Struggling with the Idea of Leaving Home
Assalamu alaikum, everyone. I’m a 23-year-old guy, and my parents get really upset whenever moving out comes up. I’m honestly lost-I don’t want to hurt them or see my mom cry, especially knowing how much Islam honors mothers. I’ve been wanting to move since I was 19, but I feel like they’d keep me at home until I’m 30 or 40 before I actually get to live my life. I tried testing the waters once by saying I wanted to go on a solo holiday, just to help her get used to the idea, but she shut it down completely. Plus, there’s clear favoritism-my younger brother can stay out till 3 AM with no issues because he’s muscular, while I can’t even get that freedom. I’m exhausted and really unhappy. I even turned down university because of concerns about riba, so I’m stuck working in the family business, which I despise. It’s miserable and I feel like I can’t go on like this. My parents never set an age where I’d be allowed to move out, and what makes it harder are the hadiths that seem to back them up. Like the one where Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ wanting to pledge allegiance for hijrah but left his parents crying, and the Prophet told him to go back and make them laugh as he made them cry. Or when Jahimah asked about going for jihad, and the Prophet asked if he had a mother, then said to stay with her because Jannah is under her feet. I know they’re being unreasonable, but I’m just so tired. I feel like my mom is benefiting from my youth, and I hate that. I’m really begging for advice here, just anything that could help a brother out.