:salam2:
first of all akhi, that is not a way to talk about the sheikh. Sejkh rahimehullah spent 50-60 yrs of his life studying the deen and many knowledgeble people around the world now days have been taught by this honarable scholar.
I admit he is honourable scholar. I dont want to insult any of our religious scholar but they too must keep in mind the situation of all the muslims of the world while issuing any fatwa in general. It is their responsibility to avoid fitna and confusion else they should specify that this and this fatwa is only meant for citizens of islamic countries living in west.
What i broadly understood from his fatwa is that he is asking muslims of islamic-countires not to base themselves permanently in west as it will affect islamic values, specially for the new generation, which he might have came across through his experience.
Brother Isamicfajr has mentioned 2 conditions that can allow muslims to live in non-muslim lands
1) that the person must be secure in his religious commitment, so that he has enough knowledge, faith and will power to ensure that he will adhere firmly to his religion and beware of deviating or going astray
I have noticed in general that
practicing muslims of west are much more committed (with taqwa) than
practicing muslims of so called islamic countries. Though deviated muslims exist at both place.
2) is that he should be able to practice his religion openly, so that he can observe the rituals of Islam with no impediment. So he will not be prevented from establishing regular prayer, and praying Jumu’ah and offering prayers in congregation if there are others there with whom he can pray in congregation and pray Jumu’ah; and he will not be prevented from paying zakaah, fasting, performing Hajj and doing other rituals of Islam.
In west there is more freedom than in so called islamic countries. For instance i have heard, Tableegh jamat is banned in some of these countries to work openly.
As you mentioned that Resulullah s.va lived with jews and christians. that is correct, however the muslims had the power.
During his initial year in Makkah, Muslims were not in power.
They had the power to rule them as well as implement shariah. Why was hijjrah made from makkah to madinah? First of all it was command of ALlah s.va , 2nd muslims were minority and persecuted + they could not practice islam openly nor spread dawa.
Yes, if enemy persecutes muslims, you will have no other way but to make hijra. During war time thousands of people move into neighboring countries. In the current times mass hijra is only possible in the form of war refugees else not country accepts you. I have heard western countires giving asylum to such people (in need) but never heard any muslim country giving such asylum (except for arabs) . Iraqi women are making hijra to syria and i heard they are forced into evil to survive.
When prophet (PBUH) left Mekkah he had tears in his eyes. It was out of his wisdom he moved to madina and continued his mission over there. The people of Madina were there to accept him with warm heart. But such situation does not exist these days.
Ur right that we dont have a muslim country that we can return or make hijrah too. I am Bosnian and i live in US. However, i can return to bosnia if i want. I have citizenship and passport. Even though bosnia has all the haram that is practised here in US the majortiy of population is muslim.So when ramadan comes, u feel its ramadan. When it eid, u feel its eid. Masjids are all around and u can hear the athan from all directions, its beatiful.
It is really beautiful what you mentioned. Yes, you can return to bosnia (which is a muslim country) but what about muslims of thailand, burma, mongolia, china, india, singapore, ethopia, kenya, south africa etc? Please advice where they will go? I am not taking about a bosnian living in china but a chinese muslims who is chinese by birth.
This is important question and must be answered , if you want to remain too rigid of fatwa opinion.
Saudi Arabia is the closest country that practices shariah. There is many ways people could make hijrah. Finishing schools here in the west u can easily find a job working over there. I mean, especially in the medical field, u can find all kinds of jobs that they need overthere. They have thousands of non muslims working over there so why wouldnt we try?
Yes, you can try but not each of us can go there. Dont try to find a solution only for yourself. This fatwa is meant for all the muslims of the world. All are not doctors, engineers and software professionals. Does it means that uneducated, poor muslims living in india, for instance, will have to die as "half-muslims" living in non-muslim land and send to hell after their death? The population of whole middle east is equal to the daily train passengers in india. Can any country accommodate such huge muslim influx? Even being qualified, if you get a job in M.E., can you call you mother father brother and sister to live along with you?
We muslims need to listen to the ulema because they are the head of this ummah. Otherwise everyone can follow their own opinions. Sometimes the fatwa that is given will not statisfy our desires, but we still need to accept it as long as it does not contradict Quran and Sunnah.
Sister i agree with you, we need to listen to Ulema and respect them as well. But they also need to look at broader picture and not to narrow the options so much that it start to affect their own reputation. I did not knew about sheik baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) much and i read about him on wiki and came to know he hold very good position amoung scholars. Howerer, i was also surprized to see that he was also involved with controversy declaring that earth flat and a stationary globe!!! I dont think this news to be correct as for a high positioned scholar like him it will be not wise to say something like this.
“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Awliyaa’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Awliyaa’ of each other..."
The above verse can be better applied to the fact that most of the muslims countries are living in the protection of Christian countries (millitary base etc) ....i think there is no need to give further details.
“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!
Allah will ask muslims countries that these weak and oppressed people wanted to migrate to muslim countries so that they can practice islam better, why did not you allowed them the right to live and migrate. Perhaps the only answer will come is that we did not wanted to share our natural resources with ajamis and because their culture was too different from us. Moreover, it would have changed the demography of our country. Hence, may be Allah will forgive these oppressed and weak people living in non-muslims lands, i hope Inshallah.
It is narrated in a saheeh report from Jareer ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Bajali (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: O Messenger of Allaah, accept my oath of allegiance and stipulate conditions. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Worship Allaah, establish regular prayer, pay zakaah, be sincere towards the Muslims and keep away from the mushrikeen.”
Keep away from the mushrikeen means not to adopt their wrong practices in your life. But in many muslims countries we do see there are night clubs, wine, prostitution and much more. In essence we need to avoid these bad things from society but perhaps it would not be wise to cut-off the relation from non-muslims as it will close all the way of giving Daawah.