I've Made it to Sharjah... Sort of!
My last blog post was three months ago (I didn't realise it had been so long), and a lot has happened since then:
We Finally Sold Our House - Alhamdulillah!
In my last post, I explained that our house sale had fallen through - just two weeks before I was due to fly out to Sharjah.
In that post, I wrote "Allah knows best, and there is undoubtedly some good in this" and "I’ve lived a long enough life and witnessed first-hand, on multiple occasions, the wisdom of Allah’s Plans".
Well, check this out:
Good Neighbours
We had a very good relationship with our neighbours; they were practically family - there for us through the good times and bad, alhamdulillah.
Our family had made a lot of du'a that whoever bought our house would be good neighbours to our neighbours.
However, let's just say that the people we were initially going to sell our house to didn't seem like the nicest people I’d ever met!
But what could we do? We needed to sell our house ASAP...
As it turns out, Allah ﷻ had something better in store, as the people we eventually sold the house to seem to be much nicer than the first bunch! And Allah ﷻ knows best.
A Lesson in Gazundering
We verbally agreed a reduced sale price with the first set of buyers, particularly as they were cash buyers who claimed to be "ready to complete ASAP", and turned down a significantly higher offer a couple of days later, because, as far as I'm aware (I double checked!), a verbal contract is binding in Islam.
The buyers then caused some delays as their finances weren't, in reality, completely ready as they had previously stated.
Due to the delays, they fell foul of newly introduced stamp duty regulations, meaning that they'd have to pay more tax on the purchase of the house.
Knowing that we wanted to complete the sale ASAP and that I was planning to move abroad imminently, they decided to put the squeeze on just a week before contracts were due to be exchanged: "Reduce the asking price by £15,000 or we're pulling out!"
A classic case of "gazundering".
Well, I'm a nice guy, but my mama didn't raise no fool!
I told them (politely, of course) to get lost, that I'd put the house back on the market, and Allah ﷻ knows best.
And that's exactly what we did. The first family to see the house put in an offer, which was significantly higher than the first group’s, and we accepted - alhamdulillah!
Not only did the sale go the relatively smoothly and very quickly, but I also got to spend more time with my family - and even have my nephew's nikah at the house! A wonderful last memory of our home of 15 years, alhamdulillah.
The first group thought we'd cave to their demands after a couple of weeks. When they realised that wasn't happening, they called on more than one occasion to 'just do the deal', but that obviously wasn't going to happen anymore! Hopefully, they learnt their lesson.
Despite all the shenanigans, we all make mistakes in life, and I'm not holding anything against them. I pray that they get the best outcome for them, insha-Allah.
A Bit About Sharjah
Sharjah is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE): Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah.
Like many people, before I started researching the UAE seriously, the terms "UAE" and "Dubai" were synonymous in my mind.
And Dubai, for many people, is synonymous with luxury, skyscrapers, humongous shopping malls, a fast-paced cosmopolitan urban lifestyle, "influencers", celebrities, etc.
In my ignorance, I thought the whole UAE was like that until a good friend informed me otherwise.
Sharjah, as it turns out, is known for being an Islamically conservative, family-oriented, community-focused Emirate that places great emphasis on preserving its cultural heritage. Ideal for those seeking a slower pace and quieter lifestyle.
Now that sounded much more up my street!
So I popped over to Shajrah for a week in mid-January, just to see what I was letting myself in for (I'd never visited before that, other than being driven through the Emirate with friends to get to somewhere else!).
I can safely say that Sharjah lived up to the description I'd read online and heard from friends.
I stayed in an area called Al-Majaz, which is a vibrant district situated alongside a stunning natural lagoon, and is home to the beautiful Masjid al-Noor (mashaa-Allah).
Well, I felt right at home, alhamdulillah, and figured this feels like the kind of place I could make home - at least for a few years.
I returned to the UK, completed the sale of the house on 31st January, and, alhamdulillah, jumped on a plane to Sharjah the same day!
I've spent most of my time in a hotel in “Al Majaz 1”, literally across the road from Masjid al-Noor.
I can't begin to explain how amazing it feels to hear the call to prayer 5 times a day, to walk across the road, pray in the masjid (where the main imam has a beautiful voice, mashaa-Allah), and then go and stand by the lagoon, or sit under a date tree in the park next to it. Mashaa-Allah.
When I came over, I set up my new marketing business via the Shams Free Zone and applied for my investor residency visa...
...only to have the application rejected, with no reason given!
Without boring you with the details of all the drama of the last couple of weeks, I now have another appointment on Monday with Sharjah immigration, where I'll hopefully be told the reason for the application being rejected, insha-Allah, and perhaps get some instructions on how to rectify the situation, if possible.
Is it disappointing? Sure.
Is it frustrating? Absolutely!
Am I worried? Not in the slightest!
Why not?
Because "Allah knows best, and there is undoubtedly some good in this" and "I’ve lived a long enough life and witnessed first-hand, on multiple occasions, the wisdom of Allah’s Plans".
I did my istishara (consulted the right people) and prayed istikhara on multiple occasions about this move.
I have complete conviction that whatever happens next will be the answer to that du'a, insha-Allah!
So, why worry?
If the visa situation is resolved, then I’ll carry on with my plans.
If not, then I’ll have a had a lovely one-month adventure, and Allah ﷻ will unveil a new plan for me, if He ﷻ wills.
And I am, if He ﷻ wills, in the Safest Hands. ❤️
I'll keep you posted, insha-Allah!
I humbly request your d’uas, please.
Ma'assalaam
Your brother,
Hanif