Birmingham (UK)
Asslamo Alaikum Sister,
Personally; I wouldn't want my children growing up in Birmingham and there are lots of economic, social and political reasons for that...I suppose that you can discuss it freely with Sisters & they may agree (or disagree).
There are plenty of nice areas around Birmingham so if its about work; then your hubby can commute in and out!
Birmingham has its roots in working-class ethos, economically challenged first-generation migrants, factory workers etc…
I HATE Birmingham with a passion, but let me try to be balanced, here!
1) GreenLane is not a Salafi Mosque; its Ahlul-Hadeeth but fairly even tempered & mild. Brother Abu Usama is a really nice guy. They don't follow a Madhab but don't negate following a Madhab either....
Salafee Brothers/Sisters split off from GreenLane Mosque & they have their own facilities in Aston and other areas....
2) Central-Mosque is Jamaat-e-Islami oriented with most of the Imams etc. follow the Hanafi Madhab. Shaykh Hasan is a really nice guy as well. They have some good programs and facilities...
3) Brimingham Jamia Mosque (former Saddam Hussain Mosque), Masjid Hamza & Birmingham Tableeghi Markaz are hard-core Hanafi Mosques and for purely English speaking people; language may be an issue....
4) Gamkhaul Shareef & Zia-ul-Qur'aan are Barailwee(spelling???) Mosques so they celebrate the Birthday of Rasul-ullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) etc; heavily Sufi oriented Mosque.
You will find a lot of reverts connected to 1 & 2; and Sufi reverts in 4.
Nearly all facilities in Birmingham are roughly in this order in terms of abundance:
a) Hanafi but NON-SUFI
b) Hanafi & SUFI
c) Tableeghi
d) Jamaat-e-Islami
e) Ahlul-Hadeeth
f) Salafi
Point is whatever your orientation is; you will find it very close to you in Birmingham.
Economically, Birmingham is growing at a rapid rate, business and job opportunities are plenty.
My husband practices the hanifi madhab....I don't follow a madhab, no offense to anyone but i would prefer not to attend a salafi mosque, what is the amanah is it a Islamic center? what about the bad areas , where are they
sorry for the overload of questions