He is alerting us to a valid and very important point. Many times, if a person mentions hijrah there is a barrage of comments ridiculing the idea and sometimes even the person. One of our central points of discourse, unfortunately, in the US is between these poles: hijrah vs. integration/assimilation.

We need to transcend this construct, and deriding the former doesn’t do it. Rather, I believe we should earnestly listen to the bros. who advocate hijrah and although I too am not convinced of the idea in a general sense especially how it’s advocated, understand that at the least those bros. are alerting us to an important fact: our existence here is problematic (We must acknowledge that paying taxes in which a substantial percentage goes to the budgets of defense is problematic, and actually devastating on our conscience and legal code of sharia. Deflecting this point by re-directing the conversation to other problematic uses of money and taxes in Muslim countries, although valid and true, in no way invalidates the former criticism. And this is only one of many very problematic aspects of our existence here!).

Because all too often the people who deride the proponents of making hijrah think that our existence here is either 1) great – all types of opportunities we’ve never had before (they usually assimilate very quickly), 2) needs improvement – we just have to work hard like the Jews and we’ll be ok (they usually fail to place Muslims in our larger context and history and thus are ill-equipped to provide the type of answers needed today which [re-?]constructs that comprehensive system of belief and practice that generates an immediate connection between Muslims and our Lord.) Obviously both positions are unsuitable to say the least.

The problem with the hijrah argument however is that it implies Muslim existence outside of the West is not problematic. I think a more correct assessment is that Muslim existence all over the world in contemporary times is problematic. We are collectively experiencing an identity crisis of unprecedented proportions. Our worldview (Weltanschauung) is no longer in tact and has been effectively displaced and to a very large extent decimated. For a much more substantive analysis of this problem please read “Muslim Rage and Islamic Law” by Wael Hallaq (his analysis is great his conclusion is ill-formed).

Given the depth of our malaise we need to truly spend time understanding the gravity of our situation (this is no easy task by any means, a lot of scholarship is needed in this area), be true to our deen and meaningful to our environment. If we take this approach I believe we can hold very respectful discussions with the type of adab and critical thinking needed to break the debilitating constructs we are in and effect productive change, and make more of an attempt to understand each other. These will be the first steps and certainly not the last in the quest to provide answers to our problems.

I want to apologize to Amad for indulging in a discussion that has veered from the topic, but thought I should be more clear on my end.

“God’s statement…refers to the idolators and the disbelievers who are combatants against God, His Messenger and the believers. It is they whom Allah has decided should be our enemies and should be fought. God has forbidden the believers to take them as friends, supporters or companions.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer)

Also, you have truncated the passage. Let me reproduce the whole thing for you, insha-Allah :

O you who believe! Take not my enemies and yours as protectors, offering them your love, even though they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, and have on the contrary driven out the Prophet and yourselves from your homes, simply because you believe in God your Lord!

If you have come out to strive in My Way and to seek My Good Pleasure, take them not as protectors, do not show love to them in secret: for I know full well all that you conceal and all that you reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight Path.

If they have the upper hand of you, they will be your foes, and will stretch out their hands and their tongues toward you with evil intent, and they long for you to disbelieve. Your ties of kindred and your children will avail you naught upon the Day of Resurrection. He will judge between you, for God sees all that you do!

There is for you an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘We are clear of you and of whatever you worship besides God: we have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you, enmity and hatred forever, unless you believe in God and Him alone.’

Save that which Abraham said to his father: ‘I would certainly ask forgiveness for you, and I do not control for you aught from God, Our Lord! On You do we rely, and to You do we turn, and to You is the eventual coming. Make us not a trial for the disbelievers, but forgive us, our Lord! for You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise.’

There was indeed in them an excellent example for you to follow,- for those whose hope is in God and in the Last Day. But if any turn away, truly God is Free of all Wants, Worthy of all Praise.

It may be that God will grant love and friendship between you and those whom you now hold as enemies. For God has power over all things; And God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

God forbids you not–with regard to those who do not fight you for your Faith nor drive you out of your homes–from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loves those who are just.

God only forbids you with regard to those who fight you for your Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support others in driving you out, from turning to them for protection. It is such as turn to them that do wrong!

(Quran, 60:1-9)

You could obviously argue that this applies to America (and I think you’d have a valid argument there), but I just wanted to clarify that we are not told to be harsh to all kufaar; rather, we are to treat them kindly and justly…being harsh only with those who fight us for our faith, drive us out of our homes, etc.

Fi Aman Allah

I would ask you, that in lieu of focusing on the Muslims in the West, that you instead focus on helping your fellow Muslims in the “Muslim countries”: so that they may practice their deen better, and fixing their societies. I think we all need to put the effort where we live, into dawah and actions of faith, rather than idealistic discussions that are not grounded in the reality of the world we are living in. I hope you would let us decide what is important to us in the land where we live in, based on the advice of our elders and scholars who live in this land, and you can decide what is important to you where you live, based on the advice of your elders. This attitude, which resembles patronizing of Muslims in the West (though you may not have meant it that way) doesn’t help your cause or ours.

And in conclusion, unless you have something specific to say about the ACTUAL post, this will be my last reply on this irrelevant topic. I am not going to go in circles, nitpicking remarks and bypassing their substance, esp. on an issue that has nothing to do with my friend Freeman :) Perhaps if we have a topic on hijrah one day, I am sure we can engage more. For now, 6 million of us are staying put, most of us having no choice, but we appreciate your concern.

wasalam

Really? What about the people of Suffah? Were they also secure in their new residence? And how were they prearranged? The brotherhood established by the Prophet came after, not on their way out to Madinah.

These “practising” Muslims pay tax that goes towards killing Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as funding intelligence agencies like the CIA. And they also swear allegiance by the oath of citizenship that directly contradicts Islam, how Is that “practising” one’s faith? (See below)

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law…”

As for Chass Freeman, I was commenting on what the Muslims should do instead of idling taking note of the increasingly dangerous environment they are in.

Than pipe down please :)