Yemen, misconceptions & qna.

❗Updated❗

New information: battery and jihāz.

How do I get to Yemen?!

[posting soon, ان شاء الله]

After mentioning these things then the following applies to all students, single or married, as we are all human and the stress and sorrow of this dunyā can get to us; your Rizq is in the Two Right Hands of al-Raḥmān!! Be patient and put your trust in Allāh عزوجل, He is al-Razzāq, and always remember everything is written. Everything!

Here is some advice regarding this from al-ʿAllāmah al-Baḥr Al-Muḥaddith al-Shaykh Muḥammad Ibn Ādam al-Ithīyūbī رحمه الله ⤵️

Battery & Jihāz???

I mentioned some things about electricity and such earlier. To expand, in the list we mentioned Battery and Jihāz.

To keep it simple; the batteries work when the electricity cuts off. You'll have your electronics set up to the electrical panel/breaker box (of the house.) You'll also have your batteries setup on this aswell, this will allow things to run off the battery. Of course, not all things will run off the batteries due to several factors, as you don't need everything to be running at all times. For example, a washing machine, a fridge, certain plugs etc. Also, some things aren't able to run on batteries, because it'll just drain the battery immensely. For example, clothing irons and kettles.

How does the battery charge then? That's what the Jihāz is for. It's a small machine which allows the batteries to be charged while the electricity is on and it also 'flips the current' so that when the electricity cuts off, the batteries automatically turn on and power xyz — meaning, you don't have to hassle yourself with this.

You can also set up solar panels that'll recharge the batteries and such too.

8.c. Expenses.

This is split up as one-time purchases and monthly, due to certain aspects such as housing/furnishing items.

Conversions to £'s done by our brother: ʾAbū ʿAmr Muhyiddeen al-Ḥātimī حفظه الله

جزاه الله خيرا وشكر الله له

King sized mattress - 300sar (£63)
Pillows, blankets, sheets, [Full set] etc. - 50 (£10.50), 100 (£21), 150sar (£31.50) etc. ranges between quality and size.
AC - 500sar (£105)
Ceiling Fans - 80sar. (£16.80)
Internet - 50sar-100sar. (£10.50 - £21) Depends if you have a router already set up, etc.
Semi-automatic washing machine - 500sar-700sar. (£105 - £147)
Automatic washing machine - 1,100-1,500sar. (£231 - £315)
Water filter - 250-300sar. (£52.50 - £63)
  - You can also have water filled up in a tank, which costs around 2,000-3,000yr (£0.78 - £1.17) MONTHLY.
Gas stove - 35,000-50,000yr. (£13.65 - £19.50)
Cooking stove with oven - 600-1,300sar. (£126 - £273)
Gas canister - 100sar. (£21)
Refrigerator - 500-900sar. (£105 - £189) Depends on the quality, size etc.
Water and electricity bill - no more than 10,000yr (£3.90) A MONTH. A husband and wife with no children, it would be around 3,000-4,000yr (£1.17 - £1.56) max.
Battery - 500sar (£105)
Jihāz - 500sar (£105) (This charges the batteries when the electricity is on.)
Solar panels - 500sar (£105) (small)

Rice 10kg - approx. 19,000yr (£7.41)
Flour 10kg - approx. 21,000yr (£8.19)
Cooking oil 1.5L - 4,000yr (£1.56)
Spices - These differ on the spice and amount, let's say the highest for one spice (large pack) would be 2,000yr (£0.78)
Full Chicken - 6,500-7,500yr (£2.53 - £2.73)
Fish: there are many types. As for sardines, you can get them 1kg for 1,500yr (£0.59). Fish is generally a lot more cheaper than chicken even by the kg.
Meat - 16,000yr/kg (£6.24)
Vegetables and fruits - These vary depending on the time of year. For example, there might be a season where potatoes are really cheap and tomatoes are more expensive, etc. there are also seasons where fruits are known to be sold, like mangos, pomegranates, etc. with that being said, here are a few prices: tomatoes 1kg, 2,300yr (£0.90) Potatoes 1kg, 2,500yr (£0.98). Orbagenes 1kg, 800yr (£0.31). A pack of 10 cucumbers, 1,000yr (£0.39). Bananas 1kg, 900yr (£0.35). Apples (green and red, IMPORTED), 1kg 4,000yr (£0.39). Inland Apples, 1kg 1,500yr (£0.59). Watermelon (Half of a well-sized one), 2,000yr (£0.78).
Washing powder - 5,000yr-8,000yr (£1.95 - £3.12) (assuming you're purchasing the bigger ones due to being married.)
Comfort - 8,000yr (£3.12) ( However, if you choose to get the other companies that aren't 'western', you'll find them for cheaper, around 4,000-6,000yr (£1.56 - £2.34)
Sugar 1kg, 2,000yr (£0.78).
Salt 1kg, 200yr (£0.08).
Big tub 7L ketchup, 9,000yr (£3.51).
Any Fizzy drink can - 600yr (£0.23)
Large bottle of any drink - 2,000-2,500yr (£0.78 - £0.96)

❗ NOTE: I intended to write the main things down that every person needs, in general. Anything I missed, please e-mail and this will be updated.

8.b. Am I able to work/get income in Yemen?

That which is advised first and foremost is to make sure that the work doesn't busy you from your goal, seeking knowledge. One is able to work, although it's quite limited. If it's a live-job where you're required to sit at your desk with stable internet for x amount of hours, monitoring things live, this is very difficult and isn't likely to happen. However if it's a job that doesn't require you to be there live, such as answering emails and such, then this is doable. The internet here varies from place to place especially from city to city. For example, 4G Mobile Data is very strong in Mukalla. Recently we had stronger WiFi implemented, which now should make these kinds of things easier. Most brothers sell things online, sending things from Yemen to their home countries and then selling it there.

You can also set something "physical" up here, as some brothers did. By that, I mean selling things privately or outside the Marākiz; for example the Markaz of our Shaykh al-ʿAllāmah Yaḥyā al-Ḥajūrī حفظه الله ورعاه there's a few brothers who sell things outside after Isha daily, ranging from sweets, cakes, ice cream, perfume, etc. One of our brothers - may Allāh عزوجل preserve him upon goodness and reward him immensely - currently sells chicken burgers and wraps.

You could also opt for a taxi service, as it's known many students travel from Yemen to Saudi (Makkah). This can be done often, and ofcourse the most busiest and expensive of times is during Ramaḍān. As far as I can recall, a seat costs approximately between 250-350sar, depending on the time of year one travels. If you have an 8 seater mini-bus, well, that's 250-350sar × 7 and as mentioned before, these trips are done several times within a year - many brothers go back and forth. This will be mentioned further on when speaking about travelling.

8.a. Housing.

Houses aren't too difficult to find, although it might require some time. This is because ever since the Māshayikh came to the different cities and the foreigners travelled to seek knowledge with them, the rent for the houses increased. Houses that are closer to the Marākiz are always more expensive. You can find an average house - two rooms (normally one bedroom, one guest room), a toilet/bathroom and a kitchen for approximately 200sar monthly. If this house was to be further away from the Markaz, perhaps a fifteen-twenty minute walk, it would be cheaper, approximately 60,000-80,000yr. It should also be noted these houses come UNFURNISHED, which will be expanded on ahead in expenses for the married student.

The houses are mud-houses, however the interior is something you'd be shocked, something you wouldn't expect for mud-houses to look like. As can be seen below:

8. The Mutazawij (married student.)

The married student, in terms of his timetable, is the same as the single student. The durūs of the Māshayikh and the time for his private lessons do not change. However, the responsibilities of a single student and married student differ, immensely! As a single student, you are primarily worrying about yourself and holding yourself responsible. As a married student, you're responsible for more than just you; your spouse, your children, your household, etc. Due to this reasoning, you'll have to be more organised about your time. You'll have your own house, if you don't have transport such as a motorbike or a car, you'll have to acknowledge the time it takes from your house to the Markaz and back, especially when it's done more than three-five times a day. You'll also have to take into consideration the time for other things, such as groceries, spending time with your family/teaching them, etc. All of this comes together and it can easily keep one busy or not have their priorities set.

Many of the married students do not work, so some if not majority get aid from the Marākiz. This aid varies from each Markaz, however to summarise, it's generally: rice, flour, oil and dates. The amount varies from Markaz to Markaz as well as the thing that's being given to the married students, which is a monthly tawzīʿ.

I advise our brothers and sisters to NOT depend on this! You never know when this will be cut off or the amount would be cut short.

Also to note, being married you'll be able to have more "freedom" in what you'd like to do, as some of the Marākiz have restrictions. Such as some Marākiz taking smartphones off single students and letting them have button phones, except on Jumu'ah. You'll have your own house, personal space and privacy. You can also get WiFi set in your house, specifically for you and your family to use.

NOTE: Houses - for the MAJORITY - aren't given out to single students except if you're married, unless there's a dire need for it.

7.c. Expenses.

The single student living in the Marākiz wouldn't need a lot of expenses. In reality, you wouldn't need much, although you may face some sort of difficulty. However, it's not as it's perceived, as we know many students who don't have financial aid and have the bare minimum and you'll see them from some of the most hard-working students. May Allāh عزوجل preserve them.

Since this is primarily aimed for those who desire to seek knowledge from the west in Yemen, then I'll list some necessities:

- There are resteraunts, shops, etc as I mentioned before. If one were to live quite comfortably, food and snacks for a month would equate to 100sar. [monthly.]
- Notebooks, pens, books, etc. 100sar. This will last you a few months often, so you won't need this much.
- Mattress 80-100sar. [one-time purchase.]
- Pillow 6,000-8,00yr. [one-time purchase.]
- Blankets 12,000-20,000yr. [one-time purchase.]
- Clothes: Selwar 5,000-7,000yr. Imāmah 5,000-15,000yr (depending on the material and design.) Custom tailored thobes 20,000yr-45,000yr. Coats for the winter 15,000-25,000yr.
- New Motorbike, 2,500sar [Chinese], 3,500-4,000 [Indian.] (Yes, some single students have bikes to travel between Marākiz, such as from Shaykh Jum'ans Markaz to Shaykh Yaḥyā's which is about a 10-15m drive)

Exchange rate: https://t.me/yemenqna/86

Anything that's missed or enquired about, please e-mail: yemenqna@gmail.com and this list will be updated for the SINGLE students.

Keep your things either locked away or give it to a trustworthy brother to keep it for you, such as your passport. Do not carry large amounts of money (on your personel.) When I was living in the Markaz, I had my own cupboard/locker (approximately 100sar) made with a lock and kept my important things in there.

Khidmah.
This is probably the most difficult part in terms of living in the Marākiz. MOST if not ALL Marākiz have something called Khidmah, where the student is in the servitude of the other students. How so? The student will be picked to help in the kitchen for the entire day to help the cooks prepare the food for the students, just like how it was in Dammāj. They cut and prepare ingredients, help cook sometimes, plating the foods, cleaning afterwards etc. This is normally split into groups for the larger Marākiz. For example, one day the Yemenis, then Somalis, then British, etc. My best advice is to keep the mindset that this, in itself, is ʿIbādah and remembering the statement of Allāh عزوجل:

{...وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى...} الآية
{...And aid one another upon righteousness and taqwā...} Al-Ayah.



Despite all these hardships, we say: be patient, O' student of knowledge. Nothing of value has come in this dīn, let alone the Dunyā, except one is required to strive for it and be patient upon the calamities that fall a person. Be sincere in your intention and you'll see the fruits of this sincerity and striving for good.

al-Nabī ﷺ says in an authentic ḥadīth:

"إنك لن تدع شيأ إتقاء الله إلا أعطاك الله خير منه"
أخرجه أحمد وصححه الإمام الوادعي رحمه الله

"Verily, you do not leave something for the fear/sake of Allāh except Allāh عزوجل gives you better than it." Reported by Ahmed and authenticated by our Shaykh, al-ʾImām al-Wādiʿī رحمه الله.

7.b. Difficulties.

No doubt that the single student will face difficulties. This is something that is from the divine decree of Allāh عزوجل, that the student is trialed.

There are a few difficulties one could face and this is the reality. Going from your own house or your own room with your own privacy and travelling to a country which has a harsher climate, sharing a living space etc.

Electricity.
The electricity isn't constantly on. There are cuts and it varies from which city/Markaz you're at. During the summer time, the situation is quite harsh, electricity being on for two-three hours and then cutting off for six to even nine hours. At times of maintenance and construction, worst case scenarios, it could be off the entire day. Some Marākiz, such as in al-Ḥāmī, the electricity cuts on and off - two hours on, two off. Also, al-Ḥāmī is very humid and hot, as well as Mukallā. As for Sey'ūn, then as mentioned during the summer time it's harsh, two-three on, six-nine off. The heat is dry and there's less humidity. As for the cold days, then Alhamdulillah, the electricity is either on for the most part and due to the weather, it isn't too hot, so AC's aren't really needed. As for the Markaz of al-ʿAllāmah Yaḥyā al-Ḥajūrī حفظه الله, then it's constantly on. As soon as the electricity cuts off, the batteries turn on; and All Praise is due to Allāh عزوجل.

Climate.
Some of the brothers asked about the heat and the cold. To put it simple, when it's hot, it's hot hot and when it's cold, it's cold cold.

Wherever you go in Yemen, you'll always face the intensity of the heat. It's important to stay hydrated and try not to leave much before ẓuhr and after it, as this is when the heat is at it's peak. This paired with the electricity cutting out... Well, you can probably imagine how it is. At summer time, the heat reaches to 44-50°c. Alhamdulillah there are fans and ACs in the Marākiz, however one shouldn't depend on it, as some of them are powered by batteries, some only on the electricity, which neither are constantly on. Shaykh ʾAbū Ammār Yāsir Al-Adenī حفظه الله ورعاه delivered a Khutbah on this topic, and he gave an admonishment regarding the heat of this Dunyā and that it's nothing compared to the blazing heat of Jahannam, we seek refuge in Allāh عزوجل from The Fire.

{... قل نار جهنم أشد حرا...} الآية.
{...and say: the fire of Jahannam is most severe in it's heat...} Al-Ayah.

With regards to the cold days, then it becomes cold to the point that your skin — if left dried and unattended to — can have deep cuts. This is easily prevented with vaseline, cream, socks, etc.

There is also a season of rain, which usually is heavy for the most part, causing floods within the streets and the sand/dirt to become extremely muddy. There's also a season for storms/sand storms.

There are a lot of flies in certain times of the year, bugs, cockroaches and other type of insects which I don't know the name of. Bug bites are common, especially for the new brothers, since they're... Well, fresh blood. al-ʿAllāmah Yaḥyā al-Ḥajūrī حفظه الله ورعاه when asked about this, he used to say: "Wallāhī, being patient upon being bitten by bugs and such is better than for you to return to the lands of disbelief."

Personal belongings.
Keep your personal belongings safe! Not everyone that comes to the Marākiz and lives there are students of knowledge, you'll meet all kinds of people. This isn't to say you'll be in place living amongst a variety of people (who aren't students), the majority are students. You'll find a few people staying in the Markaz who are travellers, homeless etc. (although they're Salafī.) The reason I'm mentioning this is because the Shaytān comes and whispers to all people and the last thing you want to face is having xyz item stolen. Yes, things get stolen if left out in the open and not locked away/attended to. Some people find this as a shock, however, there were thieves, murderers and hypocrites at the time of al-Nabī ﷺ and the time of the Salaf.

7.a. Necessities (single student).

The single student of knowledge will require some things so that he will face as much difficulty as he can.

— Bedding:
A student might want a pillow and mattress to sleep on, which can be bought from one of the stores in the markets. Depending which city you go to study, it can get really cold, like it is for us here in Sey'ūn. So for the cold days, one would require a thick blanket. This shouldn't be an issue, as there are many brothers who are available to assist.

— Clothing/Washing clothes:
One can get cheap clothing in Yemen. Infact, a custom tailored thobe ranges between 20,000-45,000 Yemeni riyals. However, that which I intend here is washing clothes and there are two ways of doing it:
- The first, in the Marākiz. Many Marākiz have a way for the students to wash their clothes, whether it's a bucket and washed by hand, or by a washing machine that's a Waqf for the students. The student needs to buy his OWN equipment, which consists of: a bucket (7,000-15,000, depending on the size - preferably two), washing powder (1,000-8,000 depending on the sizes) scrubber (500-2,000max), etc. These items can be bought in the local supermarkets/stores. If it comes down to it, due to majority of the students not being financially stable or supported, a lot of students share. We ask Allāh عزوجل to aid our brothers and sisters in their journey of seeking knowledge.

Some of the Marākiz — which have washing machines — often have a order when students can wash their clothes prioritized by nationality. For example, Yemenis on one day, Indians on the next, Habashis on the day after and so on.

- The second is to take the clothes to a Maghsalah (laundromat). The person will wash any type of clothing you have for a price. This normally takes a day or two and saves a lot of time (and exhaustion, believe me.)

In reality, I advise the brothers to opt for the first option, as it's more cost efficient and you want to try and minimise your time outside of the Markaz as much as you can, so you aren't open to distractions. However it should be noted that this does consume time, a student might not have the time to do this, which in this case it would be better for him to opt for the second option. The Maghsalah is quite close to some Marākiz, as for Shaykh Jumʿān حفظه الله ورعاه then it's no longer than a five minute walk.

— Hygiene.
There's much to say about this but in summary, the Marākiz have toilets and the students also shower in these toilets. As for the toilets, then they're the usual eastern-floor toilets. You'll often find more than one western toilet in every Markaz atleast. A student would normally use a bucket, fill it up with water and shower as usual. There are no shower heads (in the Marākiz.)

— Food.
Although food is provided by the Marākiz, a student might want to have breakfast, lunch or dinner outside, perhaps due to having guests or just trying to enjoy their time. There are resteraunts close by many Marākiz for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food isn't too expensive either (infact, it's cheap.) Also as aforementioned, you can find supermarkets and corner shops everywhere, so if one wanted to, they can buy snacks (1 soft drink is 600 Yemeni, cheap, right?) and the likes.

Also, the Marākiz have kitchens, so for the lesser crowded Marākiz, students are able to cook for themselves. (Perhaps the brothers want to come together the night before Jumu'ah and cook together and eat. This used to happen with some of our British brothers.)

💎 Exchange Rate 💎

There will be some prices listed for items continuing further, so to make it a note of reference:

100SAR = 53,200 Yemeni Riyals.
-> 100SAR = £21, $27 US.

27/04/1446AH — 30/10/24.

Note: the exchange rate increases and decreases by a small margine, however if there is a drastic change this message will be updated.

بارك الله فيكم.

After al-ẓuhr, the Māshayikh hold their first lesson, which generally ranges between 20-40m. After this there is a slot for private lessons and then lunch is served. All marākiz serve rice with some sort of variation. For example, the Markaz of Shaykh Jum'an حفظه الله, then it's rice with fried onions, mixed with tomatoes. As for Shaykh Yaḥyā حفظه الله then rice with potatoes. After lunch, there's some open time to rest, get a Qaylūla in, revise, memorize or just socialise with the students/brothers.

After Aṣr, the Māshayikh teach again. After their lesson, there are constant private lessons back to back all the way till Maghrib. The student will also have time to do a lot of revision and memorization in this time! Between Maghrib and ʿIshā', ALL the Māshayikh teach, and this is generally their largest lesson or main lesson, such as teaching Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, etc.

After ʿIshā', there are private lessons until dinner, which is the same as breakfast and after dinner, it's another slot for open time for the student to do what he seems best for him.

On Jumu'ah, there are no private lessons except the lessons of the Māshayikh, as well as on the days of ʿĪd!

7. The life of the ʿĀzib (single student.)

The single student will adopt the life of Ahl al-Ṣuffah, those that were living within the Masjid at the time of al-Nabī ﷺ and from the heads of them, the noble companion, Ḥāfiẓ al-Ṣaḥābah, ʾAbū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه. They will live, eat, sleep, etc in the Markaz, and this is from the blessings of Allāh عزوجل upon the Marākiz of Ahl Al-Sunnah, that one is able to come and stay amongst Ahl al-Sunnah, devoting his time and energy to seeking knowledge whilst being provided for.

What's are the day to day things a single student will be doing?

The majority of students start their days before Ṣalāh al-Fajr. This is because some may be sick or may be traveling, so they get extra rest till Fajr and after - this will be expanded upon later on. The student will wake up thirty minutes to an hour before the first adhān (or after it) to prepare himself for his Qiyām as well as al-Fajr. Some Marākiz are more keen than others in this affair, such as the Markaz of our Shaykh and father, al-ʿAllāmah Yaḥyā al-Ḥajūrī حفظه الله ورعاه, in which the students all get woken up at this time. The guards walk around and wake the students up, may Allāh عزوجل reward them for their efforts. However, you'll find some marākiz where there isn't an allocated individual that wakes the students up, or a student from the single brothers will go around waking the students up. So, it's important that one is independent in this affair, takes caution and gives importance to waking up at this time! A student who doesn't pray qiyām al-Layl, this is something ʿAjīb, when the student of knowledge is the MOST in need of his du'a to be accepted and the Aid of his Rabb! We ask Allāh عزوجل for thabāt.

After Fajr, the students start either their Murājaʿah or Ḥifẓ, including the Māshayikh, until Shurūq. This is something you'll see in all the Marākiz, their importance and attention to the Book of Allāh عزوجل, the Qurʾān. After Shurūq, there are often durūs khāṣah (private lessons) that are held. Breakfast is served around 7:00-7:30am. The Marākiz serve beans (faṣūliyyah or fūl) or ʿAdas (lentils) with bread, some mix other things with it, such a small potatoes and tuna bits, however for the most this is what is served. The time from shurūq and breakfast generally students take a small nap, 30 minutes to an hour or so. At 8am, students get ready and start their Qurʾān Ḥalaqāt, which ranges between ages and levels as well. Here, the student can learn at all levels; whether he's at the beginning stage learning the letters and makhārij, if he's started memorizing the musḥaf or if he's just doing Murāja'ah if he's already memorized the musḥaf. Some Marākiz have Halaqāt specific to the Ḥuffāẓ. The ḥalaqāt are from 8:00am - 9:30am. After 9:30am, until al-ẓuhr, there are many durūs khāṣah that are held in the Markaz, ranging from subject to subject, such as ʿAqīdah, Tawḥīd, Fiqh, Ḥadīth, Lughah and other than them. There are also more ḥalaqāt for Ḥifẓ for other mutūn/books, such as for ʿUmdah al-Aḥkām, Bulūgh al-Marām, Riyāḍ al-sālihīn, usūl al-thalathah, al-Ajrūmiyyah and so on. There is also a Madrasah for children in the Markaz, from 9:30am till al-ẓuhr as well (the children also attend the Qurʾān ḥalaqāt.)

One of the main parts of the day for the student of knowledge is in the morning and this is based off the ḥadīth of al-Nabī ﷺ, as follows:

عن صَخْر بن وَدَاعَة الغامدي رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «اللهم بارك لأمتي في بُكُورها» الحديث.
اخرجه أبو داود والترمذي وأحمد وابن ماجه وصححه الألباني.

On the authority of Ṣakhr Ibn Wadāʿah al-Ghāmidī رضي الله عنه, al-Nabī ﷺ said: "O' Allāh, bless for my Ummah in their mornings." al-Ḥadīth.
Reported by ʾAbū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, Ahmed, Ibn Mājah and graded Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī رحمه الله.