Lately, I saw a video on Instagram where boys in Uzbekistan were being asked:
“Would you marry a girl who studied abroad?”
Most of them answered no.
And their reasoning? “We don’t know what this girl did alone abroad.”
Here’s my take.
From an Islamic point of view, yes—it’s highly recommended for a girl to travel abroad with her mahram (a close male relative like her father, brother, or husband). And it's completely understandable that some families feel afraid or uncertain about sending their daughters abroad alone—even for great study opportunities.
But here’s the thing:
Just because a girl didn’t go abroad doesn’t mean she didn’t want to.
And just because she did go abroad doesn’t mean she did anything wrong.
—she simply went to study. To grow. To become someone better.
The world is changing.
Mindsets are shifting.
Women are chasing knowledge, and they’re doing it with courage and purpose.
If you ever get the chance to study abroad—take it.
Even if you can’t go right now, don’t give up on that dream.
One day, you might go with your husband by your side—and that aligns beautifully with what Islam encourages.
Studying abroad isn’t just about academics.
You don’t just grow as a specialist—you grow as a person.
You learn to live independently.
You learn to handle life, face challenges, solve problems on your own.
You learn resilience, self-respect, and strength.
To those who judge girls who studied abroad—please stop.
You don’t know her journey.
You don’t know what she left behind, what she sacrificed, how much she misses her family—but she still chose to pursue something meaningful for her future.
And people, please—stop being so small-minded.
When you're choosing a life partner, you're not just choosing a husband or wife.
You're choosing the mother or father of your future children.
So choose wisely. Choose the one who will raise your children to be kind, strong, and educated.
And if your worldview is still stuck on thinking that a girl who studied abroad isn’t good enough to marry—how do you expect your children to grow up better than you?
Lastly, a message to all the girls—including myself—whose parents didn’t allow them to study abroad (yet):
You will do it one day.
You will study abroad—with your husband behind you, supporting you.
Just believe.
Dreams take time, but they don’t fade.
Hold on to your dream. It’s yours for a reason 🙏🏻
