The Ruling on Traveling to the Lands of Disbelievers for Tourism and Sightseeing

Question:
What is the ruling on traveling to the lands of disbelievers for no dire necessity, but rather for tourism and sightseeing?

Answer:
Traveling to the lands of the disbelievers is among the major sins, among the means of associating partners with Allah, and a great danger, except for one who has knowledge and insight to call to Allah and convey Islam; this person is an exception. As for traveling for recreation or—may Allah protect us from it—for corruption, this is among the great major sins.
So it is not permissible for a Muslim to travel: not to the lands of disbelief for recreation, or to know what they are upon in terms of worldly life and wealth and the like, or for other reasons related to worldly matters. This is a major sin. And if it is for corruption—for adornment and lewd acts—it becomes greater, uglier, and more sinful.
The scholars have mentioned this issue and clarified the prohibition in it, and some of them have authored books on it: among them is the Shaykh Sulayman ibn 'Abdullah ibn Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on him), who composed a good treatise on it.
In this meaning, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: .
Abu Dawud (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated in his Sunan, in a chain with some weakness, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: .
And in another hadith narrated by al-Nasa'i with a good chain: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: meaning: until he separates from the polytheists, meaning: until he leaves them.
It is known to every person of insight that residing among the polytheists and moving about among them is among the causes of associating partners with Allah and open sinfulness. How many have perished because of that, and few are those who escape from these people, few are those who escape, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah.