The Ruling on Traveling to the Lands of Disbelievers for Study and Work

Question:
This is a questioner for the program who used the code (A. A. A) for his name. He is an Egyptian resident in Riyadh. He says: What is the ruling on one who travels to a non-Islamic country for study, or for work for a number of years? Does the ruling differ if the city in which he resides is a large city with mosques, Islamic centers, and thousands of Muslims, or if it is a small city with no mosques, and perhaps no Muslims? Is one excused from congregational prayer in this case? We ask the Shaykh’s eminence for an answer.

Answer:
The believer should not travel to such lands where there is disbelief, neither for work nor for study, if he finds a way out, if he finds a means to study elsewhere, or to work elsewhere; because he is in danger from their mixing.
But if the country has Islamic centers and Muslims to whom he can join and cooperate with them in good, this is easier, easier than lands where there is no one from the Muslims. As for if he has knowledge and insight, and travels for calling to Allah and teaching, there is no harm.
As for the student who just started and does not have knowledge that protects him from their doubts, he is in danger. He should study in his country, or seek a sound country to study in, and not go to the lands of the disbelievers. And so for work, he should not go to work in the lands of disbelief; because he is in danger that they will drag him to their religion. In the authentic hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So if he is among them, he is in danger from their evil and their schemes, unless he has knowledge and manifests his religion. Yes.