skills/sistani-guidance/references/books/west/pages-037-048.md

# A Code of Practice for Muslims in the West

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## PDF PAGE 37

```text
..……………………………………………… ٧٣A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Ibn Mahbûb narrates that some of our companions wrote
through me a letter to Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a.s.) asking
him concerning the major sins. He (a.s.) wrote: "The major sins
are the ones for which Allah has threatened with the Hell-Fire;
the one who refrains from them, He will forgive his sins if he is
a believer. Those seven which cause [one to burn in Hell Fire]
are: killing an innocent person; causing distress to one's parents
[by not upholding their rights]; dabbling in usury; at-ta'arrub
ba'd al-hijra; wrongfully accusing a married woman of
adultery; unlawfully confiscating the property of the orphan;
and running away from the battle-field in jihad."  )٢( ١
Muhammad bin Muslim narrates from Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.):
"The major sins are seven; intentionally killing a believer;
wrongfully accusing a married woman of adultery; running
away from the battle-field in jihad; at-ta'arrub ba'd al-hijra;
unlawfully confiscating the property of the orphan; dabbling in
usury; and every act for which [the punishment of] the Fire has
been promised"?   )٣(٢
'Ubaydullah bin Zurarah narrates that he asked Imam as-Sadiq
(a.s.) about the major sins. The Imam said, "In the book of
[Imam] 'Ali, they are seven: disbelieving in Allah; killing a
person; causing distress to one's parents; dabbling in usury;
unlawfully confiscating the property of the orphan; running
away from the battle-field in jihad; at-ta'arrub ba'd al-hijra."
 ١Ibid, p.  .٧٧٢
 ٢Ibid.
```

## PDF PAGE 38

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..……………………………………………… ٨٣A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Then he asked, "So these are the most major of sins?" The
Imam replied, "Yes."  )٤( ١
Imam ar-Rida (a.s.) explained the prohibition of at-ta'arrub ba'd
al-hijra as follows: "Since there is the danger that because of
at-ta'arrub, he [the immigrant] might abandon [Islamic]
knowledge, get involved with the ignorant people, and drift
away"   )٥(٢
This, however, does not mean that entering non-Muslim
countries is always forbidden. Other ahadith had described for
us the reward of one who visits non-Muslim lands, the reward
that every Muslim longs for. Hammad al-Sindi narrates that he
asked Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.), "I visit the cities of polytheism
[i.e., of the polytheists]; and there are some among us who say
that 'if you die over there, you will be raised [in the Hereafter]
along with them.'" The Imam asked me, "O Hammad, when
you are over there do you talk about our affair [i.e., our truth]
and call [people] to it?" I replied, "Yes." The Imam asked me,
"When you are in these cities, the cities of Islam, do you talk
about our affair and call [people] to it?" I replied, "No." The
Imam said, "If you die over there [in the land of the non-
Muslims], you will be raised as an ummah by yourself, and
there will be light in front of you!" )٦( ٣
 ١Ibid, p.  .٨٧٢
 ٢Al-Hurr al-'Amili, Tafsilu Wasa'ili 'sh-Shi'a, vol.  ,٥١p.  .٠٠١
 ٣Ibid, vol.  ,٦١p.  .٨٨١
```

## PDF PAGE 39

```text
..……………………………………………… ٩٣A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
General Rules
Based on these and other similar ahadith, and other religious
proofs, the jurists (mujtahidin) have issued the following
rulings:
It is recommended for a believer to travel to non-Muslim
countries for the purpose of spreading the religion [of Islam]
and its teaching, provided that he can safeguard himself and his
young children against the dangers of loss of the faith. The
Prophet said to Imam 'Ali, "If Allah guides a person from
among His servants through you, then that is better than
everything between the east and the west on which the sun
shines."  )١(١When asked by a person for a counsel, he said, "I
advise you not to associate anything with Allah...and to call the
people to Islam. You should know that [the reward] for you for
each person who answers [your call] is [equal to] emancipating
a slave from the children of [Prophet] Ya'qûb." ( )٢(٢See the
question-answer section below.)
A believer is allowed to travel to non-Muslim countries
provided that he is sure or has confidence that the journey
would not have a negative impact on his faith and the faith of
those who are related to him.
 ١Al-Hurr al-'Amili, Tafsilu Wasa'ili 'sh-Shi'a, vol.  ,٦١p.  .٨٨١
 ٢Ibid.
```

## PDF PAGE 40

```text
..……………………………………………… ٠٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Similarly, a believer is allowed to reside in non-Muslim
countries provided that his residing there does not become a
hurdle in the of fulfilling his religious obligations towards
himself and his family presently as well as in future. (See the
question-answer section below.)
It is haram to travel to non-Muslim countries in the East or the
West if that journey causes loss of the faith of a Muslim, no
matter whether the purpose of that journey is tourism, business,
education, or residence of a temporary or permanent nature,
etc. (See the question-answer section below.)
If the wife strongly feels or is sure that her travelling with the
husband [to a non-Muslim country] will result in loss of faith,
it is haram for her to travel with him.
If the baligh )٣( ١boys or girls strongly feel that their journey [to
the non-Muslim country] with their father or mother or friends
will cause loss of faith, it is haram for them to travel with the
those people.
What do the jurists mean when they speak of, "loss of faith"? It
means either committing a forbidden act by indulging in minor
 ١Translator's Note: Baligh means the legal age in Islamic laws
which for boys starts at fifteen lunar years and for girls at nine
lunar years. Growth of pubic hair or sexual discharge is also a
sign of attaining the age of maturity.
```

## PDF PAGE 41

```text
..……………………………………………… ١٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
or major sins like drinking intoxicant, adultery, eating
forbidden meat, or drinking najis (impure) drinks, etc. It also
means abandoning the fulfillment of a compulsory act like
neglecting salat, fasting, hajj and other obligations.
If circumstances force a Muslim to migrate to a non-Muslim
country with the knowledge that the migration will cause loss
of faith (e.g., a person seeks political asylum in a non-Muslim
country in order to save his life), it is permissible for him to
make that journey to the extent that it saves his life, and not
more than that. (See the question-answer section below.)
If an immigrant Muslim, residing in a non-Muslim country,
knows that his stay in that country will lead to loss of faith or
of that of his children, it is wajib on him to return to one of the
Muslim countries. (See the questions at the end of this section.)
As mentioned above, this loss of faith is realized by neglecting
the obligatory acts or by committing sins.
The obligation to return to a Muslim country applies only if it
does not lead to death [for example, for a political opponent
who has fled his own country], or to putting him in untenable
situation or, to an emergency situation where religious
obligations are suspended (e.g., the necessity of preserving life
which allows a person to eat haram meat in order to prevent his
own death from starvation).
If the journey is haram for a person, then his journey will be
considered "a journey of sin;" and, in such cases, he loses the
benefit of the concession of praying (qasr) in four -rak'at salat
and also the benefit of not fasting during the month of
```

## PDF PAGE 42

```text
..……………………………………………… ٢٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Ramadhan. As long as his journey maintains the status of "sin,"
he cannot benefit from such concessions provided by the
shari'a for travellers.
A son is not allowed to disobey his parents when they forbid
him from travelling, if their refusal to give permission is out of
their concern for the son, or if his journey will cause distress to
them because of his separation from them - provided that he
does not suffer loss by not travelling.
It is permissible to approach the competent authorities [like
police and the justice system in a non-Muslim country] for
various important issues -like prevention of harm befalling the
person, the honour and the property of a Muslim- provided that
it is the only way for exacting one's right and preventing
injustice.
.
```

## PDF PAGE 43

```text
..……………………………………………… ٣٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Questions and Answers
Question: What is the meaning of at-ta'arrub ba'd al-hijra
which is one of the major sins?
Answer: Some jurists have said that during our time, it applies
to residing in countries that may cause the loss of faith. It
means the migration of a person from a country -where it is
possible for him to learn the obligatory religious teachings and
laws, and where it is possible for him to fulfill his obligations
and refrain from what is forbidden- to a country where this
possibility does not exist fully or partially.
Question: A believer residing in Europe, America and other
similar countries feels estranged from the religious
environment in which he was born and raised. Neither does he
hear the voice of the Qur'an [recited from mosques] nor the
sound of the adhan )١( ١coming [from the minarets]; and there
are no holy shrines, and their spiritual atmosphere, that he can
visit. Is leaving such an Islamic environment of his country and
its positive aspects considered "loss of faith"?
Answer: This is not the loss of faith that would make residing
in a non-Muslim country haram for that person. However,
staying away from such a religious environment may, with the
passage of time, weaken the religious resolve of the immigrant
to an extent that he may consider negligence of wajib deeds
 ١Translator's Note: Adhan means the call for prayer announced
at prayer times from the mosques.
```

## PDF PAGE 44

```text
..……………………………………………… ٤٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
and committing of sins as insignificant. If a person has this fear
that he might lose the faith in this manner, then it is not
permissible for him to take residence in that country.
Question: Sometimes a Muslim residing in Europe and
America (and other similar places) indulges in haram activities
that he would not have done, if he remained in his Muslim
country. The manifestations of temptation in non-Muslim
societies may attract a Muslim to committing haram deeds
even if he is not inclined towards them. Does this come under
the banner of "loss of faith" that makes it haram for him to stay
in that country?
Answer: Yes; unless the sins he sometimes indulges in, and
without insisting upon them, they are of the minor category.
Question: At-ta'arrub ba'd al-hijra has been described as
"migrating to a country in which the religious knowledge of the
immigrant will decrease, thus becoming more alienated from
his faith." Does this mean that a Muslim in such countries is
duty bound to be extra vigilant lest he should become alienated
from his faith?
Answer: The extra care becomes wajib when not being
mindful leads to loss of faith as described earlier.
Question: If a religious preacher who is mindful of his faith
starts facing more situations where he commits haram deeds
because of the social environment (e.g., nudity and indecent
exposures), is it haram for him to stay in those countries; that
is, should he stop propagation (tabligh) and return to his own
country?
```

## PDF PAGE 45

```text
..……………………………………………… ٥٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Answer: If he indulges in some minor sins occasionally, then it
is not haram for him to stay in that country, provided that he is
confident that he would not be tempted to commit more serious
sins.
Question: If an immigrant fears the loss of faith for his
children, is it haram for him to stay in that non-Muslim
country?
Answer: Yes, the same rule applies to himself also.
Question: Is it wajib on the immigrants in Europe and
America (and other similar countries) to strive for teaching
their children Arabic, and that ignorance of Arabic may lead in
the future to ignorance of the main Islamic body of knowledge,
and that will naturally lead to less familiarity with religious
teachings and loss of faith?
Answer: To teach them Arabic is wajib only to the extent
which is necessary for performing their religious duties that
have to be done in Arabic (e.g., recitation of the Opening
chapter of the Qur'an, a second chapter, and other wajib
recitations in salat). Teaching more than that is not wajib as
long as it is possible to provide them with religious knowledge
in a foreign language.
Of course, it is recommended to teach them the holy Qur'an [in
Arabic]; rather it is important to teach them Arabic in a precise
form so that they may benefit from the basic sources of Islamic
teachings, especially, and foremost among them, after the holy
Qur'an, is the Prophetic sunna and the sayings of the Ahlul
Bayt (peace be with them all).
```

## PDF PAGE 46

```text
..……………………………………………… ٦٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Question: If it is possible for a Muslim to reside in a Muslim
country with some financial difficulty compared to his present
situation, then is it wajib on him to travel to that Muslim
country and leave leave his residence in Western countries?
Answer: It is not wajib [to leave the Western country] except
if he has no confidence in himself, in that he may lose his faith
-as explained earlier- while residing in the foreign country.
Question: If a person has the ability to propagate Islam to non-
Muslims or to disseminate religious knowledge among
Muslims in non-Muslim countries without any danger of losing
his own faith, is it wajib on such a person to do propagation
(tabligh)?
Answer: Yes, it is wajib kifa'i upon him and all the others who
have the ability to propagate [Islam].
Question: Is it permissible for a person to buy a passport [i.e.,
to illegally obtain a passport] or change the picture in the
passport so that he may be able to enter a country, and then he
would let the immigration officials of that country know the
truth about his identity?
Answer: We do not allow it.
Question: Is it permissible for a person to reside in non-
Muslim countries with all its temptations that confronts the
person on the street, the school, the television and other media
while he has the ability to migrate to a Muslim country
although that transfer would cause difficulty in residence, loss
of material wealth and comfort, and constrain the worldly
aspects of his life? If it is not permissible to remain in such a
```

## PDF PAGE 47

```text
..……………………………………………… ٧٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
country, would his efforts in propagation among the Muslims
(reminding them of their obligations and encouraging them to
refrain from haram) change the rule for him and allow him to
remain in that country?
Answer: It is not haram to stay in that country, if it does not
create hurdles for him and his family in fulfilling their religious
obligations presently as well as in future; otherwise, it would
not be permissible even if he is engaged in some kind of
propagation activities. And Allah knows the best.
```

## PDF PAGE 48

```text
..……………………………………………… ٨٤A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Introduction
Taqlid means acting according to the opinion of the jurist
(mujtahid) who has all the necessary qualification to be
emulated. So you do what the mujtahid's expert opinion says
you should do, and refrain from what his expert opinion says
you should refrain from without any research [in Islamic
sources] on your part. It is as though you have placed the
responsibility of your deeds squarely on his shoulders.
Among the conditions which must be found in a jurist
(mujtahid) who can be followed is that he must be the most
learned (al-a'lam) jurist of his time and the most capable in
deriving the religious laws from the appropriate sources.
```