gone to Islamic relief or other charity shops.

Sometimes the house seems quite bare, but in reality it puts us one step closer to Hijrah, one more preparation done, and helps us live a simple life closer to that of Rasoolullah (saws).

So those wishing to make hijrah could perhaps make this step themselves as a start, go through all your clothes, if you've not worn it in the past few months then out it goes, if you don't really need it then out it goes.

Same with books, those ones you have read once or twice and are likely never to read again, get rid of them. If they are dodgy then bin them, if any good then give to an Islamic charity to sell on again so someone else can benefit.

Also, do you really need all of those Quran ayats, pictures of medina hanging around the house? You might feel these make the house feel more Islamic but in reality what makes a house islamic is living simply as best we can according to the Sunnah.

Finally jazakallah khairan for those who have posted comments, sometimes it is difficult to keep going with something like this and comments really help keep us in touch with the readers and lets us know what you think and what you feel.

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Abu Abdillah