Some committed young people who are being persecuted resort to obtaining another nationality and changing their names; what is the ruling on that?

The questioner : In another matter, Shaykh, you know that the youth now, I mean, are being combated in many policies, specifically in the Islamic world.

The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah, unfortunately.

The questioner : May Allah aid them and aid us.

The Shaykh : Amen.

The questioner : So there is a method some people resort to that alleviates things greatly, and sometimes it transforms the young man’s image from someone exhausted socially, politically, and security-wise, to reaching a very good stage, which is obtaining other nationalities. This happens, Shaykh, in a very small percentage, and usually it is only by changing his name. I mean, usually the one who obtains a Jordanian or Syrian nationality or something similar does not get it except by obtaining these nationalities. So what is the ruling on this? May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : By Allah, the answer to this is known. The original ruling is that it is not permissible. But if this impermissible act is forbidden, it is not more forbidden than the prohibition of eating carrion, blood, and the flesh of the pig. And yet, these types of forbidden things, by the text of the Noble Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah, have been made permissible by the exception of the saying of Allah the Exalted: It cannot be embodied by a person who is not compelled to it, but rather by the person who is compelled to it. Only the one who is obligated himself is the one who estimates the necessity, not others. And here, this statement is clear, if Allah wills.

The questioner : Yes, may Allah honor you.

The Shaykh : And if the matter is so, we say that this Muslim who is persecuted in his Islamic country, originally, and I mean what I am saying,
The student : All places are sincere.

The Shaykh : There is no, I mean?
The one who is persecuted and compelled in his country to change his name to obtain a nationality other than his son's nationality is the one who estimates the necessity.

The questioner : So let him fear Allah.

The Shaykh : But as you are pointing out, the scholars, when they spoke based on the previous verse , said, or when they said, "Necessities permit the prohibited," they qualified it with a very necessary condition, which is part of the concept of the aforementioned verse: "Necessity is estimated according to its measure." I give an example: two Muslims in that country which is oppressive to its inhabitants. One of them was an employee, for example, and had a salary, but his salary was cut off, and he was compelled to work in some job, which he was not accustomed to working in. This is considered a necessity. The other was not afflicted, I mean, with anything except this. And the other was imprisoned once after another, and time after time, and perhaps he was humiliated, beaten, and flogged, and so on. So the first one says, "I am compelled," and the second one says, "I am compelled." They are not the same, naturally. So I cannot say to this second one that he is compelled, because I mention two incidents from the biography: the incident of Bilal and the incident of 'Ammar. 'Ammar, according to what is narrated in the books of tafsir, complied with them to say what they wanted from him. But Bilal, he was saying, "One, One." So I cannot say about 'Ammar that he was not compelled, because he is the judge of himself. And these two examples clarify to you what I want, if Allah wills.

The questioner : We understand your intent, Shaykh, may Allah honor you.

The Shaykh : And we will see you another time, if Allah wills.
The student : May Allah reward you, Shaykh. May Allah reward you all with good.