More about Hijra or not!

                                                                         

“…And live with your people wherever you like”| Sheikh `Abd Allah b. Bayyih|
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O Fudayk, establish prayer, avoid bad deeds, and live with your people wherever you like.” [Sahîh Ibn Hibbân (4861)] The narrators of this hadîth are all reliable. The meaning of the hadith: Fudayk belonged to a tribe who were all non-Muslims. Fudayk, who had accepted Islam, used to live with them. Fudayk’s people had requested him to live with them and pledged to him that they would not impose upon him in his faith in any way. Fudayk then went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked about whether he should emigrate, saying: “O Messenger of Allah! There are people claiming that whoever does not emigrate will come to ruin.” To this the Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “O Fudayk, establish prayer, avoid bad deeds, and live with your people wherever you like.” Ibn Hibbân explains the meaning of the hadîth as follows [Sahîh Ibn Hibbân (11/203)]: The command to “establish prayer” is a command indicating obligation upon those being addressed under relevant circumstances. The command to “avoid bad deeds” is a command indicating obligation upon all Muslims under all circumstances. They must not perpetrate evil and sinful deeds upon themselves or upon others. This refers to all deeds that Allah is displeased with The imperative tense of the verb “live” in the phrase “and live with your people wherever you like” indicates permissibility. What it means is that if a person who shuns bad deeds as we have mentioned, then there is no harm in his living wherever he chooses to live, even if the location is not ideal. Indeed, a Muslim who lives in a non-Muslim country should take the injunctions of this hadîth to heart and live his life accordingly. He should establish prayer. He should avoid fornication, drinking, and all other licentious, sinful deeds. Its legal implications: It is generally understood that a Muslim living in an Islamic country should not leave it for a non-Muslim country without a good reason. This hadîth is evidence that if a Muslim is already living in a non-Muslim country and is able to worship Allah and carry out the rites of his religion, then he is under no obligation to leave his country. Scholars disagree regarding the emigration of a Muslim who lives in a non-Muslim country. The first opinion is that a Muslim can live in a non-Muslim country as long as he is free to practice his religion. This is the opinion of the vast majority of jurists. It is the ruling followed by the Hanafî, Shâfi`î, and Hanbalî schools of law. Those who hold this opinion cite the hadîth under discussion as evidence. Another hadîth which is used as evidence for the permissibility of living in non-Muslim countries is where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The countries are Allah’s countries and the people are Allah’s servants, so wherever you find good living atmosphere, then live.” [Musnad Ahmad (1420) – with a weak chain of transmission] The second opinion is that of the Mâlikî and Zâhirî schools of law – that it is obligatory for a Muslim to emigrate from a non-Muslim country to a Muslim country if he is capable of doing so. The cite hadîth like: “Do not be in sight of each other’s house fires.” [Sunan al-Tiimidhî (1604), Sunan Abî Dâwûd (2645), and Sunan al-Nasâ’î (4780)] There is disagreement about the authenticity of this hadîth as well as about its meaning. The third opinion is quite the opposite of the second. Al-Mâwardî and many other Shâfi`î scholars hold the view that if a Muslim is able to practice his religion freely in a non-Muslim country, then he should not leave. They argue that it is his duty to remain in that country, because if he leaves, then the country will be devoid of a Muslim presence. Conclusions: What all this amounts to is that there is flexibility in the matter. If a Muslim feels the need to live in a Muslim country where he can practice his religion with greater freedom and comfort, then it is a good thing for him to do so if he gets the opportunity. However, if he finds it better for him to stay where he is, then he is free to do so. As long as he is free to practice his faith, then he may stay in his country. We might add another consideration that he must take into account: He should be able to raise his children as Muslims. And Allah knows best.

Comments

[jimmo]

Salam Alaikum,

what is about the hadith: Whoever dies between the mushrikyn is one of them?

Jazaka Allahu Khairan wa Salam

[Abdul Rahman Hilmi]

bismillah
assalamu alaikum
I received an email about a talk which you will be holding and thus I made a search for your name and saw your blog. May Allah guide us all to the truth. Allow me to start giving a few points about this article you presented. First I have to admit that I've only read the "meaning of the hadith" section and I felt that I got the gist of this article since obviously it's one of the usual "secular Islam" arguments and I need not go any further with it.

ِوأغض طرفي عن محارم جارتي
حتى يواري جارتي مأواها

I'm really not very good in translating and since you appear to be giving Islamic lectures I would imagine it quite shameful to hold lectures on Islam without knowing Arabic and thus I'm going to assume you can read the above.

As for the relevance of the above verse, it is a poem but the surprise (to some) is, it is from the times of Jahiliyah. The poem was written before the prophethood of Muhammad (saaws) and thus this is the manners which Arabs held at the time. Granted they committed alot of dhulm upon themselves, but honour and chivalry was part of their culture.

It is important, before you use the fatwa vending machine, to check ALL the angels of the related revelation - any of the two revelations. In this particular case, have you considered the environment of the time? Have you maybe thought that Arabia at the time did not live in a state of moral deprivation that the West has reached? Furthermore, the article itself stated that the tribe promised Fudayk the protection of his belief. Do we enjoy that in the West, nay, even in the Muslim world? Allow me to ask one question, if tomorrow the British government said that hijaab is to be banned, what would you then do? Don't answer this question just yet as I will get back to it later on in my reply.

If you see hijrah as such a trivial matter (and I apologise if I am mistaken in my judgement, but the sarcasm in your title suggests it to me), pray tell why the prophet 3alaihis salaam along with most Muslims in Quraish did make hijrah to Medinah? Some would say that it was because oppression in Mecca was being too intolerable. Obviously that is not true. If it was the safety of the Muslims that was behind the Hijrah then they could as well have went to the Najashi which gave the Muslims protection and is indeed able to protect them as he has proven in the first hijrah of some of the companions. The purpose of the Hijrah to Medinah is certainly the act of taking political leadership of a land by the prophet (saaws). This is why the Hijrah is THE most important event in Islamic history and this is why the Islamic calendar was made to begin in this particular moment even though secularists choose to ignore it.

Now going back to my previous question; what would you do if the British government brought in a law that calls for the illegality of a fard upon a Muslim? The simple fact that what is fard upon a Muslim is not a fard imposed by the state, nay the state as a whole is ruled by people who do not even believe in Allah, puts our obedience to Islam in a very dangerous position. It implies that our obedience to Islam is under the mercy of those men in power and that at any moment they might choose to forbid a fard for the simple fact that they do not rule by Islam.

I am not of the opinion that we should carry out hijrah (obviously this is effected with the environment, if practising our deen someday becomes extremely difficult, then hijrah would be an obligation if we are able to - as far as I understand walaahu aalam). This is because the Hijrah of the prophet (saaws) to Medinah was a hijrah to a place Islam will be implemented and today no such place exists. Therefore as long as we are able to practice our deen there is no obligation for a Muslim to carry out hijrah. However, when Islam is implemented, certainly it is advisable to travel where the environment is Islamic as it helps greatly with our practice of our deen. You simply cannot put Arabia at the time of jahilya with the West today. The West has reached a very new low that certainly no Muslim should be living in if he had the option to move. Furthermore, any man that Allah has given the blessing of sight to can certainly see that the West is heading gradually in a direction of more intolerance and more bloodshed towards the Muslims therefore the issue of hijrah might be a serious possibility that alot of non-secular Muslims (alhamdullilah this includes most Muslims) need to take.

With all this in mind, it is no wonder the establishing the Islamic state is considered taaj al furood since it not only protects our deen but also insures that we practice our faraaed.

Brother Jimmo, are you referring to the hadith where the prophet (saaws) said "whoever dies without having a pledge to an ameer dies the death of Jahilyah." ? This hadith states that whether there are Muslims on a land or a period makes no difference in terms of it being a Jahilyah. Jahilyah is only removed when Islam is implemented. Thus the obligation of there being an ameer is an obligation. Furthermore, the prophet (saaws) also said that there can only be one ameer for the Muslims. This is so critical that the prophet went on to say that if another man comes asking the Muslims to give the pledge to him after they have given the pledge to someone else, this man is to be killed.

assalamu alaikum

ARGcommet: Actually I don't speak arabic, nor do many people who speak for you organisation hizbut Tahrir, at least that's what I presume you belong to from the tone of your comment and blog!
Also I suggest that befor you comment you take a little time to scroll down the page and see what else has been written posted on hijra on the blog, I'm sure you will find it interesting.

[Shabber Adam]

"He should be able to raise his children as Muslims." - This is were I find it very difficult to believe that anyone living in the non-Muslim country can eliminate the effect of the society on their child.

I have till this day not seen any evidence in general to establish any kind of proof that the non-Muslim societies have good influence on the Muslim children. In general the Muslim children are greatly influenced by the effects of the non-Muslim society, music, sex, parties, etc. To which the point then comes:

“However, if he finds it better for him to stay where he is, then he is free to do so.” - NO when it comes to children he is not free to do so, and will be held accountable for the upbringing of his children.

At the point he has Muslim family and has children it becomes obligatory for him to make hijrah to a more Islamic environment so the society has minimum effect on his children, of course if he is able to. - Why because his children have rights over him. Remember you are the Sheppard and will be accountable for your flock, just like everyone likes to mention how the Muslim rulers are Sheppard’s and will be accountable for their flock. People like to criticize the Muslim countries / rulers but they should look at how they are ruling their own wives and children. I am not making excuses for anyone and all this advice is for me first and foremost. – I am thinking on paper.

And again everyone might be sitting there reading this and thinking what about the bad effects, and in some people’s experience worst influence from Muslim countries, this is specific to individual cases, in general I would say even Dubai is better than anything in the UK. Yes Dubai has bars, and nightclubs and even concerts but I have still after 7 years of living here, bump into a drunk non-Muslim, let alone a drunk Muslim, I have still to come across women and men coming out of the night clubs, I have still to come across sex ads, wonder bra ads, in full open view for our children to see, I still have to see a man and women kissing in public let alone doing more, I have still to see bikini clad women, of course if I decide to go to the hotel beaches and ignore the 100 odd kilometers of untouched beaches then I prob would, and yes, you say you don’t see bikini clad women in London but just go down to one of the coast towns on a nice hot day. The important point in all this is that it is hidden, and it is very easy to protect your children from this, in the UK it is the norm and people tend to exhibit themselves as if it is their freedom.

The worst in all this is the concept with the non-Muslims of liberty, everything and anything goes, the ideas that our children are brainwashed in school, like “ what’s wrong with gays if they are not harming anyone?”. Point: non-Muslim country is part of curriculum and propagated, Muslim country not-part of curriculum, and the Muslim society will never accept it. - Again same with mixed education - even though there are some mixed education private schools and Universities from the west the local public schools and Universities are segregated.

One brother said to me once about the British education mentioning himself he said “I came out ok, what’s wrong with the education”, I found that to be a very shallow statement, the British education never made me or anyone else a practicing Muslim, it was Allah(swt)’s guidance, his mercy on us, not the great British society, just like there are many good practicing Muslims in the Muslim countries, at the end yes all guidance is from Allah(swt) and if our children are just going to be sheep, which sheep do we want them to be; in the Muslim country were, the adhaan can be heard clearly 5 times a day, where one can study Arabic and learn Islam in the original, where, being chaste, women covering, respecting the elders, reading Quran is still looked upon as good qualities at a SOCIETY LEVEL, even with the rulers. – this is not the case in the non-Muslim lands at SOCIETY LEVEL. - i.e. if we leave our children in the west the GENERAL rule is that they will forget their deen, likly to have a girlfriend / boyfriend, and indulge in many un-Islamic activties.

I know its wall banging, but I hope its clear, for our children’s sake. I find it very difficult to accept anyone with children can ever justify from Islamic evidences and proofs to stay in a non-Muslim country - NO you are not free to stay there with children, make every effort to make Hijrah, if you can al humdulilah you made a effort and have a excuse on The Day.

And hijrah means to any land were you can practice your deen, just look at Malaysia, Sudan, and many other places, Saudi, UAE are just a small part of the Muslim lands.

and Allah(swt) knows best.

ARGcomment: I can't believe you actually wrote that! Are you really saying you CANNOT bring your children up as Muslims in the West?
You say:You are not free to bring your children up in the West, with a shout NO! By Allah, be careful about what you say and how you give fatwa, because that's what it is/was!
Difficult/challenging and not free are very different things.
There are many young Muslims who have been raised very successfully it seems to me, here in the West.
Sure if you leave kids here without strong tarbiyya they'll go all over the place, and probably if you just left them to their own devices in a Muslim land they'll probably do somewhat less worse things in a Muslim country, but agian that is not the point.
Your statements have moved from well considered comments to what seems close to ranting, well actually to be honest I think it is/was ranting, rather like some Arabs are prone to do. I guess it works all ways. Live among a people long enough and you soon become like them ;)

[muslimah]

as-salaamu alaykum

This is not relevant to your hijrah post but anyway, I went to your 'Go Green with Abdul Raheem Green' talk last week which was very interesting jazakAllah khayr. There was one point, I'm not sure if I understood right but you were saying about carbon emissions even from other renewable sources of energy, like manufacturing solar panels etc. I'm no expert in these issues, but if I understood right, I found this argument quite weak as you didn't really give any alternative. I think you were tying it into your wider topic of the root cause being materialism etc. as opposed to arguing for say, nuclear energy, but I would think this was a matter of which type of energy is producing relatively less carbon emissions, rather than none at all. Because we still need some form of energy and we can't totally cut out the carnob emissions. Hopefully that makes sense.
Also, regarding the compost bins, we got ours free. I can't remember if it was the council or some other organisation but it's worth checking in your local area.

ARGcomment: I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I was making a seperate point about cheep oil running out in the next 50 years and that there was no way to replace cheap oil with the present available alternative technologies. The only solution ultimately is to change the way we live. Otherwise solar pannel do offer a good way to cut carbon emissions. I was not discouraging their use.
You can find some of my "green" stuff under the section "Going Green." Look on the menues on the right of the web page.

[Shabber Adam]

“Are you really saying you CANNOT bring your children up as Muslims in the West?” – hmmm u really got that from my post?? – I am and as always been referring to the society influence on the children – there is no single scholar that I have heard or read from that says the western society is a good influence on our children, the sad fact is even the non-Muslims like the Christians strongly condemn the western liberal education and media’s influence on the children, to the point Christian schools and University’s ban channels like MTV and others on campus.

Why are we running around to look for fatwa’s to stay in Muslim countries, and propagating this. (there is no doubt for the ones actively involved in dawa or the one who has no means – for them is a great reward) but for the general Muslims to look for fatwas to stay in the non-Muslim counties, and yes it is a lot more cozy in the western countries when you have the social system to fall back on.

Where am I coming from?

We will be asked on The Day of Judgment about our flock, and guidance is with Allah(swt), so if your child is not one of the guided ones did you do everything in your ability including making hijrah to be excused for your responsibility, Allah(swt) will only hold you accountable for what was placed under you, like the ruler, like the father, like the mother, etc. If you made hijrah and your child was not one of the ones guided it will be a test for you, and you did everything in your ability that was asked of you, but if your child was not guided and you stayed in the non-Muslim countries and made no effort to make hijrah then what would your answer be on The Day of Judgment? – think of this carefully and do not brush it off lightly.

You might be getting confused with my previous statements, so let me clarify them, I have no problem accepting the statements for staying in a Muslim country when it comes to an individual, i.e. I look at myself as a individual Muslim, I know my weakness and strengths and I can decide to stay or not as long as I can practice my Islam openly, my free choice as you put it, BUT read carefully as Allah(swt) places children under your care, under your responsibility, under your dunya accountability, then making hijrah to a more Islamic social environment and knowing all to well about the effects of Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll in the western societies, the slow poison it becomes a necessity to make hijrah. – A lot of parents blindly place their children in non-Muslim schools, they don’t realize they will be asked about it, is this school the best you can do? did you check it?, did you speak with the teachers? What are the other children like? – Even in Muslim countries we have to check the schools, the Quran schools, what are the teachers like, will they be a good influence, when we tie our camel then we put our trust in Allah(swt).

“Indeed, those whom the angels take (in death), while wronging themselves- (the angels) will say, in what (condition) were you? , they will say “we were oppressed in the land”. They (the angels will say), “was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate in?”, for those their refuge is hell - what a evil destination

Except for the oppressed among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan nor are they directed to a way. For those Allah is likely to pardon them, and Allah is ever-Pardoning and Forgiving

And whoever emigrates for the cause Allah will find on the earth many places (to live) and much to live by. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and his Messenger and then death overtakes him – his reward is then surely, incumbent upon Allah, and Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful”
[an-Nisaa: 97-100]

“Believers, guard yourselves and your families against the Fire the fuel of which is people and stones, over which there are harsh, and stern angels who never disobey Allah in that which He orders and do what they are ordered.”
[Surah 66: 6]

We all know what families means. One way of guarding yourself and your family is to move from the land of sin to the land of Islam. And please don’t argue the people of the UK are not the people of sin; shirk, alcohol, fornication, etc. – yes sin is in Muslim countries as well but not to the extent as it is in the west.

“By Allah, be careful about what you say and how you give fatwa, because that's what it is/was!”

it is not my fatwa but the likes of Sh Al-Baanee (ra).

The fatwa’s are for individuals and who ever they are responsible for, so more importantly for the ones with children.

“The important thing here is the hijrah from the lands of the kuffaar to the lands of the Muslims whatever the case of the rulers in these Muslims lands who have deviated from Islam or have short-comings in applying the rulings of Islam. For all of this in any case is better than how the Kuffaar countries can be described in terms of character, piety and manners.”

– Sh Al Baanee, The Obligation of Hijrah from the lands of shirk and kufr

Full text: http://www.salafimanhaj.com/zip/obligationofhijrah.zip

The evidences have already been posted for the proof of hijrah and remember no one is calling to a specific country it is hijrah to the people of that land, move from the people that day and night sin to the people in village, town, city that worship Allah(swt) and try to protect themselves from sin.

The fine line in all this is what does it mean ‘openly practice your deen’ – for example if someone works in a office full of women, all looking beautiful with perfume, etc and that persons knows there weakness like many men is beautiful women, what happens when he is praying, when he is with his wife at home, slowly but surely just being around them daily for 8 hours, is having an ill effect on him, looking, mingling, talking – The question now comes up is it obligatory for him to leave and find work else were? Even though working and earning money from that company is not haram. – No scholar would say no, its ok for him to work there, they will bring all the evidences about, looking at non-mahram women, etc. – Now, really go out and study the effects of the UK society on the Muslim children. – I am referring to general not specific as in my pervious post.

“Your statements have moved from well considered comments to what seems close to ranting, well actually to be honest I think it is/was ranting, rather like some Arabs are prone to do. I guess it works all ways. Live among a people long enough and you soon become like them ;)”

It seems we are all prone to stereo typing – but to turn discussions into “ranting” is below the belt. – anyway my tone in the pervious post was for the impression I got about children:

“However, if he finds it better for him to stay where he is, then he is free to do so. As long as he is free to practice his faith, then he may stay in his country. We might add another consideration that he must take into account: He should be able to raise his children as Muslims.”

it seems the upbringing of children by the Muslims in the west and the Muslims in the Muslim countries is taken on a very light matter, and brushed aside without any deep thinking about their learning, and how the best of the Muslims learnt and studied. find me a scholar that never studied or lived in a Muslim country, i.e. that understands Islam, and its sciences from just living in the non-Muslim countries, everyone you mentioned before lived or studied in the Muslim countries for years before moving to the UK.

We would all love our children to be Scholars of Islam, some might some might not, in the non-Muslim country I don’t think so. – Enough of a reason to try and bring your children up in the Muslim countries – at minimum they will have a strong foundation in Arabic and Quran, lets not be the parents were our children will say when they are older, “Dad, Mum you knew Islam, the truth, why didn’t you push me or send me somewhere to learn Arabic and Quran?”

I love this discussion, bro, inshallah still gonna do all that we talked about here, summer camp, etc, actions speak louder than words, make du'aa.

And Allah(swt) knows best.

ARGcomment: Sorry about hitting below the belt, but anyway those are kuffar boxing rules! Seriously, that's how it came across!
Also talking about "below the belt", it is exactly that to accuse someone of fatwa shopping!
I beleive muslims need to stay in the west and build successful communities. This is how Islam will not only spread, but take root and grow here. This is happening. There are more and more Muslim schools and colleges, and inshallah our influence and effect on society will increase. This can only be good for us and Islam. If our intentions are right and we stuggle like we should Allah will most certainly aid us and protect us, and our families. Yes, we have to save ourselves and familiies from the fire, but we also have to struggle in Allah's path ot make his word the highest.
Many people have said to me over the years that I should spend less time giving dawa and more time with my family, but I don't agree. Islam was never spread like that! We don't only need able bodied men, but the families also to build these communities.
I think it is ealy days yet to talk about Scholars from non Muslim countries, but India for expample has many good scholars, and there are many good students of knowledge born here in the UK. But these things take time and effort and the building of institutions. This will never happen if we leave, or even evacuate our families.
We can and are building these communities. We ARE able, and Islam is growing. We should not confuse ability with laziness and ease.
We do have the ability to raise our children here in the west as good striving Muslims activly calling to Allah. We are saved from the fire by doing good deeds, and who is better than those who call to Allah, and are involved in the spreading of Islam.
You say this is the exception. Believe me it is changing dramatically. More and more Muslims are taking this mission serioulsy and making a part of their everyday life, alhamdulillah.
What we need is co-operation.
There are many Muslims kids also loosing it.
It seems to me that one of the best things for them would be to get them out, even for a year.
The effect on my son Bilal sitting at the feet of a Shiekh in a mosque in Ajman for even a few months has been marked! It has made a real difference.
We need systems and institutions in place here and in Muslim lands for our youth, especailly the teenagers. This way we can ward of some of the most harmful effects of this society.
Ultimately calls for hijra for Muslims living in the West seem to me counter-productive. Even if we can firmly conclude that it is obligatory, which I do not agree with, most people simply won't do it. It is better to put our energies into refocusing their intentions and aims, and building communites and institutions that will serve those aims. There are many first generation Muslims here in UK that still somewhere think that they are going back home, even though their kids are now more British than "backhome". But becaue they always thought like that they never put and still don't make the effort into building communities here. This mentality has and is very detrimental.

[Abdul Rahman Hilmi]

bismillah
assalamu alaikum
Subhaan Allah, so I take it you come up to Muslims and try to teach them Islam when you have never read the Quraan in your life?

Since all what I got out of you is a couple of words, I will reply to your (irrelevant) comment on Hizbut Tahrir. Indeed you assumed correctly as alhamdullilah I have been guided to work with the party. Furthermore, we never asked to replace anyone's local mosque imam. As a party, we never claimed to be absolutly everything that Islam embodies (as the apolitical people like yourself might claim). Hizbut Tahrir is only to revive an ASPECT of Islam that is being ignored by alot of Muslims. So basically, you wont find lessons on how to pray or how to fast or how to do hajj sponsored by Hizbut Tahrir. That doesn't mean that we as individuals don't believe in them or practice them, but it means that when representing the party, these things are not relevant under the party umberlla. If you want to build a mosque you can either pray the whole day or you can get up, make tawaqul, and start mixing concrete. if you pray the whole day, Allah still wont send angels to build your mosque for you. Hizbut Tahrir is the aspect of our lives that work for this particular purpose. As individuals, we are Muslims who pray, fast and do hajj but as Muslims - not as Hizbut Tahrir. Thus your comparison between yourself and us is absolutely baseless.

Since the utter irrelevance of this topic with the main article I would not mind if you didn't post this comment but instead read it for yourself and if you want to say more you can email me. However if you wish to post it, it's your blog and I would be happy to continue discussing under this title.

assalamu alaikum

ARGcomment: Talking about Khilafa is more momentous that talking about Hajj or salat, but people from you party who speak no arabic not only talk about khilfa, which requires an even greater deapth of scholarship, they talk about aqeeda and many other matters also.
Alhamdulillah I have seen a great change in the manners an attitude of the Hizb, especially the leadership in this country whom I know quite well, in respect especially to their manners. In seems it still has a long way to go before in reaches the lower levels though!

[Abdul Rahman Hilmi]

ARG said: "I beleive muslims need to stay in the west and build successful communities. This is how Islam will not only spread, but take root and grow here."
If Muslims followed this rule then believe you me what we call "the Muslim world" today would be no farther than Saudi Arabia. Exactly when in Islamic history has this ever been used. Muslims today stretch from Indonesia to Morrocco because of that? Indonesia is the ONLY region that came into Islam without direct influence of political Islam. Other than that the majority of the Muslim ummah is only Muslim because of past glories of Islamic rule and not because of turning Islam into an evangelical faith knocking at people's doors asking them to convert.

Subhaan Allah, brother, in Islam there is no such thing as "my opinion is..." or "I believe that...". Please provide your proof akhi and keep opinions away from a topic on Islam.

wassalam

ARGcomment: How we decorate our evil suspicions and accusations with the praise and glorification of Allah! And I suggest you practice what you preach. "I believe" or "my opinion" means in fact that from what the scholars have said the position I hold to be true is....This is what I presume when I hear a Muslim say that! There is plenty of proof in the statements of the scholars that have been mentioned in this blog already.
Just Indonesia! It happens to be the most populous Muslim country in the World! 200 million Muslims live there! If that was the only country it would be enough, but in fact we can add to that China, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma.
Also what is "political Islam". Talking about opinons, where is this in the Quran or Sunnah or understanding of the salaf?! There only is Islam, not political, non-political or any other Islam.
What exactly was it that the Propeht saws was doing for thirteen years in Mecca before Islamic governance was established in Medina?

[Abu Zakariya]

A salaam alekum,

Having not read this blog for a few weeks, I am a bit disappointed to find the debates descending into the usual insult exchanges that, unfortunately, seem to characterise most muslim discussion forums. I would like to remind us all of what Imam Shafi said regarding the state of mind a scholar should have when dealing with disagreement:

"[As we see it] our opinion is right though it may turn out to be wrong, while we consider the opinion of our opponents to be wrong though it may turn out to be right."

And he was talking about how the attitude the ulama should have towards one another! How much more gentle, flexible and open-minded should we be?

I have made Hijra to the Gulf, but am very open to being convinced I should return to the UK. Why should I not be? Is it weak to to be open to being proved wrong? Is that not exactly what Shafi was open to?

As a teacher of teenagers, many of them Emiratis, I am learning a lot about the reality of life out here, as opposed to the idea that many, even those living here, seem to have. I feel it would be highly useful to engage in a considered, respectful debate on the pros and cons of life here and back home, in the hope that we may all gain insight into the nature of this world and our places in it. None of us are perfect, indeed, to be closed to the possiblity of being mistaken seems to me to be the greatest mistake of them all...

May Allah guide and forgive us,

wasalaam,

Abu Zakariya

ARGcomment: May Allah reward you Abu Zakariya with much goodness and may Allah accept all your good deeds.
Please tell us more about the reality of life in UAE, especailly amongst teenages. Also do you have any advice about how to deal with teenagers. I was asking Allah for guidance on this matter, and subhanallah, here is your comment.
It is the nature of disagreement that it is unpleasant. When the exchange of ideas happens verbally often we have the chance to explain ourselves, and clarify misunderstandings on the spot. In a written discussion this is not so easy, and it can take more time. Nothing so far has been so bad that I have felt a need to edit anything except one comment a brother made in the discussion over the Global Unity event.
I personally have had to take a couple of deep breaths, and on more than one occasion forced myself to wait a day to calm down before responding, or to edit the most sarcastic and scathing comments of some of my replies, realising this is simply not good manners nor the characterisitics of a beleiver. However, I don't mind anyone expressing their opinions forcefully and energetically, as I will do the same.
Of course, the point is also well taken. We should remeber we are all searching for the truth and to please Allah, and we should take the truth from where ever we can find it! Also, we should love for our brothers what we love for ourselves. So we should love and hope that Allah has guided our brother to the truth, and manifest that truth at his hand.

[Abu Zakariya]

Salaam,

I would say the main characteristic of life here as opposed to the UK is that everything is much more hidden. In some ways, e.g. no open alchohol consumption, little nakedness on show etc this is good. In other ways, however, it is not. Many things go on, especially with the youth, unbeknown to their parents - as one brother put it "we see them in the malls with their cans of pepsi, but we don't know what is in the cans..."
I have been truly shocked by some of things that go on here, which are simply point-blank denied when you try to challenge them - 'don't discuss just look the other way' is the name of the game... There is no attempt to deal with things on a societal level. Indeed there are many societies here - locals, expats, workers... each one with its own sets of norms and values, and each with its internal ways of dealing (or not dealing) with things. The problems arise, however, when the kids get a bit older, and start to interact with each other independently of the parents - then you don't know what the influences acting upon them are because you have no idea who or what they are dealing with. So you fall back into the same protective attitude as in the UK, which will inevitably breed the same frustration and resentment...

As to advice on teenagers - I don't know if I can help much there - my own kids are still very young. From my experience teaching them, however, I'd say the most important thing is to keep an open relationship, wherein they can talk to you without too much fear (gotta have a bit of course!). I noticed a lot muslim dads of kids I taught in the UK coming down really hard on their sons when sometimes a bit of time and a chat would be better... Alot of what they are doing is just asserting adulthood - so if you give them ways to do it (like taking the lead on something) then they won't have to find ways you may not like... Of course, you have to give them ideas in a way that they think it's their idea, otherwise they may well reject it or do it half-heartedly just because it came from you!

Here or there, I think we really need to make kids feel that Islam is not a burden but in fact a liberation; that it can provide them with the necessary tools to live a faithful, productive, joyful life on this planet, wherever they may be.

inshallah,

masalaam

AbuZak

ARGcomment: That is a treasure, mashallah, jazakallah khiar!

[Noraini Aishah]

Salam Brother Abdurraheem,
Those who are interested to hijrah to New Zealand they are most welcome. I will attempt my best to help them especially those who need for property for their own home here in New Zealand. New Zealand has a natural and spectacular surrounding for at each spots and also surrounded with many friendly people. Anybody that you know wanting to migrate to New Zealand and need any help, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The number of new Muslim followers are also increasing in Korea, Taiwan and Japan. I met many of them at the conference. Many are still looking to know more about Islam. Unfortunately the conference was not about Islam issues.

During our break , a group of Korean and Japanese came to me and we have a chat about Islam. Maybe they are so much attracted with the entire that I was wearing ( the hijab for my hair). Masyallah, they seem very happy talking to me and see the beauty of Islam through me. I praise Allah for this lovely incident. These people to my surprise were our new Muslim followers. The ex Prime Minister of Japan is also our Muslim brother! alhamdulilah.

[Ahmed Luqman]

Assalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

One issue I would like to raise is taxation. Our money that we earn and spend in this country is used for haram - I assume I don't need to go into details. On the day of judgement, will we be accountable for it?

ARGcomment: hmmmm...good point! Need to check up on this one.