and declare to his face: “This is the Dajjāl whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to tell us about…”—as will be seen in paragraph (31 - the narrative).

What matters, then, is faith and righteous deeds: these are the principal means of deliverance. Residing in the abode of migration or elsewhere is only a secondary means. Whoever neglects the greater means will gain nothing by clinging to the lesser one. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated this when he said to the man who asked him about migration:

“Take heed! Migration is indeed a demanding undertaking! Do you own any camels?” He then asked, “Do you pay the zakat due on them?” The man said, “Yes.” He said, “Then do good even beyond the towns and villages, for Allah will not diminish the reward for your deeds in the least” (1).

How fine is the report narrated by Imam Mālik in al-Muwattaʾ (2/235), from Yahyā ibn Saʿīd:

“Abū al-Dardāʾ wrote to Salmān al-Fārisī: ‘Come to the Holy Land’ (meaning the Levant). Salmān wrote back to him: ‘Land does not sanctify anyone; it is a person’s deeds alone that sanctify him.’”

Allah the Most Great speaks the truth when He says:

“And say, ‘Work, for Allah will see your deeds, as will His Messenger and the believers. And you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will inform you of what you used to do.’” [al-Tawbah: 105].