Part 62

So on the day when Allaah's Messenger ($&) arrived the sun had risen high and the temperature had risen, so the people had returned to their houses. Then a man from the Jews who was on top of one of their forts, looking for something, saw Allaah's Messenger and his companions coming out of the desert mirage. He could not stop himself from shouting out at the top of his voice: "O Arabs! Here is your great man whom you have been waiting for." So the Muslims rushed to meet Allaah's Messenger, carrying their weapons, both as honour and respect for Allaah's Messenger and showing that they were ready to fight jihaad and to defend him, may Allaah be pleased with them. So they met him on the summit of the lava plain and he turned with them to the right and alighted with Banoo 'Amr ibn 'Awf in Qubaa. He remained amongst them for a few nights and founded the mosque. Then he moved on towards al-Madeenah and the people went along with him, and others joined them on the way. Aboo Bakr, radiyallaahu 'anhu, said: "When we arrived in al-Madeenah the people came out into the streets and upon the houses, even the boys and the servants, and they were saying 'Allaah is greater, Allaah's Messenger has come. Allaah is greater Muhammad has come." [Refer to sahih alBukhaaree (Eng. transl. vol. 5/ 158-167/no. 245)]. Hijrah is migrating from the land of shirk to the land of Islaam. [140] Hijrah from the land of shirk to the land of Islaam is an obligation upon this ummah [141] and it continues until the Last Hour, and the proof is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, ________________________________________________________ Al-Hijrah in the language is derived from al-hajr which means abandonment. As for its meaning in the Sharee'ah, then it is as the Shaykh said: "Migrating from the land of shirk to the land of Islaam." The land of shirk is the land where the signs manifesting shirk are upheld; and the signs manifesting Islaam, such as the adhaan, the Prayer in congregation, the 'Eid Prayers and the Jumu'ah Prayer, are not commonly and universally established. Not established commonly and universally to exclude those signs of Islaam that are established restrictedly such as by the Muslim minorities in the lands of the unbelievers. These lands do not become the land of Islaam due to the signs of Islaam that the Muslim minorities establish therein. As for the land of Islaam, then it is the land where these signs are established commonly and universally. 141 it is obligatory upon every Believer to perform hijrah who is not able to manifest his Religion (Deen) in the land of the unbelievers. If he is unable to manifest his Religion then his Islaam will not be complete until he performs hijrah. This is because whatever is essential for the attainment of an obligation is itself obligatory. uAs for those whose souls the angels take in a state of having earned Allaah's Anger, then the angels will say to them: 'In what condition were you regarding your Religion?' They will say: 'We were weakened by the great numbers and strength of the people of shirk in our land who prevented us from eemaan and from following the Messenger.' They will reply: 'Was not Allaah's earth spacious so that you could leave your land and homes where the people of shirk dominate and go to a land where you could worship Allaah alone and follow His Prophet?!' So these people will find their abode in Hell, and what an evil destination that is. Except for the weak ones from the men, women and children who were unable to migrate or find a way to do so. As for such, it may be that Allaah will pardon them, and Allaah is ever One who pardons and forgives the sins of His servants" [142] [surah anNisaa' (4):97-99]. ______________________________________________________________ This Aayah contains a proof that those who do not migrate even though they are able to do so will be rebuked by the angels who take their souls, and they will say to them: "Was Allaah's earth not spacious enough for you to migrate therein?!" But as for the weak ones, those unable to migrate - then Allaah has pardoned them due to their inability to migrate, and Allaah does not place a burden on any soul greater than it can bear. Also the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, "O My servants who believe in Me and My Messenger Muhammad, indeed My earth is spacious, so flee away from whoever prevents you from obedience to Me, and make your worship and obedience purely and sincerely for Me, and do not obey anyone in disobedience to Me" [surah al-'Ankaboot (29):56]. Al-Baghawee, rahimahullaah, said: "This Aayah was sent down with regard to the Muslims who were in Makkah who did not migrate; Allaah addressed them with the title of Eemaan.” [142] The proof for the hijrah found in the sunnah is his saying: "Hijrah will not be discontinued until repentance is discontinued, and repentance will not be discontinued until the sun rises from its place of setting." [144] _____________________________________________________________________ What is apparent is that the Shaykh, rahimahullaah, is reporting this quote from al-Baghawee in meaning, if it is the case that he is quoting from his Tafseer.