Is it obligatory for Muslim minorities in lands of disbelief to migrate to Muslim lands?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The hadith: "I am not responsible for a Muslim who is in the company of two men who do not fear Allah." Does this imply that migration is obligatory for Islamic minorities?
The Shaykh : It may be obligatory for them, but the issue has a nuance. Unfortunately, today, Islamic societies are not like the previous Islamic societies where it was certain that those who embraced Islam in lands of disbelief had to migrate to them, because that migration provided them with the good environment referred to in the hadith: But unfortunately, today, Islamic countries do not represent the correct Islamic society. Do you understand up to here? Is it clear up to here?
The questioner : Clear, clear.
The Shaykh : So, because of this difference between this society and that society, I hesitate to say, for example, that an Englishman who has embraced Islam must migrate, for example, to Syria, because in Syria, as you know... but Jordan is better than Syria, and Saudi Arabia is better than Jordan. So, the answer is that he must migrate to the country closest to the Islamic society. But a problem arises here, which is that residency permits are difficult, you know how it is. So, he remains where he is. But the ruling is this: the ruling is this obligation, without a doubt. Yes. And what is your opinion now? The Muslims have reversed the situation; they migrate to lands of disbelief and call themselves "migrants." Allahu Akbar!
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest!
The questioner : And so on, and so on. Ibn Uthaymeen used to respond to him.
The Shaykh : Correct.
The Shaykh : It may be obligatory for them, but the issue has a nuance. Unfortunately, today, Islamic societies are not like the previous Islamic societies where it was certain that those who embraced Islam in lands of disbelief had to migrate to them, because that migration provided them with the good environment referred to in the hadith:
Leave this town and go to the virtuous town.
اخرج من هذه البلدة واذهب إلى البلدة الصالحةThe questioner : Clear, clear.
The Shaykh : So, because of this difference between this society and that society, I hesitate to say, for example, that an Englishman who has embraced Islam must migrate, for example, to Syria, because in Syria, as you know... but Jordan is better than Syria, and Saudi Arabia is better than Jordan. So, the answer is that he must migrate to the country closest to the Islamic society. But a problem arises here, which is that residency permits are difficult, you know how it is. So, he remains where he is. But the ruling is this: the ruling is this obligation, without a doubt. Yes. And what is your opinion now? The Muslims have reversed the situation; they migrate to lands of disbelief and call themselves "migrants." Allahu Akbar!
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest!
The questioner : And so on, and so on. Ibn Uthaymeen used to respond to him.
The Shaykh : Correct.