The Shaykh’s response to those who claim that there is no benefit in migration on the grounds that all lands are the same?

The Shaykh: Why didn’t you answer just now? It seems you were afraid... There is no power or might except with Allah, my brother. I had already answered when I told you, "Allow me, do not interrupt me in my speech." I am compelled to do so because you are going around the word. I had already noticed it because I claim that I live with the nation, with its pains and sorrows, and so on. So I say, as I answered you last, there is a difference between here and Syria, and between us and Syria is only two hundred kilometers. And I am Syrian. There is a difference between Syria now and Syria when I was there. These differences are now erased by emotional language, and this is the very error. So I say now: It is obligatory for whoever is able to migrate from Syria to Jordan. What do you think? It is obligatory for him. Why? Because Jordan is living under a righteous caliphate? No, but by your mercy, you have repeated this word more than once, "by your mercy." Some evil is less than some evil. Here, the Islamic situation is very, very clear. If you went to Syria, you would find the women wearing the jilbab are now uncovered, and if you returned to Jordan, you would find the uncovered women are wearing the jilbab. It is not permissible for a Muslim to equate all these disparities between two countries that are an answer and are covered by one name, which is the Levant. What about the difference between here, in Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates? And the United Arab Emirates itself differs from one country to another, correct or not? So why do you close your eyes to these differences and say a vague word, saying, "What is the difference? What is the benefit of one migrating from Palestine to another Islamic country?" Glory be to Allah! There is no difference? Every day we hear of killing, beating, revolution, detention, and imprisonment. And what about the four hundred people who were exiled, driven out of their homes? They were not allowed to enter an Islamic country, nor to return to their original country. There are many, many differences. So my hope for the young Muslim is that he does not look at the issues occurring today with one eye, but rather opens his eyes and looks with both, linking them to his heart with a scholarly gaze. I am here now living in peace and tranquility, and I write, research, and speak to some extent with complete freedom. But if I were in Syria, I would not have been able to do that. Knowing that I did not migrate from Syria to here after the revolution that took place there. No, I was looking from afar. And this, perhaps after Allah, is from the favor of my father (may Allah have mercy on him), who migrated us from Albania to Syria, to Damascus, before the atheistic rule that the king who imposed himself on the Albanian people, known as Ahmed Zog, had spread. So Ahmed Zog began to apply an atheist system, and my father (may Allah have mercy on him) looked far ahead and migrated with his family to Damascus. And this was from the favor of my father to his children, and I am among them, praise be to Allah. So I also found that the situation in Syria, due to the Ba'ath rule, was getting worse every day, so I left in what they call a regular, legal departure with a visa, and I settled here and built this house. So I am completely reassured that my residence here is better than my residence in Syria by differences that are too numerous to count. And now this is my son, who is residing there against his will. He was restricted for twelve years, forced to reside there because of me. Because when I came here and began to give some lessons and lectures, after a year of my settling here, the first lesson, the second lesson, the third lesson, I was exiled to Syria. And from Syria, I migrated to Lebanon, then from Lebanon to the United Arab Emirates, specifically to Sharjah. And from there, after many inquiries from some people of knowledge and virtue here, I was allowed to return, but on the condition of no meetings, no gatherings, no lectures, and nothing else. Despite all this, I find the great difference between here and there. And now this son of ours, we are trying to pull him from that country to here. Is there a difference? There is a very great difference. So I ask you, do not look with an emotional gaze and say, "What is the difference between Palestine ruled by the Jews and the other Islamic one?" There is a very great difference. But it is not permissible for a Muslim to overlook and deny truths that please the heart of every Muslim because of other truths that distress and sadden him, as Allah the Exalted said: . So this country is not like that country. So this country is not like this country. There are differences. So the Muslim must save himself within the limits of his ability and . Hey, we are done with Abu Salih. Who are we coming to now?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: There is no Abu.

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh: This is an error that contradicts the Sunnah.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: Glory be to Allah, and what did you ask me?

The questioner: ... the boy.