Abu al-Darda wrote to Salman: “Come to the Holy Land!” Salman wrote back to him: “It is not the land that sanctifies anyone; rather, a servant is sanctified by his deeds.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had established a bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu al-Darda. Salman had deeper religious understanding than Abu al-Darda in a number of matters, including this one.
Allah, Exalted is He, said to Moses, peace be upon him: “I shall show you the abode of the defiantly disobedient.” This was the land inhabited by those giants, but afterwards it became the abode of the believers. It is the land indicated in the Quran: the Holy Land and the land of Egypt, which Allah granted as an inheritance to the Children of Israel.
The conditions of lands are like the conditions of people: a man may at one time be a Muslim and at another a disbeliever; at one time a believer and at another a hypocrite; at one time righteous and God-fearing and at another sinful; and at one time wicked and wretched. Likewise, dwellings take their character from their inhabitants. Thus, a person’s migration from a place of disbelief and sin to a place of faith and obedience is like his repentance and transition from disbelief and disobedience to faith and obedience. This remains so until the Day of Resurrection.
Allah, Exalted is He, said: “And those who believed afterwards, emigrated, and strove alongside you—they are of you.” [Al-Anfal: 75] A group from among the early generations said: “This includes everyone who believes, emigrates, and strives until the Day of Resurrection.” Likewise, His saying, Exalted is He: “Then indeed, your Lord—for those who emigrated after they had been persecuted, then strove and remained patient—indeed, your Lord after that is Forgiving, Merciful.” [Al-Nahl: 110] (1) Its meaning includes everyone whom Satan has tempted away from his religion or caused to fall into sin, then who abandons evil deeds; strives against his own self and against other enemies; strives against the hypocrites by enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; and does other such things, while remaining patient with whatever he suffers in word or deed. And Allah knows best.”