Seeking Knowledge Abroad In a Different Country Without Mother's Permission
3 February 2025 • 2.4K views
Question:
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
A brother from....travelled to Egypt to seek knowledge with his mother's permission. However, he is struggling due to the scarcity of Ahlus-Sunnah in that area and the limited benefit he is gaining there. He now wishes to relocate to study at the centres in Yemen.
His mother does not approve of this move—not because she needs him or would suffer hardship due to his departure, but out of concern for his safety.
He has tried multiple times to convince her without success and has now resolved to relocate without informing her. He intends to keep it hidden to avoid causing her distress.
What is your advice?
Sheikh Muḥammad Al-’Ansi ḥafidhahullāh:
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
If he can find a way to appease his mother so that she is content with him and does not remain in distress or anxiety, that would be the best and most appropriate course of action. He should try through any possible means, whether by seeking the help of close relatives such as his sisters or extended family members. If he knows of any brothers in Yemen who have gone there for knowledge, they could reach out to his mother and reassure her.
If it is not possible to convince her, and he is truly struggling in Egypt with no benefit from staying there, then there is no harm in moving. At the end of the day, he has already left his mother’s side, whether he is in Egypt or Yemen. If Yemen provides a better environment for seeking knowledge without posing a significant risk to him, then it is a preferable option.
It would be best for him to inform his mother that he is pursuing knowledge without necessarily disclosing his exact location. Once he arrives in Yemen and spends some time there, he can call her and say, “Mother, I am well, I am safe, and I am among my brothers, including fellow students from the UK.” By reassuring her in this way, she may come to accept his decision, which would be the most suitable approach.
Source:
https://t.me/madrasatuna/4652