Is the future in God’s hands, or does man control it through his choices and is it a result thereof? And if the questioner had returned to his country and worked in the oil sector, would his situation have changed, or is what happened what God had decreed for him?

The future is in God's hands, and all that befalls a person, whether good or evil, is by God's decree and destiny, written in the Preserved Tablet. This belief removes sorrow and grief. Allah Almighty says: "No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a book before We create it - indeed that, for Allah, is easy - In order that you not despair over what has eluded you, nor exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like every self-deluded and boastful person."

This belief brings tranquility and reassurance. Allah Almighty says: "No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah - He will guide his heart." So, whoever knows that the disaster is by God's decree and destiny and shows patience, God will guide his heart and compensate him. As for one who does not believe in that, he will be forsaken and left to his distress and panic.

The questioner working in a field outside his specialization is by God's decree, and this does not contradict human will and the ability to choose. The correct approach is for a person to attribute any evil that befalls him to himself, as evil is not attributed to God out of reverence, while good is attributed to Him. Allah Almighty says: "Whatever good reaches you is from Allah, but whatever evil befalls you is from yourself." And the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "All good is in Your Hands, and evil is not attributed to You."

As for the question about whether the situation would change if the questioner returned to his country, only God knows this. The questioner is advised not to lament over what he has missed, to strive for what benefits him, to seek help from God, and not to say "if only I had done such and such" when calamities strike, but rather to say "God decreed and what He willed, He did"; because "if only" opens the door for the work of Satan.