Does anyone here live in Saudi Arabia? I was just thinking about this recently and wondered what the process is like for anyone wanting to live there as well as what the everyday living conditions are. Things such as cost of living, employment, housing, etc. Having lived in a secular country my whole life, I was also wondering how the balance between work life and personal / religious life was like in a religious country (ie. how ingrained is Islam in the work / social environment there? How do business treat salat? etc.). I understand Saudi Arabia is a fairly large chunk of land, so I'm sure the info can vary depending on location, generally speaking.
I briefly looked up the subject and saw people talking about some kind of point system which I didn't quite understand.
Does anyone here live in Saudi Arabia? I was just thinking about this recently and wondered what the process is like for anyone wanting to live there as well as what the everyday living conditions are. Things such as cost of living, employment, housing, etc. Having lived in a secular country my whole life, I was also wondering how the balance between work life and personal / religious life was like in a religious country (ie. how ingrained is Islam in the work / social environment there? How do business treat salat? etc.). I understand Saudi Arabia is a fairly large chunk of land, so I'm sure the info can vary depending on location, generally speaking.
I briefly looked up the subject and saw people talking about some kind of point system which I didn't quite understand.
It's difficult to receive citizenship. Usually, it is offered to people who have done something remarkable or professionals who can benefit the country. They do use a point system, but again it doesn't make it easier because points are tied to achievements, relationships (marriage, children, etc), time spent there, etc. There's a certain amount of points that must be reached before you can apply for citizenship. Besides all of this, you will also need to renounce your citizenship to your home country or any other citizenships because dual nationality is not recognized/allowed in Saudi (even though there are quite a few people who carry dual-citizenship).
In regards to life there, it is exceptionally safe. Shops close down around 10 minutes before prayer times so you can make it to a masjid. There are many masjids also available inside of shopping centers/malls/grocery stores. Restaurants are closed during the day during ramadan. Food is halal and there is a lot of cultural influences so you can pretty much find any authentic cuisine. Many places are also segregated, so you'll find a restaurant for example with a family section (caters to single women and families) and a male section (caters to males). There's also a very active night life (many shops don't close until 2am, as well as many shops opening at fajr). I know many nonMuslim westerners who have lived in Saudi for years and prefer it because of the Islamic values it offers to their children. It's not a perfect country by any means, but it is a beautiful Islamic country. I'm sure depending on where a person is from, they may face some difficulties or have different experiences. My experiences have been positive alhemdulilah.
With respect to how Islam is practiced, I'd say the government tries to uphold regulations that make worship easier for Muslims. You're not forced to do anything if you yourself are not religious, but you need to be respectful towards worshippers. You won't find bars/pubs, clubs, sexually charged ads, PDA, homosexual normalization, etc. like you would in the west. This doesn't mean, however, that people are ignorant about them. Basically, anything that is considered immoral/haram is not publicized/encouraged/normalized.
format_quote Originally Posted by Ahmed.
I'm scared to live in hudood countries; what if some 'enemies' lie and tell the authorities i stole something? I'll be handless
Usually, it is offered to people who have done something remarkable or professionals who can benefit the country
Thanks for the info. It's nice that the social / work life seems to revolve around Islam, but it's too bad that they make it so strict to live there. I'm curious as to what they view as professions that are beneficial to the country since that seems like a very broad criteria. I work in the skilled trades, so while that is considered "blue collar" work here in the states, I can only imagine what they consider it there. Also, the fact that they make you renounce your current citizenship is a bit of a let down. Not to say I had any concrete plans on trying to move there, but the fitan that I'm surrounded by here has been making me think twice about wanting to stay.
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format_quote Originally Posted by Ahmed.
I'm scared to live in hudood countries; what if some 'enemies' lie and tell the authorities i stole something? I'll be handless
While it may not be pure sharia, I doubt it's as easy as simply getting a group of guys together and pointing fingers at someone although I could be wrong. Besides, here in the US, people have spent their whole lives in prison and it was only after decades have past that they found them to be innocent. Some not so lucky as they died in prison. I'd rather have my hand cut off than spend the rest of my life caged up in a US prison. Having said all that, we must strive to have taqwa and trust in Allah regardless of the situation we end up in.
It's difficult to receive citizenship. Usually, it is offered to people who have done something remarkable or professionals who can benefit the country. They do use a point system, but again it doesn't make it easier because points are tied to achievements, relationships (marriage, children, etc), time spent there, etc. There's a certain amount of points that must be reached before you can apply for citizenship. Besides all of this, you will also need to renounce your citizenship to your home country or any other citizenships because dual nationality is not recognized/allowed in Saudi (even though there are quite a few people who carry dual-citizenship).
In regards to life there, it is exceptionally safe. Shops close down around 10 minutes before prayer times so you can make it to a masjid. There are many masjids also available inside of shopping centers/malls/grocery stores. Restaurants are closed during the day during ramadan. Food is halal and there is a lot of cultural influences so you can pretty much find any authentic cuisine. Many places are also segregated, so you'll find a restaurant for example with a family section (caters to single women and families) and a male section (caters to males). There's also a very active night life (many shops don't close until 2am, as well as many shops opening at fajr). I know many nonMuslim westerners who have lived in Saudi for years and prefer it because of the Islamic values it offers to their children. It's not a perfect country by any means, but it is a beautiful Islamic country. I'm sure depending on where a person is from, they may face some difficulties or have different experiences. My experiences have been positive alhemdulilah.
With respect to how Islam is practiced, I'd say the government tries to uphold regulations that make worship easier for Muslims. You're not forced to do anything if you yourself are not religious, but you need to be respectful towards worshippers. You won't find bars/pubs, clubs, sexually charged ads, PDA, homosexual normalization, etc. like you would in the west. This doesn't mean, however, that people are ignorant about them. Basically, anything that is considered immoral/haram is not publicized/encouraged/normalized.
Doesn't work like that
Yeah you're right Sis, I need to fear less of the insaan and more of Allah
Thanks for the info. It's nice that the social / work life seems to revolve around Islam, but it's too bad that they make it so strict to live there. I'm curious as to what they view as professions that are beneficial to the country since that seems like a very broad criteria. I work in the skilled trades, so while that is considered "blue collar" work here in the states, I can only imagine what they consider it there. Also, the fact that they make you renounce your current citizenship is a bit of a let down. Not to say I had any concrete plans on trying to move there, but the fitan that I'm surrounded by here has been making me think twice about wanting to stay.
It's not necessarily strict. It just really depends on your purposes there. Professional work depends on your degree or skills. More prestigious jobs (successful businessmen, athletes, physicians, engineers) are valued more so than if you came as a school teacher for example, and even with a profession, it doesn't mean that you will gain citizenship. It is just offered in special circumstances. My friend's father for example, has lived in saudi for 25+ years and was offered it for his work there after he retired. Otherwise, it is you applying for it and you'd need to have more reasoning than just a job. Also, if you come for work, you are generally sponsored by someone/organization/company to work there. They will provide you with living accommodations, salary, allowance, transportation, etc. and are responsible for you. This is why I say everyone's experience can be different.
In regards to a skills trade job, there are so many workers for that because construction is very popular. You may find a job with a contracting company, although I don't know if living conditions would be palatable working like that. It's very difficult especially during the hotter months. If you are creative and very good at what you do, you may be hired in more reputable companies. You'd have to do some research with that though. My experience with skills trade people is that it's a hit or miss. Some are very good at what they do and have been trained well, others are not professional at all and more like handymen. Another option would be teaching or training others with your skills in universities or something similar.
You don't really need to be a citizen to have a positive life there. Like I said, many expats and foreigners have been there for years and have lived better than some Saudi families. Those who have had bad experiences are those who have isolated themselves from experiencing life outside of a westernized compound, or those who have been mistreated by their employers. You being American, I doubt you'd have any issues to be honest. If you've never experienced Saudi, you really will not know anything until you have actually lived there, and I'm not talking about the visits to Makkah or Madinah. Also, things are changing here. There's less fitnah there than in the US, but the reality is fitnah is everywhere and it will increase. May Allah protect us and keep us steadfast ameen.
Thanks again for the detailed post. The main purpose for me wanting to live there would be for religious reasons. The type of work I do is a little more specialized (HVAC) but I suppose they have quite a few of them out there considering the climate they deal with.
All of this is just me thinking out loud. I don’t have any intentions of moving anywhere anytime soon, let alone to a different country but I’d like to live in an area where Islam is dominant. Maybe I can look into the contractors that are out there and see what type of opportunities arise.
Thanks again for the detailed post. The main purpose for me wanting to live there would be for religious reasons. The type of work I do is a little more specialized (HVAC) but I suppose they have quite a few of them out there considering the climate they deal with.
All of this is just me thinking out loud. I don’t have any intentions of moving anywhere anytime soon, let alone to a different country but I’d like to live in an area where Islam is dominant. Maybe I can look into the contractors that are out there and see what type of opportunities arise.
You may consider other muslim countries as well. I, for example, now in Aceh province of Indonesia, 99% muslim population, sharia law, people are super nice, going to study in boarding school here.
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