The Ruling on Traveling to the Lands of the Polytheists
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Q: What is the ruling on traveling to the lands of the polytheists and a wife accompanying her husband?
A: My advice to every Muslim man and woman is not to travel to the lands of the polytheists, neither for study nor for tourism; because of the great danger therein to their religion and their morals. Every male and female student should be content with studying in his or her own country, or in an Islamic country where he or she is safe for his or her religion and morals. It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sunan Abi Dawud 2645.
And Allah the Exalted has informed about those who did not migrate from the lands of shirk (associating partners with Allah) to the lands of Islam that they have wronged themselves, and He threatened them with the punishment of Hellfire in His saying:[An-Nisa 4:97] except the weak among the men, the women, and the children who are unable to find a way out and do not find a way. So for those, perhaps Allah will forgive them, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [Surah al-Nisa: 97 - 99]. So Allah the Exalted informed in this verse that the angels say to the Muslims who die in the lands of shirk and did not migrate: "Was not the earth of Allah spacious so that you could migrate therein?" After Allah the Exalted informed that they had wronged themselves by staying among the disbelievers while they were able to migrate. This indicates the prohibition of traveling to the lands of the polytheists, and the prohibition of residing among them for whoever is able to migrate.
An exception to this, according to the scholars, is the one who travels for the sake of calling to Allah from among the people of knowledge and insight, who is able to manifest his religion, and is safe from falling into what they are upon of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and sins. For such a person, there is no blame on him in traveling to the lands of the polytheists for the purpose of calling, guiding, and conveying the message of Allah to His servants, with the conditions mentioned. And success is from Allah.
A: My advice to every Muslim man and woman is not to travel to the lands of the polytheists, neither for study nor for tourism; because of the great danger therein to their religion and their morals. Every male and female student should be content with studying in his or her own country, or in an Islamic country where he or she is safe for his or her religion and morals. It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
I am not responsible for any Muslim who stays among polytheists
أنا بريء من كل مسلم يقيم بين أظهر المشركينAnd Allah the Exalted has informed about those who did not migrate from the lands of shirk (associating partners with Allah) to the lands of Islam that they have wronged themselves, and He threatened them with the punishment of Hellfire in His saying:
Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while wronging themselves - [the angels] will say, "In what [condition] were you?" They will say, "We were oppressed in the land." The angels will say, "Was not the earth of Allah spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?" For those, their refuge is Hell - and evil it is as a destination.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنْتُمْ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا فَأُولَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا An exception to this, according to the scholars, is the one who travels for the sake of calling to Allah from among the people of knowledge and insight, who is able to manifest his religion, and is safe from falling into what they are upon of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and sins. For such a person, there is no blame on him in traveling to the lands of the polytheists for the purpose of calling, guiding, and conveying the message of Allah to His servants, with the conditions mentioned. And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.