The Jurisprudential Principle Regarding the Distinction Between a Muslim Country and a Disbeliever's Country
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His Eminence the Shaykh: Traveling to the lands of disbelievers is not permissible except out of dire necessity. So what is the criterion for knowing whether a country is a disbeliever's country or not? Is it based on the presence of Muslims, or what?
Is this difficult for you, my brother? What do you say about America? Is it a disbeliever's country or a Muslim country?The questioner: It is a disbeliever's country.
The Shaykh: Even though it has many Muslims in it. What do you say about Russia? About France? About Britain? About Japan? These are clearly lands of disbelief.
The Shaykh: And I say, for example, in other countries like Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, and the like,We say: it is a Muslim country.
Question: There is an Islamic state, yet the call to prayer is not raised in it?Answer: I do not know. I think that is what I think: that the call to prayer is not raised in it. Then, even if they were prevented from raising the adhan, these people are coerced. If they are coerced, it is like one who leaves off obligatory acts under coercion.
The questioner: The criterion for the principle.
The Shaykh: The principle is: wherever the rites of Islam are established, it is a Muslim country, even if the government itself is disbelieving. If the rites of Islam are established in these lands, it is a Muslim country.
Is this difficult for you, my brother? What do you say about America? Is it a disbeliever's country or a Muslim country?The questioner: It is a disbeliever's country.
The Shaykh: Even though it has many Muslims in it. What do you say about Russia? About France? About Britain? About Japan? These are clearly lands of disbelief.
The Shaykh: And I say, for example, in other countries like Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, and the like,We say: it is a Muslim country.
Question: There is an Islamic state, yet the call to prayer is not raised in it?Answer: I do not know. I think that is what I think: that the call to prayer is not raised in it. Then, even if they were prevented from raising the adhan, these people are coerced. If they are coerced, it is like one who leaves off obligatory acts under coercion.
The questioner: The criterion for the principle.
The Shaykh: The principle is: wherever the rites of Islam are established, it is a Muslim country, even if the government itself is disbelieving. If the rites of Islam are established in these lands, it is a Muslim country.