Hijrah (migration) for the sake of Allaah means moving from the land of shirk to the land of Islam, as the Muslims moved from Makkah – before its people became Muslim – to Madeenah, because it had become the city of Islam after its people had pledged their allegiance (bay’ah) to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked him to make hijrah to them. So Hijrah means migratinmg to join other Muslims. Hijrah may also take the form of moving from one land of shirk to another land of shirk where evil is less prevalent and there is less danger to the Muslims, as when some of the Muslims migrated from Makkah, at the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
And Allaah is the Source of Strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.
Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 12/50
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migrate (hijrah)for those who embrace Islam in kaafir lands
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migrate (hijrah)for those who embrace Islam in kaafir lands
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If a person becomes a Muslim in a kaafir land and he is not able to practise his religion openly and establish regular worship, or he fears for himself tribulation regarding his religious commitment, and he cannot protect his honour, then he is obliged to migrate, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have nothing to do with any Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen. But if he is able to practise his religion openly and establish regular worship, and he is able to migrate, then it is mustahabb for him to migrate, but in this case it is not obligatory.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni: It is mustahabb for him (to migrate) so that he will be able to wage jihad against them – i.e., the kuffaar – and he will increase the numbers of the Muslims and support them. End quote.
But if he is able to practise his religion openly, and he is safe from fitnah (tribulation, temptation), and he can call people to Allaah and teach the Muslims about their religion, then he may stay and not migrate, because his staying there serves an interest.
When Maalik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allaah be pleased with him) and his companions came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and stayed with him, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) noticed that they were missing their families, he told them to go back and to teach their people, and he said: “Go back to your families and teach them.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6008; Muslim, 674.
Al-Bukhaari (1452) and Muslim (1865) narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri that a Bedouin asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about migration (hijrah) and he said: “Woe to you! Migration is very important. Do you have any camels?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “Do you pay zakaah on them?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “(Even) if you are in the remotest region, Allaah will not cause any of your deeds to be lost.”
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Allaah will not cause any of your deeds to be lost” means: He will never allow the reward for any of your deeds to be lost, no matter where you are.
The scholars said that what is meant by the migration (hijrah) which this Bedouin asked about is staying close to Madeenah with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and forsaking one’s family and homeland.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) feared that he would not be able to bear that, and he would not fulfil his rights towards them, and that he would turn back (from Islam), so he said to him: This migration that you asked about is very important, but do good in your own land, and wherever you are it will benefit you, and Allaah will not allow anything of it to be lost.
So migration depends on whether one is able to practise Islam openly and worship openly. If a person cannot do that and he fears fitnah (tribulation), then he must migrate; if he is able to practise Islam openly but he is able to migrate, then migration is mustahabb (recommended); if he is able to practise Islam openly and he engages in da’wah and teaches the Muslims, then he may stay. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah help us all to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
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Qualities which must be present in the land to which one makes hijrah
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Qualities which must be present in the land to which one makes hijrah
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Every land or region in which the rulers and those in authority uphold the limits set by Allaah and they rule their people in accordance with Islamic sharee’ah, and the people are able to carry out what Islam has enjoined upon them, is considered to be dar islaam (the abode of Islam). The Muslims in such lands have to obey their rulers with regard to that which is right (ma’roof) and be sincere towards them, helping them to take care of the affairs of state and giving them moral and practical support. They should live there, and not go to live anywhere else except to another place which is under Islamic rule where they
may be better off. This is like the case of Madeenah after the Hijrah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when the Islamic state was established there, and like Makkah after the Conquest, when the Muslims took power there and it became daar islaam after it had been daar harb and it had been obligatory for the Muslims there who were able to leave, to migrate from it.
Every country or region in which the rulers and those in authority do not uphold the limits set by Allaah and do not govern those who are under their care by the rules of Islam, and in which the Muslims are not able to establish the rituals of Islam, is daar kufr (the abode of kufr). This is like Makkah al-Mukarramah before the Conquest, when it was daar kufr. The same applies to any land in which the people belong to the religion of Islam, but those who are in authority govern by laws other than those revealed by Allaah, and the Muslims are not able to establish the rituals of their religion. They have to migrate from that place, fleeing so that their religious commitment will not be compromised, to a land which is ruled by Islam and where they will be able to do that which is required of them by sharee’ah. Whoever is unable to migrate – men, women or children – will be excused, but Muslims in other lands are obliged to save them and bring them from the kaafir lands to the Muslim land.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): “In what (condition) were you?” They reply: “We were weak and oppressed on the earth.” They (angels) say: “Was not the earth of Allaah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?” Such men will find their abode in Hell — what an evil destination! Except the weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way. These are they whom Allaah is likely to forgive them, and Allaah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving”
[al-Nisaa’ 4:97-99]
“And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the Cause of Allaah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: “Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help.”
[al-Nisaa’ 4:75]
But whoever is able to establish the rituals of Islam within his family and establish evidence against the rulers and people in authority, and bring about reform, making them change their ways, then it is prescribed for him to stay among them, because there is the hope that by staying there he may be able to convey the message and reform them – so long as he is safe from temptation and fitnah.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 12/51
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