From Loss to Hope: A Brother's Struggle for Justice in Spain

As-salamu alaykum brothers and sisters, Three years ago, I was blessed with a good life. I worked as a Scrum Master and Agile Coach at a major IT company for five years, then was offered a position in Spain as a skilled professional. The salary was good, I had a comfortable apartment in a town of 250,000, and felt hopeful about the future. But everything changed after I sent a message in a company-wide chat suggesting my colleagues consider joining a union to protect our rights. That was it – my "offense." A few days later, I was called into an office and told I was fired. They called it "restructuring," but I believe it was retaliation. They offered me about €10,000 to sign a paper and leave quietly. I refused on principle. That choice cost me everything: my job, savings, apartment, and legal status. I spent much of last year in homeless shelters. Alhamdulillah, thanks to the help of the Red Cross, I now have a small room in Galicia and €110 to my name. I’m currently fighting a legal battle that might, inshaAllah, restore my job and grant me around €180,000 in back pay (though I’d have to give half to the labor union handling my case). My appeal has been stuck in a high court for six months with no updates. I can’t leave Spain, or I risk losing the case. I’m not asking for financial help, just wisdom and advice on staying sane and strong under such strict restrictions and challenges. My lawyer jokingly calls this situation a "legal limbo" or a "Catch-22" because of how the system works here. Every logical part of me thinks I should have taken the money and moved on. But my heart says that if people like me don’t stand up, these corporations will continue to oppress everyone. So, I’m caught between principle and pragmatism, like living a story from Dostoevsky or Kafka. For those who have faced tough battles against systems designed to wear you down, what small thing kept you from giving up? Jazakum Allahu khairan for listening.