Should Muslims in the West make Hijrah?
Why Hijrah isn't as good as it might sound
In the name of Allah the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious,
Oh my lord appease my breast, facilitate my task, and remove the nknot from my tongue that you may make clear my speech”
As someone who has lived in France and in the Middle East, I find it interesting how adamant some people in the East (or in the West for that matter) are about the necessity for any true muslim to make hijrah (emigration) to Dar Al-Din.
Dar Al Din wa Dar Al Harb
For anyone unfamiliar with this terminology, which originated while the Khilafah was still in place, and Muslims resided almost exclusively in Muslim countries, Dar Al-Din, or the “Home of Religion”, was opposed to the Dar Al-Harb, “Home of War”. Some contemporary scholars have argued about renaming these lands either Dar Al-Da’wah (Home of Preaching), or Dar Al-Shahadah (Home of Embracing Islam).
Why leave the West?
Now onto the question, why would anyone make such a claim, that it is better for a Muslim to live in a so-called Muslim country, rather than in the West?
The arguments are usually as follows: The West is a decadent and Godless society which perverts its members and shuns good and pushes to evil, it is made up of enemies of Islam and religion, wherein most political leaders will attack Islam, either head on or by trying to “reform” it to fit their ideologies. It is fraught with sexual deviancy and quasi-idolatry with a materialistic outlook on the world. Meanwhile in a muslim country, you see Islam everywhere around you daily, your government doesn’t stop the practice of your religion, and in fact pushes it, raising kids is easier especially since most of their peers will be free from even witnessing the vices of the West in an environment conditioned by regularly practicing muslims.
While this argument is a valid justification for wanting to emigrate, it hardly counts as reason-enough to make this a definite imposition on the believer. Let us remember that the Muslims didn’t do their Hijrah until after having been boycotted and starved, killed, tortured, and humiliated for many years due to their religion, a fate which most living in the west can hardly compare to. What’s more this implication came as a grace from God unto them, telling them they no longer had to strive, their Jihad would come through battle later on but they were allowed this retreat for the time being. That’s without mentioning the other reasons Allah may have given the order for this including the contact with Christians and Jews in Yathrib (Modern-day Medinah), the first founding of a Muslim state, and the fact it led to a massive increase in followers.
But I digress. It was never obligatory to come to Medinah for all, for instance, those who had gone to Abyssinia were well received by the Negus King, and many lived there until their deaths.
The question I would pose is are there any benefits to staying in the “Home of War”? I for myself see many.
Why I believe the East is lacking.
Firstly I challenge the view of this inherent islamity to some nation-states over others. While it is true to say that the Emirates, say, have a legal code more in line with Shari’ah than the U.S., it depends on what grounds. We very well know the political persecution in these monarchies and dictatorships of the Middle East, we know of the corruption of our leaders. But most importantly, Islam is not what organizes society, far from it.
One might balk at my assertion, do I truly believe that Islam doesn’t organise society (or at least organises it less than in the West) in say Qatar or Saudi? Well for that we need to define what Islam’s purpose is on a societal level: Islam is the submission to God of his servants, and this is in all affairs, no “leave to Caesar what is to Caesar” in Islam, there is no secular state. Ulama’ interpret the divine texts and determine how to adapt justice to their time, place, culture, and circumstances. Meanwhile the head of state ensures the collection of Zakat, the well furnishing of mosques, the handling of the economy, of road infrastructure, of commerce, of policing, on and on. The people however are socially organised according to their religion. The nucleus being the family, then the local mosques, and the Islamic organisation wholly. What is important to note is that the leader, responsible for policy in commerce, infrastructure, and police, is beholden to Islam, and the people of his nation are free citizens under their rule. They are witnesses upon their leaders. Ask yourself this question: have there been Pro-Palestine marches in Saudi Arabia? Have people outwardly condemned the decisions of the Emirati or Qatari leaders who give but words in favour of our brothers in Palestine while a genocide occurs? Have we not seen the imprisonment of scholars in these lands for their questioning the policies of their leaders?
Islam is necessarily political, as everything that matters is. Politics is the decision of how government should operate and how states should act, what policy should be. Are we to say that Islam has no say in these matters? Are they not subject to the decrees of the Almighty?
In many of these countries it is illegal to create Islamic organisations. Everything must go through the state, which often decides to choose superficial acts rather than true ones. This is immediately apparent if you have witnessed a Jumu’a Khutbah in any mosque in the Middle East and compare it to what we have in the West. Where one will drone on about the Isra wal Mi’raj to vainly talk about Palestine whilst not ever mentioning the Israeli Apartheid state or its genocidal policies in the Middle East, the other will talk to people about the importance of not staying a silent observer, of giving aid, financial or otherwise, to educate yourself and others on the issue, and will often even spearhead political demonstrations or marches, and sometimes even political lobbying or debates on national television to change public opinion in favour of our brothers in Palestine.
When one will have Qur’an and sunnah courses mandated in schools, they will be rid of any political substance, never be critical of Monarchs which Islam historically has been against, not mention the glory of our past Islamic civilisation but simply teach endless specifics in Fiqh like how a glass of water shouldn’t spill if placed on the back of someone doing ruku’. This is not to say that Qur’an memorisation or knowing Fiqh is bad in and of itself, but that this learning will necessarily be limited and tainted through political motivations of the leaders in place.
A monarchy surrounded by democracies does not often feel safe, when Gulf countries want to attract tourists and will reduce their Islamic regulations to become more tourist-friendly, they don’t think of Islam, when they decide to make strictly pragmatic political alliances à la Realpolitik to serve economic interests like their alliance with China even with its treatment of Uighurs (and their signing of a document certifying their “acknowledgement” that Uighurs are terrorists that China is right to “reeducate”), or the interests still vested in Israel of course.
Now this isn’t to say that the West is all fun and roses either. In the west, many places struggle as well to be able to teach true islam without government attempts at silencing them, this however is limited due to Free Speech laws, and a justice system independent from the executive, which allows many muslims to still win legal battled against these policies. I say this having lived in France which is one of the most adamantly anti-religion countries there are. Most of their reforms are attempts at changing or distorting and even outright going against their constitution to pass these laws. However even with that they do not have full ability to prevent, and the speech of our scholars remains more free and open than it does in the Middle East.
On the political front, I am sad to say I have seen more boycotting, marching, and political organisation against the Genocide in some western countries than in some Muslim ones.
Concluding Remarks
To finish off this subject matter I do find it is most important to recognise the duty Allah has placed upon us as Muslims. We are charged with Witnessing over humanity and bringing to it the revelation of the Creator. This means those living without muslims all around them are duty-bound to strive to make that the case.
I am neither advocating for staying in Western countries, or for Emigrating. Rather I encourage all muslims to strive in Allah’s path wherever they may be. For those in the west, continue in Da’wah, continue in political organisation to help Muslims elsewhere in where you are. For those in the East, solve the issues inherent in your lands, make it a place where scholars can speak without fear, and where people can truly learn Islam.
And this is without any judgement on individuals which wish to move because of any reason, just remember Allah will test you in this life and be ready for his tests.