Living in a non-Muslim country for a better life...

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Question :

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I live in a western country, and I can practice my religion without much difficulty, praise be to Allaah. I have seen on your site some ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which forbid Muslims to settle in kaafir lands or to live among the kuffaar. I am now confused about whether to go back to my country or to stay in this country, knowing that if I go back to my country, I will encounter hardship and persecution because of my adherence to the laws of Allaah, and I will not be able to find freedom of worship such as I enjoy in the country where I live now.
I hope that you can answer my question and explain the ruling on my staying in this country, especially since the Muslim countries are no longer very different from others with regard to adherence to the laws of Islam.
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Answer :

Praise be to Allaah.

The basic principle is that it is not permissible for the Muslim to settle among the mushrikeen. This is indicated by evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and on the basis of common sense.

In the Qur’aan, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): “In what (condition) were you?” They reply: “We were weak and oppressed on the earth.” They (angels) say: “Was not the earth of Allaah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?” Such men will find their abode in Hell — what an evil destination!”

[al-Nisa’ 4:97]

In the Sunnah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I disown every Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2645; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

With regard to common sense, the Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen cannot carry out many of the rituals and visible acts of worship of Islam, in addition to the fact that he is exposing himself to temptation because of the permissiveness in those countries that is protected by their laws. The Muslim should not expose himself to temptations and trials.

This is if we look at the evidence of the Qur’aan and Sunnah without paying attention to what is really happening in Muslim countries and kaafir countries. But if we look at what is really happening in Muslim countries, we cannot agree with the questioner when he says, “Especially since the Muslim countries are no longer very different from others with regard to adherence to the laws of Islam.” But this generalization is not correct. The Muslim countries are not all the same with regard to how closely or otherwise they adhere to the laws of Islam. Rather they vary in that, and even within one country, regions and cities may vary in that regard.

Similarly the kaafir countries are not all the same with regard to their permissiveness and moral laxity; they also vary in that regard.

So given that the Muslim countries vary, as do the kaafir countries, and given that the Muslim cannot go to a Muslim state and settle there because of visa and strict settlement laws etc, and that a Muslim may not be able to practice his religion in some Muslim countries, when he may be able to do so in whole or at least in part in some kaafir countries – for all these reasons it is impossible to issue a general ruling that will cover all countries and all individuals. Rather we should say that each Muslim has his own unique set of circumstances and his own ruling that applies to him, and each person is accountable for himself. If he is able to practise his religion in the Muslim country in which he lives more than he can in a kaafir country, then it is not permissible for him to settle in a kaafir country. But if it is the other way round, then it is permissible for him to settle in a kaafir country, subject to the condition that he is confident that he can resist the desires and temptations to be found there by taking the precautionary measures prescribed in sharee’ah.

There follow some comments of the scholars which support what we have said above:

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about this matter and he said: This is one of the most difficult issues nowadays because countries vary, as stated above, and because for some Muslims, if they go back to their homelands they will be persecuted for their religion whereas they are safe from that in the kaafir countries. But if we say that it is haraam for them to settle among the kuffaar, then where is the Islamic state that will accept them and allow them to settle there?! This is the meaning of what he said, may Allaah have mercy on him.

Zakariya al-Ansaari al-Shaafa’i said in his book Asna al-Mataalib (4/207):

It is obligatory to migrate from the kaafir lands to the Muslim lands for those who are able to do that, if they are unable to practise their religion openly.

Ibn al-‘Arabi al-Maaliki said: Hijrah (migration) means leaving dar al-harb [non-Muslim lands] and going to dar al-islam [Muslim lands]. This was obligatory at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and remains so after his time for those who fear for their lives. From Nayl al-Awtaar, 8/33, by al-Shawkaani.

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said concerning the hadeeth, “I disown every Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen”:

This is to be understood as referring to those who are not safe to practise their religion there. Fath al-Baari, commentary on hadeeth no. 2825

In al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (20/206) it says:

Dar al-harb refers to every place in which the rule of kufr prevails. One of the rulings that have to do with dar al-harb is hijrah (migration). With regard to migration from dar al-harb, the fuqaha’ divided people into three categories:

(a) Those who are obliged to migrate: they are those who are able to migrate and who cannot practise their religion openly in dar al-harb. It is obligatory upon a female even if she does not have a mahram, if she thinks she will be safe when travelling, or if the risk of travelling is less than the risk of staying in dar al-harb…

(b) Those who are not obliged to migrate: they are those who are unable to do so, either because of sickness or because they are forced to stay in the kaafir land, or those who are weak, such as woman and children, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Except the weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way”

[al-Nisa’ 4:98]

(c) Those for whom migration is mustahabb but not obligatory: they include those who are able to migrate but are also able to practise their religion openly in dar al-harb. It is mustahabb for such a person to migrate so that he can participate in jihad and increase the numbers of the Muslims.

In a fatwa issued by the Standing Committee (12/50): One may also migrate from a mushrik land to another mushrik land that is less evil and where there is less danger to the Muslim, as some of the Muslims migrated from Makkah at the Prophet’s command to Abyssinia.

We ask Allaah to set the Muslims’ affairs straight.

Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)

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Jazakallah brother....apart from migrating to west for better life styles etc......one another thing i notice is the problems of parents of many ppl gone to western countries.....may ALLAH give hidayah to those ppl who leave one of the biggest naimah after eeman given to muslims( i-e parents) just for wordly benefits....

Wasallam

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Wa Iyaak!

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very good.. so can i assume the two of you are packing your bags as you wrote this?

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i think that if someone can keep their faith strong, and be a good muslim while living in a nonmuslim country, then more credit to them

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i am on a mission to make australia a Muslim country.. so count me out :halo:

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I am actually heading back to my native land only because of the fact that I could raise my family in a better enviorment with values and religious awareness. I just got a good job here in US ( I graduated recently) but I have seen so many cases ( and I empasize so many) where educated families with good moral values couldnt raise their children in the way they should be brought up. They get stuck here in the wormholes of credit and mortgages. Families get scattreed. People leave thier loved one , thier parents behind (in thier time of need) for the sake of making money. If one can get a good job with his education and get all the freedom and amenties in his homeland, does it make any sense to say to live abroad?
Money is there , true but I think moral values are more important and if one cannot get those abroad , its not worth it wether u move ot US or migrate to Canada or elsewhere anywhere in the world.

Cheers

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BAH! You think your native country is not following kaafir laws?

Name me one country that follows the laws of god, and I'll move there rite now!

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Tommyknocker bhai I respectfully disagree with you. We need to make sure or try hard to raise our children as good muslims period. For one thing, in Pakistan, you cannt get anything done without giving rishwat, so I think in Pakistan it will be harder to live by the laws of Allah(swt). Where else in the world, except in the US and canada, will you get a chance to be actively taking part in building masajids, building madrassas(sunday schools), making dawaah and spreading the deen of Allah(swt). This is what the sahabi's did, i.e., came and settled in the indo-pak area among many other areas, which was at that time ruled by non-muslims. If they would have run away because this was a non-muslim land then how would have islam spread across the globe. Our mission and goal in life in the west and every where else is to do as much as possible to spread the deen of Allah(swt).

Sorry for being verbose

WaSalaam

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I would agree with you, but I’ve seen how many of my friends of a similar age have turned out when raised in Pakistan. I’ve also heard from my cousins about schoolkid life in Pakistan (even Bahrain, Emirates, etc) and realised that there are just as many opportunities for moral corruption there as in the west. It really makes very little difference from a moral standpoint.

The final straw was when I went into a shopping centre to buy some films for the first time without my father or an uncle with me. As soon as the shopkeepers realised that I had money to spend, they were falling all over themselves to … sell me pornography CDs

My disillusionment increased when I was chased out to my car by a storekeeper afterwards, who pushed his business card and told me that if I ever changed my mind, then I should go to him as he had the finest pornography in Karachi :rolleyes:

I have NEVER had that happen to me in 16 years of living in the West.

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Maddy Its true that no country in the world is free from social evils and immoral acts. Remember Pakistan is a third world poor country and its an common thing for an uneducated person to loose moral grounds for the sake of gettin money. In your case, and I recall when I used to go to Pakistan for vacations , I came across such things too.Not pornography though. Go to south side of XChicago where there is less education and more crime and u will see people actually doin stuff like that. Prostitution is so common over there as well. I am not a stereotype typical pakistan living in States who says things about USA even though it gave me all the comforts in life, better education and all. But the thing is I want to stay close to my roots. I dont wnat my family to fall vicitims of identity crisis. Maybe later when they need good education I will send them abroad :)

One goes through similar stages when one encounters something like a death of a loved one. First comes Anger (you are definitely angry), then Denial ( you deny the facts of your roots), and then hopefuly at the end of all these stages must come Acceptance which allows one to come full circle and accept the reality of a situation. For you it would mean accepting your roots and , being able to see its positve and negative aspects and yet accepting it despite everything.

Zman you can actively take part in building mosques and madrassas in Pakistan too. No one stops you for that. Our town mosque was built by the donations of people in my muhalla.

Anyways everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. I may be wrong and I dont wnana pres snayone on my views but its just how I feel

:)

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From what I understood from the article, everyone has different circumstances.

This hadith of the Prophet :saw: however, really scares me:

**“I disown every Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen.” **Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2645; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

I am still confused on this issue of dar-ul-harb and dar-ul-islam.

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Ok got it. So no going to china for education eh like the profit said? Btw how are Christain and Jewish lands, lands of the kufar? If i remember they are people of the book. Thus our brothers and if that is the case we can live with them.

[quote]
In the Sunnah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I disown every Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2645; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
[/quote]

I have a major problem with this quote as i believe the translation is ****ed up. What is the arabic word used? Because settle can mean move, or join or become part of. So the Prophet may disown every muslim who settles (joins and becomes part of their society and acts like them etc, gives up islamic ways) who settles among the mushrikeen. But i doubt moving to a village where the christains are the majority makes him hate you.

Secondly if that quote is true, why didnt the Prophet disown the very people he sent to what is present day Ethopia. Riddle me that batman.

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i dont understand it either. for example islam spread in the far east because of merchants and settlers, not conquerors.. they werent Muslims?

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A good point. Those who helped in the conquering settled in these lands. I mean look at Spain. The Muslims moved and settled for hundreds of years. Does that mean all of those thousands of people are not muslim?

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Your concerns are quite valid, and this is what I am thinking also. Please do read the first post. It does make sense. I quoted an answer from Islam-qa, but ofcourse if you read it carefully it says that every person has different circumstances. I would be grateful if someone can clarify this important issue in the light of Quran and Sunnah.

Btw, the hadith about going to China, although is very common in Pakistan but it is daeef.

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This remind me of a quote I once heard, I think it was from a Bilal Philips talk.

"Its better to live amongst corrupt muslims then to live amongst corrupt non muslims."

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Just doing a search on the net and found some stuff, there are some variations in rulings, but the general condition seems to be that the individuals practice of islam should not be compromised. Although it seems obivous that it is preferable for a muslim to reside in a islamic state.

Islam Online

Ask Imam

Sunnipath

And even Islam QA gives advise to muslims living in the west. And also link, which shows that even they allow it under certain conditions.

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It is not about allowing. It is about that quote that says that Those who live in kafir lands are not muslims. That would make a good 70% of the Islamic world in the past 1400 years non muslims. Explain that.

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Muslims are allowed to live anywhere in the world because the world belongs to allah(swT) not to any person or color or tribe or nationality. But also there are many issue when going to non muslim country.

To practice islam you need an islamic state and this is not in existent today. The reason muslims go to other countries is for economic reasons and you cant blame them with the poverty they face in many places. However if the place where they go stop them from practicing islam then they should leave that place immediatly.

Also one point about corruption in muslim countries yes there is but this is on street level if you go to the west you will find corruption everywhere especially in the corporate companies you will not find as much from the police for example but belive me even in police is corrupt involved in big scams, only you dont hear about it because it is big fraud not the small time backhanders pakistani police after, somebody mentioned CDs with pornography this is common but in West it is the norm where you get it 24hours a day beamed on ur TV. In places like pakistan the culture is not islamic it is driven by western culture like the semi naked woman beamed from bollywood the cheap imitation of hollywood. If the culture was islamic how easy would it be to change these guys who watch this filth very easy i tell you why because they are stiill muslims, when islam first came on the scene 1400 years ago the people was not even muslim they was idol worshippers so today these people can change very easily in islamic society.