Sacrifices

Submitted by A Mexican Muslim (United States), Nov 6, 2006 at 11:11

I haven't even read the other comments so maybe someone else stated this.

Don't do it. Not because you may not have a good life with him. You might. Don't do it because you view it as 'sacrificing' your religion, where you live, etc. If you convert to Islam, you do it for YOU, for the sake of Allah (swt). You may have a good life in KSA (yes, it is possible) but since you already view yourself as losing out you will resent moving there and it IS a difficult life to adjust to, even those who live there willingly whether it is for work or family.

I'm Mexican American. I met my child's father when I was seventeen. He is Arab, but not Saudi. He put up with my family's rules for our relationship and we eventually married in a full on Catholic wedding some years later. We have a beautiful child together but have since divorced. He was good to me, good to my family and is a loving dad. The problems we had in our marriage are common to any marriage, in any culture: lack of communication, differences of opinion on how to manage money, etc. That's all.

You may want to point out to your boyfriend that what he is doing is haraam. If he was on the up and up, he would marry you NOW. Why? Because if your relationship has reached a level where you have become intimate with one another, he has done something outside Islam. Ask him if he would have taken the same route with a Saudi girl he's interested in. Do your research, see that it is unlikely that you will be granted Saudi citizenship (it is a long process, but ask him if he and his family are willing to do that). The Saudi Embassy, on its own website, discusses some considerations that American women should contemplate before marrying a Saudi. There are are MANY facets to your relationship, not just Islam and not just culture.

I know where I'm speaking from because I lived it. By the grace of Allah, I became Muslim AFTER I left my husband and not during my marriage, he never once asked me to or pressured me to do so.

This is all kind of jumbled simply because I was once you. Aprende en cabeza ajena..learn from other's experiences. Pray and consider this carefully. I would certainly be pleased if you converted to Islam, but not in the manner you are describing. and Allah knows best....

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