tldr; I am deciding between staying in Germany for career or academic growth and moving elsewhere, prioritizing faith, community. Entrepreneurship is an exciting alternative, but moral concerns weigh heavily on my choice.
I came to Germany to pursue my Master’s, and I see two paths. One is to gain professional experience here, or further education—perhaps even a PhD—and pursue academia. The other option is to complete my Master’s get relevant experiences and then move to another country or return home. I haven’t decided yet, as there are factors to consider, such as the economic benefits of staying and, most importantly, preserving my faith.
Currently, I don’t feel a strong attachment to staying here long-term, but the experience has been positive. Alhamdulillah, I have a decent remote job and live near the mosque. The Muslim community here is also very welcoming, and I am actively involved with the Dawah organizations.
I feel truly blessed, Alhamdulillah. My remote job allows me to attend prayers in Jama’ah, and after Salah, there are always brothers who help with Quran recitation and sit to read Hadith and Seerah. I’ve made wonderful friends from different parts of the world, and getting to know their lifestyles and values has been a surreal experience. The concept of One Ummah is strongly felt here. However, I understand that not everyone living abroad has the same opportunity to practice their deen so freely. It wouldn’t be fair to generalize my experience.
We recently arranged an Islamic program for 250 people in Cottbus, and the mosque here always remains half full, even during Fajr. Huffadh from India, Bangladesh, and Arab countries lead the Taraweeh prayers, and we have a strong student community. In contrast, a friend in another state struggles to find a masjid within 10 kilometres. If I move to a different city for a better job, would I still have this environment? Sometimes, we must prioritize Deen over worldly opportunities.
Another possibility is entrepreneurship. For our startup, we receive state-funded benefits or scholarships. Entrepreneurship excites me, and it has always been a passion of mine. It offers an alternative path outside academia and the software industry that I am eager to explore.
These are the critical factors I thought one should consider, but with the current geopolitical situation—wars, oppression, and starvation affecting our Muslim brothers and sisters worldwide how do I reconcile my presence in a country that is complicit in these global injustices? As Muslims, we must think beyond ourselves and consider the Ummah as a whole.
This is a significant moral dilemma. Staying in Western countries—does it make me an accomplice to ongoing oppression? Like the “ostrich effect,” where ostriches bury their heads in the sand, pretending not to see what’s happening. We cannot afford to be naive. We must question our choices and hold ourselves accountable. When we stand before Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, we will be asked:
What did you do when your brothers were being oppressed?