Living in a Non-Muslim Country

Question :

Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum.



In some fiqh books, it is written that Muslims should not live in a non-Muslim country, "because people there are infidels."



How do you see these sayings? You know Muslims in Western countries are
free to practice their religion more than in their own Muslim countries.



Jazakum Allahu khayran

Answer (Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi) :

Wa `alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, thank you for your question and your apparent
fear of contradicting Allah's laws. May Allah enlighten our hearts with
the light of Islam!

As far as Islamic Shari`ah is concerned, there is not
a one-and-only ruling on living in non-Muslim countries for all
Muslims. If a Muslim can practice his or her faith freely and there is
no fear for his or her family to be tempted, then there is nothing
wrong in doing so.

In his response to your question, the prominent Muslim scholar Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, director and imam of Al-Falah Islamic Center, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, states,

Scholars look into this issue from various perspectives and the bottom line is the ability to practice Islam and make da`wah
(Arabic for: inviting others to Islam). If Muslims are free to practice
their own faith and even invite others to join the same faith, then
their presence in such countries is needed and sometimes mandatory.



The second perspective is when Muslims are free to practice Islam but they face some difficulties to make da`wah, then it is permissible to live in those countries.



However, if one fears that his or her children will suffer
religious-wise, then their presence in such countries is useless
and they need to search for a better environment.



So, there is no one ruling for all Muslims living in non-Muslim countries.



The ideal situation is when a Muslim practices his or her own faith and
at the same time lives as a good citizen in his or her own
country, sharing the beautiful teachings of Islam with other people.
Almighty Allah says: [O My servants who believe! Truly, spacious is My Earth: therefore, serve you Me, (and Me alone)] (Al-`Ankabut 29:56).



So, all the earth belongs to Allah, so we should worship Allah wherever we are.



Source : Islamonline