The Ruling on Traveling to Non-Muslim Lands
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Your Eminence! In the past, travel was often beneficial, but in these times, the opposite is true. What is your guidance, if you permit, Your Eminence?
Answer: Travel is dangerous if it is to non-Muslim lands. As for traveling within Muslim lands for a benefit seen by the parents or their older siblings for Hajj or 'Umrah, or for a benefit seen by their father who takes his children with him, there is no harm in that, provided they are careful regarding prayer and other matters. However, traveling to the lands of disbelievers is a matter that is not permissible. One must be cautious about sending children to the lands of disbelievers because of the great danger involved. It is obligatory that they do not travel to the lands of disbelievers, even if they are seeking knowledge or for some other reason. They must be prevented from doing so, and their seeking of knowledge should be in their own lands among their Muslim brothers, because going to the lands of disbelievers entails great danger, even if it is under the name of seeking knowledge, or medicine, or any other name. This is because the danger is great and the outcome is mostly dire. Therefore, it is obligatory to be careful to preserve their religion and morals and not to allow them to travel to the lands of disbelievers. The state, may Allah guide it, should pay attention to this matter and care for it. If dire necessity calls for a group to travel for an important matter that cannot be learned in their own lands, let that be through the selection of students known for goodness and uprightness, and let there be with them someone who watches over them, cares for them, and monitors them until they return to their lands safe, if Allah wills. As for being lenient in this matter, it is absolutely not permissible, neither from the state nor from anyone else. We ask Allah for success and guidance for everyone.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. Regarding the parents and travel specifically, Your Eminence!
The Shaykh: As mentioned before, even the parents do not have permission to travel. Even the elderly parents do not have permission to travel to the lands of disbelievers because of the great danger. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 2645 And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: meaning: until they leave the polytheists.
The scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, have agreed on the obligation of migration for one who embraces Islam in the lands of shirk (associating partners with Allah) to move to the lands of Islam and not remain among the polytheists, unless he can manifest his religion and is safe from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). However, if he is unable to manifest his religion among them, or if he does not feel safe from fitnah for himself regarding falling into falsehood, then he is obligated to migrate so that he may be safe in his religion and stay away from the causes of fitnah. The common people cannot manifest their religion, nor do they know their religion in detail, nor do they feel safe from fitnah. Therefore, it is obligatory for them not to travel. Only the people of knowledge and insight should travel for the sake of calling to Allah, guiding people to good, and bringing them into Islam.
As for the common people, those weak in knowledge, and the youth who do not have sufficient protection, they do not have permission to travel to the lands of shirk, except in cases of dire necessity in the manner we mentioned earlier, through the authority of the one in authority (wali al-amr), by being selected individuals known for uprightness, and having with them someone who monitors and watches over them until they return, if dire necessity calls for it. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. A questioner might ask, Your Eminence, about traveling for trade, about traveling for medicine, about traveling for calling to Allah?
The Shaykh: As mentioned before, it is not permissible to travel for trade or for medicine to the lands of shirk except for one who knows his religion, has insight into his religion, performs the calling to Allah, and is safe from fitnah. As for traveling merely for trade by an ignorant person, a common person, or one who does not have sufficient information about shirk and its people, and about what harms him in his religion, and about the means that protect him from their evil and fitnah, and safety from their doubts, he should not travel. Only the people of knowledge and faith who have insight in refuting and removing doubts and calling to good, with knowledge of the means of safety and staying away from the causes of fitnah, should travel. Likewise, traveling for medicine, as mentioned before, is only permissible through a sound method seen by the one in authority, through students known for goodness, uprightness, and wisdom, who have learned their religion and have insight into it, and who have with them someone who monitors, cares for, and watches over them until they return. This is permissible in cases of dire necessity, for the benefit of the Muslims specifically.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: Travel is dangerous if it is to non-Muslim lands. As for traveling within Muslim lands for a benefit seen by the parents or their older siblings for Hajj or 'Umrah, or for a benefit seen by their father who takes his children with him, there is no harm in that, provided they are careful regarding prayer and other matters. However, traveling to the lands of disbelievers is a matter that is not permissible. One must be cautious about sending children to the lands of disbelievers because of the great danger involved. It is obligatory that they do not travel to the lands of disbelievers, even if they are seeking knowledge or for some other reason. They must be prevented from doing so, and their seeking of knowledge should be in their own lands among their Muslim brothers, because going to the lands of disbelievers entails great danger, even if it is under the name of seeking knowledge, or medicine, or any other name. This is because the danger is great and the outcome is mostly dire. Therefore, it is obligatory to be careful to preserve their religion and morals and not to allow them to travel to the lands of disbelievers. The state, may Allah guide it, should pay attention to this matter and care for it. If dire necessity calls for a group to travel for an important matter that cannot be learned in their own lands, let that be through the selection of students known for goodness and uprightness, and let there be with them someone who watches over them, cares for them, and monitors them until they return to their lands safe, if Allah wills. As for being lenient in this matter, it is absolutely not permissible, neither from the state nor from anyone else. We ask Allah for success and guidance for everyone.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. Regarding the parents and travel specifically, Your Eminence!
The Shaykh: As mentioned before, even the parents do not have permission to travel. Even the elderly parents do not have permission to travel to the lands of disbelievers because of the great danger. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
I am not responsible for any Muslim who stays among polytheists
أنا بريء من كل مسلم يقيم بين المشركينAllah does not accept from a polytheist any deed after he has embraced Islam or left the polytheists
لا يقبل الله من مشرك عملاً بعدما أسلم أو يفارق المشركينThe scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, have agreed on the obligation of migration for one who embraces Islam in the lands of shirk (associating partners with Allah) to move to the lands of Islam and not remain among the polytheists, unless he can manifest his religion and is safe from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). However, if he is unable to manifest his religion among them, or if he does not feel safe from fitnah for himself regarding falling into falsehood, then he is obligated to migrate so that he may be safe in his religion and stay away from the causes of fitnah. The common people cannot manifest their religion, nor do they know their religion in detail, nor do they feel safe from fitnah. Therefore, it is obligatory for them not to travel. Only the people of knowledge and insight should travel for the sake of calling to Allah, guiding people to good, and bringing them into Islam.
As for the common people, those weak in knowledge, and the youth who do not have sufficient protection, they do not have permission to travel to the lands of shirk, except in cases of dire necessity in the manner we mentioned earlier, through the authority of the one in authority (wali al-amr), by being selected individuals known for uprightness, and having with them someone who monitors and watches over them until they return, if dire necessity calls for it. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. A questioner might ask, Your Eminence, about traveling for trade, about traveling for medicine, about traveling for calling to Allah?
The Shaykh: As mentioned before, it is not permissible to travel for trade or for medicine to the lands of shirk except for one who knows his religion, has insight into his religion, performs the calling to Allah, and is safe from fitnah. As for traveling merely for trade by an ignorant person, a common person, or one who does not have sufficient information about shirk and its people, and about what harms him in his religion, and about the means that protect him from their evil and fitnah, and safety from their doubts, he should not travel. Only the people of knowledge and faith who have insight in refuting and removing doubts and calling to good, with knowledge of the means of safety and staying away from the causes of fitnah, should travel. Likewise, traveling for medicine, as mentioned before, is only permissible through a sound method seen by the one in authority, through students known for goodness, uprightness, and wisdom, who have learned their religion and have insight into it, and who have with them someone who monitors, cares for, and watches over them until they return. This is permissible in cases of dire necessity, for the benefit of the Muslims specifically.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.