Secondly: Manifestations of loyalty to the believers
- Emigrating to the lands of the Muslims and abandoning the lands of the disbelievers
Hijrah is the relocation from a land of disbelief to a land of the Muslims in order to preserve one’s religion.
In this sense and for this purpose, hijrah is obligatory and will remain so until the sun rises from the west at the onset of the Final Hour. The Prophet ﷺ declared himself free of any Muslim who resides among the polytheists; therefore it is forbidden for a Muslim to remain in the lands of the disbelievers unless he is unable to migrate or his stay serves a religious benefit, such as calling people to Allah and spreading Islam.
Allah the Exalted says: “Indeed, those whom the angels take in death while they were wronging themselves will be asked, ‘What condition were you in?’ They will answer, ‘We were oppressed in the land.’ The angels will say, ‘Was not Allah’s earth spacious enough for you to migrate therein?’ For such people their refuge is Hell—and what an evil destination! (97) Except—”