Ruling on Living with Families Abroad

Q: What is the ruling on living with families for a student who travels abroad to study in order to benefit more from the language?

A: It is not permissible to live with families because of the student’s exposure to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) through the morals of the disbelievers and their women. It is obligatory for the student’s residence to be far from the causes of fitnah. This is all based on the opinion that it is permissible for a student to travel to the lands of the disbelievers to learn. The correct view is that it is not permissible to travel to the lands of the disbelievers to learn except in cases of extreme necessity, on the condition that the student possesses knowledge and insight, and that he is far from the causes of fitnah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Al-Nasa'i narrated it with a good chain, and its meaning is: until he separates from the polytheists. He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: Narrated by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i with a sound chain. There are many hadiths in this meaning.
Therefore, it is obligatory for Muslims to be cautious about traveling to the lands of the people of shirk (associating partners with Allah) except in cases of extreme necessity, unless the traveler possesses knowledge and insight and intends to call people to Allah and guide them to Him. This is an exception, and there is great good in it. Because he calls the polytheists to the oneness of Allah and teaches them the Shari'ah of Allah, so he is doing good and is far from danger due to the knowledge and insight he possesses. And Allah is the One to be sought for help.