Single ExPat Muslimah's discuss your struggles living in Saudi Arabia

hi

AIARA wrote:

What are some of your struggles?

What have you learned and can we share this with other women in a similar situation?

Can we assist you in making the transition easier?

How have you benefitted from living in Saudi?

What would you do differently?

How is single life for a Muslim sister here?

Has any sister considered marrying here?

Please weigh in on your overall experience.

These issues have been discussed a hundred times (and very recently, too!).  Just use the custom search box to see the threads.

Good luck

I searched the  posts you suggested

I read quite a few posts regarding single women but none really focusing on the status of Single Muslim Women and their struggles to become acclimated  living in  Saudi. One or two posts about single women moving here but that's about it.  What about the sisters wearing Niqaab? Who choose to wear it full time. Is this being discussed on the forum 100 times as well?

Muslim Sisters Please continue to  weigh in!

AIARA wrote:

What about the sisters wearing Niqaab?

Are you struggling wearing nikaab?

I don't think any sisters are looking for advice on how to take off niqaab. Ok

Usually, this is a choice that women make since the predominant opinion is that niqaab is not obligatory for Muslim women. Most certainly, this is true if the woman is coming from the West. In the West women wear niqaab willingly and its a religious choice that they make for themselves. So I really hope your advice was not going to be to just take it off. It certainly felt like that's where you were headed with this post. This post is for "Expat Muslimah's" . Are you offering Islamic solutions to the problems that sisters have here in Saudi? Or just your personal advice that has nothing to do with their experiences living in the Country. Keep in mind,  the women who come here also want to hold onto some dignity and respect and that means their beliefs. Unfortunately, to many of US from the West don't have anything we TRULY believe in.Therefore, we seem to think that everything a Muslim woman does is by force and she has NO say so on much of anything. This is just one of the many lies I've read so far here at Expat.com about Islamic beliefs regarding women. So please, let the Muslimah weigh in.

That's what this post is for! Thank YOU  very much!

AIARA wrote:

I don't think any sisters are looking for advice on how to take off niqaab. Ok

Usually, this is a choice that women make since the predominant opinion is that niqaab is not obligatory for Muslim women. Most certainly, this is true if the woman is coming from the West. In the West women wear niqaab willingly and its a religious choice that they make for themselves. So I really hope your advice was not going to be to just take it off. It certainly felt like that's where you were headed with this post. This post is for "Expat Muslimah's" . Are you offering Islamic solutions to the problems that sisters have here in Saudi? Or just your personal advice that has nothing to do with their experiences living in the Country. Keep in mind,  the women who come here also want to hold onto some dignity and respect and that means their beliefs. Unfortunately, to many of US from the West don't have anything we TRULY believe in.Therefore, we seem to think that everything a Muslim woman does is by force and she has NO say so on much of anything. This is just one of the many lies I've read so far here at Expat.com about Islamic beliefs regarding women. So please, let the Muslimah weigh in.

That's what this post is for! Thank YOU  very much!

I don't claim to be a 'Muslimah' but I know and work with many and we've had some good discussions.  Some women ARE forced to wear the niqab by their husbands/fathers but many wear it by choice.  Some have explained that it's only for their husbands to see their face; others have told me they love the fact that they can see others but can't be seen (kind of like how Westerners feel when wearing dark sunglasses, I imagine).

On the other hand, I know lots of working Saudi women who don't wear the niqab and seem perfectly happy not wearing it.

Now a word to you:  if you're pushing some kind of political/religious agenda here, you might want to reconsider the appropriateness of this particular forum.

And .. have a nice day

AIARA wrote:

...the problems that sisters have here in Saudi

I'm just wondering what struggles and problems of single Muslim woman are bigger/different from those of non-Muslim woman in this country? IMHO non-Muslim women has more restrictions regarding their beliefs and choices.

Which Witch wrote:

AIARA wrote:

...the problems that sisters have here in Saudi

I'm just wondering what struggles and problems of single Muslim woman are bigger/different from those of non-Muslim woman in this country? IMHO non-Muslim women has more restrictions regarding their beliefs and choices.

Good point.  I'll make another one:  I've known expat Muslim women who come here, very idealistic about being in the land of the Prophet, who become very disillusioned that things aren't how they *thought* they would be and who end up leaving.

Alliecat wrote:

expat Muslim women who come here, very idealistic about being in the land of the Prophet, who become very disillusioned that things aren't how they *thought* they would be and who end up leaving.

Maybe this is reason of their struggles?

Which Witch wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

expat Muslim women who come here, very idealistic about being in the land of the Prophet, who become very disillusioned that things aren't how they *thought* they would be and who end up leaving.

Maybe this is reason of their struggles?

You may be right but you know what?  I'm not even Muslim and I was saddened by the reality of Ramadan here.  I'd envisioned it to be a highly spiritual experience but I find that many (most?) Saudi's regard it as a time to party all night and actually gain weight during this time of fasting.  It reminds me, actually, of how most Christians have lost sight of the actual meaning of Christmas.

I have another strange notice: most of my muslim friends females from ME do not wear scarfs even in public except three of them - US, Canada and France passport holders respectively.

Aiara I`ll let you know soon...I`m coming to KSA soon and I`m a muslim since 2 years. For me the niqab thing is still a big matter.
Let`s see...some told me I have not to wear it, some others told me I might better wear it, just to not stick so out. Depends on the area. I`ll be in Al Baha, kind of conversative ppl there.
I`m normaly not a friend of pushing ppl and want to be rulers!
Nothing good can come out by pressure, that`s my point of view.
So I hope my scarf is enough, which I wear because I want to. Hamdullah.

Have a nice day and hear from you again soon