Does my appointment as a teacher in a remote village, and my parents’ desire for that, contradict my wish to devote myself to studying Islamic knowledge and reforming my heart, and is it possible for an ordinary person to be safe in this era?

You must strive to obey Allah to the best of your ability, exert effort in preserving your time and nurturing your heart, and learn the religious sciences that draw you closer to Allah. Your work as a teacher is a door to good deeds that you can utilize to gain Allah's pleasure. If good people abandon teaching, it will lead to great evil. Continue your work, seeking reward from Allah, and be a good role model. In doing so, you will honor your parents and fill a void that people of good should not leave. Rectifying the heart and acquiring knowledge are made easy in our time, so strive in this through beneficial books, tapes, and websites. Hold yourself accountable for sincerity to Allah and strive against your soul to elevate it above worldly gains. For when a servant sincerely turns to Allah, performs the obligatory duties, and increases in supererogatory acts, Allah loves him and becomes his hearing, sight, hand, and foot.