Was I obligated to accept the changing conditions of my fiancée's family and disregard my mother's advice? Did I wrong the girl by breaking off the engagement? What is the Islamic ruling on the engagement gifts (shabka) after breaking off the engagement? Am I sinful for leaving my mother alone before her death? Would my presence beside her during her death throes have alleviated her pain? Am I remiss in my care for her? Will my livelihood cease due to her death? Is there a way to atone for this?

It is permissible to break off the engagement and reject the conditions stipulated by the fiancée's family, and this is not an injustice. A son's travel for non-obligatory jihad without his parents' permission is not permissible, whereas travel for trade and the like is permissible without their permission. Since you traveled with your mother's permission and left someone to care for her, there is no blame upon you. There is no evidence that your presence with your mother at the time of her death agony would alleviate her suffering, for the pangs of death vary according to the servant's condition. Filial piety towards the mother after her death can be achieved through supplication, charity, and maintaining kinship ties. The mother's death does not affect sustenance, and piety and maintaining kinship ties are causes of blessing in sustenance, while sins are causes of deprivation. One should say: "Allah willed" or "Allah decreed," and not: "Destiny willed."