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Studying in non-Muslim countries

Question

Is studying (college,university) in non-Muslim countries (dar-ul-kufar) allowed according to Shariah? Where is dar-us-Salaam?

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Studying in colleges and universities that are in non-Islamic countries is lawful if the following conditions are met. 1-The Muslim student should be able to practise his Islamic duties without hindrance from the host country's authorities or people. 2- He should have a good knowledge of his religion and should be intelligent enough to protect himself from being swept away into the pleasures, suspicions, deviations and aberrations which fill these countries. 3- He should then be well-armed with Islamic knowledge and consciousness. 4- The specialization, which the Muslim student is going to study, should not be available in Islamic countries or available but he is not able to get it there. 5 - Finally, the specialization should be in something that is profitable for Islam and Muslims. If all these conditions are met, studying in these universities is then, lawful. The student, however, should be very careful as to avoid being influenced by the rites, rituals and beliefs of the people of those countries. He should not then copy their behaviour and aberrations. He should, before anything else return to Allah and seek refuge from Him asking Him to prevent him from being swept away into the bad path. And Allah knows best.

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