How do I handle this, sisters?
Assalam Alaikum sisters and brothers, Alhamdulilah I embraced Islam about a year ago and officially became a Muslimah on August 26th this year. I live with my mother and have just finished college. I really want to move out so I can practice my deen more freely, build a stronger foundation, and then tell her. I’m waiting because 1) there are a lot of family issues and it’s basically just the two of us, and her health is fragile so I worry I’d be adding stress, and 2) I’m not financially secure yet - if I move and can’t support myself she might force me to leave with nowhere to go, or worse in my view, pressure me to attend church and bring pastors to the house, which leads to constant arguments. I try to go to the masjid when I can, dress modestly, and bring small acts of Islam into my daily life. My mother is upset by my modest clothes. I bought a lovely abaya but told her it was a dress, and she still told me not to wear it outside because it ‘looks foreign.’ She criticized me a lot. If she reacts like this to an abaya, I’m scared of how she’ll respond when I openly say I’m Muslim and begin wearing the hijab. I trust that Allah chose me and will guide me, but I need doors to open for a job and a place to live. My mother is very dependent on me - I even had to answer questions about her for a job application. When I’m gone for a few days she refuses to cook or clean. She leans on me in an unhealthy way and uses guilt and arguments when I say I want to move. I’ll be praying tahajjud when I return home, but what else can I do? Is there a particular surah, du’a, or practice that helps with gaining independence and finding a way forward? My intention is all for Allah. I want a stronger relationship with Him and hope to get married in 1–2 years. If my mother becomes angry and shuts me out later, so be it - I’m just exhausted from living a life that doesn’t feel true to me. Any advice, duas, or practical steps from anyone who has been through this would mean a lot. JazākAllāhu khayran.