Traveling Abroad
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Q: A questioner says: May Allah reward you. It has been observed that in recent times, many young people travel to the lands of disbelief, either for study or for other reasons, and some of them are new to Islam. Do you think they need a special administration or body to follow up on them, guide them in the right direction, and look after their affairs? This administration could be linked to the General Presidency for Scholarly Research and Ifta, or to the Islamic League.
A: There is no doubt that a student traveling abroad faces a great danger. Whether they are originally from Muslim families or are new Muslims, there is no doubt that this is a serious matter that requires care and caution regarding its dire consequences. We have written and warned, on more than one occasion, against traveling abroad, and we have explained the dangers of doing so.
If traveling is absolutely necessary, let them be adults who have acquired a great deal of knowledge and have gained insight into their religion. There should be someone with them to observe them, monitor them, and watch their behavior, so that they do not go astray in ways that harm them. This must be given attention, and follow-up must continue until the matter is completed; because the danger is great if a student of knowledge leaves from the secondary level, the intermediate level, or someone of similar status, or while still in university studies. In such cases, the danger is great.
Therefore, there must be specialization available domestically that makes traveling abroad unnecessary. If traveling abroad is absolutely necessary, let it be by people who are selected, in whom excellence, knowledge, soundness of mind, and uprightness in religion are known. There should be someone to supervise them, follow their steps, and look after them until they return, on the condition that this is for a specialization that is essential and for which there is no equivalent available domestically.
And we ask Allah to grant the rulers success in all good, and to help the scholars in fulfilling their duty.
A: There is no doubt that a student traveling abroad faces a great danger. Whether they are originally from Muslim families or are new Muslims, there is no doubt that this is a serious matter that requires care and caution regarding its dire consequences. We have written and warned, on more than one occasion, against traveling abroad, and we have explained the dangers of doing so.
If traveling is absolutely necessary, let them be adults who have acquired a great deal of knowledge and have gained insight into their religion. There should be someone with them to observe them, monitor them, and watch their behavior, so that they do not go astray in ways that harm them. This must be given attention, and follow-up must continue until the matter is completed; because the danger is great if a student of knowledge leaves from the secondary level, the intermediate level, or someone of similar status, or while still in university studies. In such cases, the danger is great.
Therefore, there must be specialization available domestically that makes traveling abroad unnecessary. If traveling abroad is absolutely necessary, let it be by people who are selected, in whom excellence, knowledge, soundness of mind, and uprightness in religion are known. There should be someone to supervise them, follow their steps, and look after them until they return, on the condition that this is for a specialization that is essential and for which there is no equivalent available domestically.
And we ask Allah to grant the rulers success in all good, and to help the scholars in fulfilling their duty.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.