living in saudi

**fnaeem** · 24-11-2006, 04:28 AM

So I am not a huge fan of saudis (read their racism). Dont have a real desire to go back and live there (lived there for three years). However they do have my weakness, madina. I am inshaAllah willing to deal with their racism and all the other **** that they have, if I get a chance to stay in madinah.

My understanding is that you can only live in saudi for an extended period of time if you have a work visa there. What I would ideally like to do inshaAllah in the next 5 years or so is start contract work. I can then work maybe 5-8 months in US and then head out to Madinah for the rest of the year, and repeat. While I am in the US my family will be in Madinah, InshaAllah. Anyone got any ideas about the saudi visa situation. Is there a non-working residence visa there.

I have heard of scholars living in madinah, surely they dont launch business with saudis to secure visas. Any idea on how they do it.

Lastly what are people's thoughts on Dubai. I hear that is very westernized and stuff. it is just like the west in the middle east. skimpy clothing and all.
Is it worth relocating to Dubai. Any ideas.

Faisal

**StudentofIslam** · 24-11-2006, 08:28 AM

Actually I would like to know where is a good place in the world for you to live and bring up a family this would be very helpful, im sure everyone says I want to move to Saudi but is it really so nice to be living there except in Madinah or Makkah ? How about syria or Dubai, Jordan, etc

If anyone has been to any country where they feel, 'I would have like to bring my family up here' where would it be...realistically

**fnaeem** · 24-11-2006, 12:46 PM

all I can say about saudi, if its not makkah madinah. dont even think about it.
too many racist issues etc. definitiely not a friendly place nor a place that welcomes you. surprising since their way of life depends on expats so much. guess arrogance has no bounds. the only reason to go there is makkah madinah,
where you bite the bullet and deal with all their **** for the sake of living in the two cities.

**Neyzen** · 24-11-2006, 01:27 PM

assalamu alaikum

i would love to settle in madinai munawwara, but it is bloody hard, you have to find a master(reference), you have become his slave clearly, it is such a strange system:S

even if you were born there, you can not be a saudi citizen,i guess getting a residency visa to live in u.s.a is easier

massalamah

**Pr1nce** · 24-11-2006, 11:08 PM

Dubai has just become a pleasure playground for western tourists and so I would say avoid it.

You are right about Saudi...they do discriminate against non-saudis and if u want to live there then its best to try for Makkah or Medina but Jeddah is pretty nice. Though the only problem is that its very liberal.

**nayyerjigar** · 25-11-2006, 12:10 AM

i thought as long as you have canadian, uk or amerikan passport, getting a job there shouldnt a problem. I think the only way to live there for non-saudis is to find a company willing to sponsor you, so maybe a visit visa would first be necessary to check out the companies there and what not.

**abdushakur** · 25-11-2006, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Pr1nce

...if u want to live there then its best to try for Makkah or Medina but Jeddah is pretty nice. Though the only problem is that its very liberal.

Can you give examples of how Jeddah is liberal?

I assume it's 'liberal' relative to the holy cities, but in what way?

**Pr1nce** · 27-11-2006, 11:37 PM

Women's dress code, more materialistic, western attitudes, etc

**Abu_Bilal** · 23-01-2008, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by Pr1nce

Women's dress code, more materialistic, western attitudes, etc

Assalam Alaikum.

Brother Prince, i am planning to move to Jeddah.

I am the only son of my parents, so i need to bring my parents with me.

Is it cheap/easier to live in Jeddah with your family?

**Aldamyuti** · 23-01-2008, 06:09 AM

Assalamu alaykom

I am planning to raise my children in Egypt. Partly because i am of egyptian ancestry (i am european born to egyptian parents) and because of the warn attitude of the people, their helpfulness and their friendly attitude towards everybody. Yes, some women do not wear hijab, yes, you can get alcohol if you want, yes some do partying etc... But it is not hard to raise your kids in an islamic environment there.

I would like my children getting raised in the same open-minded but on the same time strictly conservative environment i am so happy my parents were raised in.