Who is the pledge of allegiance for those living in the West?

Question:
This questioner says: In the author’s (may Allah have mercy on him) statement that it is not permissible for anyone to spend the night without a pledge of allegiance upon his neck, how is it, Honorable Shaykh, that we reside in the lands of the disbelievers? Who is the pledge of allegiance for us?

Answer:
This is one of the evils of residing in the lands of the disbelievers. So do not reside there except for dire necessity only, for the duration of the necessity. As for if you have an alternative to it, it is not permissible for you to reside there. The angels who took the souls of those who wronged themselves said: “In what state were you?” They asked them in what place they were. Among the evils of residing in the lands of the disbelievers is that there is no Muslim imam there, and the ruling of the disbelievers applies to him. But if he is compelled to this, if he is compelled to this, he stays for the duration of the necessity. Yes.