There aren’t many places like Yemen and according to Rasool Allah (sas) it is the second best destination for a muhajir in Akhir Zaman - first place goes to Ash-Sham.
As a Western Muslim trying to enter Yemen, expect difficulties and possibly being turned back at the airport. Visas must be obtained before arrival and can be changed over to student or work once in the country but it is difficult. It is best to organise a visa sponsor before coming.
Travel within the country is very restricted since the uprising so life will mostly be stuck in one of the main cities. Muhajireen for Allah will be able to live and participate in an actual life in Yemen rather than live on the periphery like in the other Gulf countries. Muhajireen without professional qualifications can usually find work but still a western white person looking for blue collar work is a strange thing so best to have some skills and certificates.
The conditions in the main cities are bearable, there are medical services, but decent service is very expensive. Currently there is a garbage problem in the cities as garbage collection services fall short of demands and the workers severely underpaid for their important work. Garbage is literally in piles in all streets and strewn across the countryside.
Rental prices are cheap depending where you live and how well you can negotiate a better deal. A 3 bedroom apartment in a cleaner part of Sana’a start from $US200 per month. Simple single accommodation starts at around $50 per month. Not all properties have water supply and water must be purchased and deposited in your tank by water truck.
Education facilities are basic. Government school are a waste of time and private schools hardly better but at least the enrolment process at a private school is easier and class sizes smaller. You must have your children’s education records for at least the last three years.
If you speak English you’ll be able to get a job easily as an English teacher even if you are not a qualified teacher. However, salaries are low, for example a qualified English teacher at a top school can earn around $US1000 per month or more and in an ordinary private school between $500-$800. Even though the salaries are low, they are sufficient.
Islamically Yemen is the best of the Gulf states. You can do more than just practice your personal worship, you can even have serious discussion with knowledgeable people about controversial topics. The morning adhan is three – one to wake up if you want to fast, one to warn you to stop eating because its almost adhan fajr, and then the actual adhan fajr. You can find a plethora of free Qura’an classes in local masajid. As for serious Islamic studies for adults, there are a number of centres across the country but you need to take the good with the bad and keep your wits about you as many will sell you out to the authorities if they think you have “radical political ideas”. From all the experiences of Muhajireen that I have spoken to, Eman University in Sana’a, despite its warts is the best location for studying deen (they don’t give student visas to all nationalities).
Studying Arabic is easy in Yemen because it hasn’t been infiltrated by hordes of foreigners like Gulf states so there are plenty of opportunities to use Arabic everyday. There are a number of colleges catered for foreigners Muslim or not in Sana’a as well as other major cities (Aden and Taiz in particular). Courses are expensive but some give discounts for longer stays and they provide student visas. One good thing about studying in one of these Arabic colleges is the opportunity for excursions which are otherwise difficult to do alone due to the current security situation in Yemen.
Yemen since the uprising.
I am reluctant to call it a revolution because nothing really changed and the same government holds power. Security in Yemen has deteriorated a lot since the uprising, and even personal everyday security in the streets has weakened especially for women alone, foreigner or local, men regularly harass women and don’t seem to be ashamed of it and the police won’t help you.
The muhajireen community thinned out considerably before and during the uprising as a result of being deported or seeking work opportunities elsewhere (many businesses and institutions shut up shop during the heavier days of the uprising). The community has not returned to former numbers and that is largely due to visa restrictions and inability of former muhajir residents to return. There are still plenty of foreigners coming to Sana’a for study.
Other locations will be reviewed later insha Allah.