What is the ruling on spending vacations in the lands of the disbelievers?

The questioner : A month for visiting, is that it?

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : A month for visiting, to relax and breathe the air, and to take a break, as the Egyptians say, in the lands of the disbelievers?

The Shaykh : By Allah, the break is as He said - the Exalted - : , and in the other verse: , but the one who wants to go out on this trip must meet certain conditions; first: that he be chaste in his character and his religion, and that his wife be with him. Second: that he have a social standing such that it protects him from stumbling if he goes to those lands, so he does not go there merely for a break and a leisure trip, but rather in the path of calling those peoples to the religion of Allah - Mighty and Majestic - if he is able; this requires knowledge of the language, or at least he should contact those who were afflicted there and emigrated and settled, then began dealing in riba (usury or interest); because they may have found someone to issue fatwas for them; because it is permissible in the lands of disbelief, which they call the lands of war, to deal with them in riba (usury or interest); riba (usury or interest) in the lands of Islam is forbidden, whereas in the lands of disbelief it is lawful...