I have a friend who has a dilemma, and she needs help. Here's the situation.
My friend has a cousin in the US. Now, that cousin is still in university, living with her parents. My friend's cousin's father (thus my friend's uncle) is a muslim and very religious, and even has a degree in a religious course. However, my friend's cousin is far from being religious; sure she wears the hijab (the veil muslim women wear), but once she's outside and with her friends, she takes it off. She goes to parties, hangs out with boys in their apartment, sometimes wears sexy stuff (short dress, etc...), but her parents don't know anything about it. She hides it very well.
The problem is, that cousin even told my friend that once she finishes university (which is next summer, since this year is her final year), she's going to pack up and leave with her friends to another state without telling her parents, only leaving them a note.
My friend doesn't know what to do. Her cousin is her best friend, and she wants to best for her. If her cousin leaves home, her father would be devastated (it might end up in a heart attack, who knows), and she won't be able to come home again. My friend would also feel guilty because she'd have known about it all along and she wouldn't have said anything. However, if she did what she thinks is right (which is telling her uncle), that would avoid a family disaster, but she'll lose something precious: her friendship with her cousin.
So, what should she do? Stay quiet and let her cousin do what she wants to do, even though it's against the religion and, putting religion aside, she would hurt her parents? Or sacrifice the friendship for the sake of keeping the family alive?
Please take into account the islamic religion; her father isn't an extremist, but he abides by the muslim laws (and no, they're not terrorists' laws), and so do I and my friend; so please, do take religion into account before answering, I don't want the "let her do whatever she wants to do" answers, I'd like people with religious beliefs to answer, please and thank you.
Going back on the subject, I think my friend should sacrifice the friendship for her cousin's sake, but... that's a big price. It's a hard decision to make, and both decisions have large consequences. Which is why I thought speaking up is better; at least she spoke the truth, and did what is right.