We will now examine what our scholars have said regarding migration:

5.1: Sheikh Al-Tusi

Sheikh Al-Tusi [d. 1067] says in his book Al-Mabsoot there are three categories of people with regards to Migration:

1. Those who are recommended but not obligated to migrate.

2. Those who are not recommended nor obligated to migrate.

3. Those who are obligated to migrate.

The first group consists of those who became Muslim from amongst a nation of polytheists, but are protected by their family and clan. They are able to practice their faith openly, and are also able to migrate and propagate the religion of Islam. Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, a paternal uncle and companion of the Prophet (S), is an example of such a person.

The second group consists of those who are unable to practice their religion freely and as they should but are weak and unable to migrate due to financial, political, or even

psychological reasons, and so should build themselves until they can.

And finally, the third consists of those who are not certain of being able to protect their religion whilst among non-believers, and are able to migrate.

Sheikh Al-Tusi then mentions verses 4:97-991.

5.2: Allamah Al-Hilli

Allamah Al-Hilli [d. 1325]in his book, Al-Muntaha, also divides people into three categories regarding migration:

Those who are obligated to migrate. Specifically, Muslims in a non-Islamic nation who are weak amongst them and not able to show their religion. Additionally, they have no excuse to remain such as disease or the like. Allamah also mentions Verse 4:97 here.

Those who are recommended but not obligated to migrate. This refers to those who have become Muslim in a polytheistic nation but have family that will protect them; thus, they are able to practice freely, and are sure of protecting their faith.

Those who are not recommended nor obligated to migrate from polytheistic nations. These are those who are not able to migrate due to the enemy preventing them from doing so, an illness or the like2.

5.3: Allamah Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi

Allamah Al-Majlisi [d. 1699], in Bihar Al-Anwar, has quoted a narration from Imam Ali (‘a) in which he says:

ستة لا ينبغي أن يؤموا الناس: ولد الزنا، والمرتد، والأعرابي بعد الهجرة، وشارب الخمر، والمحدود، والأغلف

“There are six people who cannot be the Imam of congregational prayers: the one born of adultery, the apostate, the “aa’raabi” after migration, the consumer of intoxicating alcohol, those convicted of transgressing the boundaries, and the uncircumcised.”

Al-Majlisi then comments on this issue, saying, “...At-Ta’arrub after migration is of the Greater Sins as noted in multiple narrations.…”; however, he concludes that the definition of it in the modern age is difficult to ascertain3,4. In an earlier volume, Allamah Al-Majlisi has stated in a footnote that, “In our current time, it [At-Ta’arrub] is when one that pursues knowledge then leaves it, becoming a foreigner to it”5.

5.4: Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi

Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi [d. 1849], known as the author of Al-Jawahir, has said, “it becomes obligatory to migrate from a nation of polytheism on those who are weak to the point that they are unable to show their Islamic rituals such as the call to prayer, the prayer itself, fasting and suchlike. They are called rituals because they are signs upon the individual, or like a symbol that is a clothing upon the body, borrowed from the regulations relating to the religion”6.

5.5: Sayyid Muhsin Al-Hakim Al-Tabataba'i

Sayyid Muhsin Al-Hakim Al-Tabataba'i [d.1970] says, “Al-Aarabi, even if it may be explained as the one who lives in the deserts, except that it actually means the one that takes up their religious behaviours based on leniency, even if it is not that sins are being committed.7”

5.6: Sayyid Abu al-Qasim Khoei

Sayyid Al-Khoei [d. 1992] explains, “At-Ta’arrub after Hijra” is to leave the Islamic lands after migrating to them and move back to polytheistic nations.8”

He mentions two reliable narrations concerning the aa’rabi. In the first, the trustworthy Zurarah has quoted from Imam Baqir (‘a) that Imam Ali (‘a) has said, “…the aa’rabi should not lead the migrators in prayers…9”. And in the second, the trustworthy Abi Baseer narrates from the Imams, “Five groups of people are not to lead people in congregation in all cases, and this includes the “aa’rabi”10, 11 Sayyid Al-Khoei concludes from this second hadith that the aa’rabi are not only prohibited from leading the prayers of the migrators, as mentioned in the first hadith, but of everyone in general.

5.7: Sayyid Muhammad Hosayn Hosayni Tehrani

Sayyid Muhammad Hosayn Hosayni Tehrani [d. 1995], otherwise known as Allamah Tehrani, has written, “Ma’rifat Al-me’aad”12, or “Eschatology” – the part of theology that discusses death and the journey of the soul thereafter. In Volume 2 of this book, while discussing specific verses of Surah Al-Nissa, and the meaning of the term, “Al-Mustadhafeen” (المستضعفين) in the Holy Qur’an, he touches on this issue:

إِلَّا ٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلْوِلْدَٰنِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا

Except the men, women, and children who, being abased, can devise nothing and are not guided to a way (Holy Qur’an, 4:98).

فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا

Haply them God will yet pardon, for God is All-pardoning, All-forgiving. (Holy Qur’an, 4:99).

Allamah Tehrani the term “Al-Mustadhafeen”, translated as, “abased”:

, “…the “abased” are those who truly do not have real intellectual power; they are unable to be guided or are unable to escape the control of their father and mother. They are unable to learn without a teacher, and unable to oppose their surrounding environment and the current state of affairs. Or they are those women and children who submit to the control of their husbands and fathers and those who teach them whatever it is they may want to teach them – directing them however they please. They have no intellect, nor any knowledge, so that they may be able to differentiate between wrong and right, and are unable to save themselves from wrongful imitation because they cannot comprehend the possibility of error so that they may be able to correct their ways.”

“Some claim to be of the abased people according to the logic of the Holy Qur’an, so that hopefully Allah (SwT) forgives them and forgoes their sins that do not conflict with intellect or oppress the rights of others and betray them.”

“The abased are those who do not own the ability to identify the rightful religion, whom benefit nothing, nor do they benefit from studying truthful books, just as they do not meet with real scholars and mystics who have a clear, vigilant conscience who truly stay away from their whims and desires….”

“However those who own that ability and willingness to obtain knowledge of the Straight Path and to meet those scholars and divine teachers, and have the ability to research and comprehend the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet and the Imams (‘a), who are able to escape the obedience and submission to the oppressors of their time, and able to break the blind following of others while learning from and imitating divine and righteous scholars, except they have instead been distanced from the world of spirituality by their desires, neglect and confused desires and material wants – taking them to the path of misguidance.”

“So they are not of the abased, but rather, they are from the oppressors and of the people of Hell. They will be taken and punished for their false beliefs, their vice attributes, and their oppressive actions that are not accepted. The angels will never accept any excuse as to not to seize their souls no matter how hard they try to describe themselves as those people who are abased. They will escort them to Hell in groups.”

Allamah Tehrani then quotes the subsequent verse of the same Surah, saying that it removes their excuses:

وَمَن يُهَاجِرْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ يَجِدْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً وَمَن يَخْرُجْ مِن بَيْتِهِ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّـهِ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Whoso emigrates in the way of God will find in the earth many refuges and plenty; whoso goes forth from his house an emigrant to God and His Messenger, and then death overtakes him, his wage shall have fallen on God; surely God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate. (Holy Qur’an, 4:100).

Allamah Tehrani explains that this verse is “…so that there is no one that can say “But I cannot migrate because I was born and raised there, or that there is where my people and family and friends and work and house and garden and business and farm and wife and children and the rest of my life are. So, my life is settled there.”

Whereas this place referred to as “there” is where evil and vile acts are committed, malicious propaganda is spread, oppressive and unfair laws are enforced and seen as a necessary law, and the individual then says “the matter is outside of my control and I am not responsible for not having Divine laws enforced.”

“This logic is a fallacy because a person who is committed and who accepts responsibility, who is aware and conscious, who sees happiness in the perfection of the soul and the ascension to the highest levels of humanity, is obligated to withstand the problems and difficulties that are met at the start of the path that is well established and [armed with] the will power that is not shaky. They must choose an appropriate place for themselves to secure the journey of the soul, to reach spiritual perfection, to protect and guard themselves and their relations and children from corruption and from getting lost; and finally, to not be concerned about the fear and apprehension that may stand in the way and prevent one from reaching the intended destination.”

“And if a resolve such as this [i.e. to migrate] inside one is determined, certainly, Allah (SwT) will guide them to places that will suit them and will save them from their waver. And if we were to assume that they do not make it to their goal, they will suffice to have left their home migrating towards Allah (SwT), and that they have taken the steps to be striving on the path and direction of learning….”

5.8: Sayyid Mohammed Saeed Al-Hakeem

Sayyid Al-Hakeem is a contemporary marja’ and one of the most senior jurists of Najaf, Iraq. In the English section of his official website, he answers a question pertaining to migration which was asked by someone who converted to Islam in a non-Muslim country:

Question: Many Sunni scholars insist that hijra - immigration is a necessity. I am a convert born in a non-Muslim country, and if I were to leave, it would most probably entail losing custody of my children. What is the Shia opinion of hijra?

Answer: It is not mandatory to immigrate to Islamic countries. A Muslim must live in any place where he/she can observe the religion to find happiness in this life and the hereafter. There might be a non-Islamic country with more suitable circumstances for Muslims to guard their religion than in an Islamic one13.

In the Arabic section of the same website, the following question is answered:

Question: What is the meaning of the term “At-Ta’arrub after migration” that has come in narrations listing Greater Sins?

Answer: The meaning of this term is to travel to a country in which a Muslim cannot protect their religion or is unable to perform what is obligated upon them Islamically in that country14.

5.9: Sheikh Baqir Al-Irawani

Sheikh Baqir Al-Irawani was once asked about the issue of migration by a student of the seminary. It was May 23rd, 2019, at a lecture following the noon prayers in Husayniah Al-Najjafia, Qom.

The student explained that his parents had moved to a Western, non-Islamic society many years ago, and he himself was now living and studying in Qom. His parents, although not specifically ordering him to return, were clearly unhappy about him being distant from them. The student feared that if he was to return, his faith and that of his children would be in jeopardy.

Sheikh Al-Irawani smiled and commented that the student should be thankful they had not ordered him to return, and that Allah (SwT) had in this way made the situation easier. He then asked for confirmation of the student’s fear about returning to a non-Islamic country, and the student confirmed his previous statements.

The Sheikh then advised the student to explain to his parents that he wished to not return in order to protect his faith, as “coming back” would put that at risk.

The student asked, “So should I say to them that I am not returning?”

Sheikh Al-Irawani warned him not to hurt his parents in any way, for that would be grievous. He suggested the following two options: Firstly, he could tell them that he does not intend to return, and explain the reasons behind his decision. This might put them at ease instead of continuously awaiting his return. On the other hand, if this would hurt them, he could suggest a future return with a “God-Willing…”.

5.10: Sheikh Farrokh Sekaleshfar

In a series of writings on his site entitled, “Shaping Muslim Identity in the West”, Sheikh Sekaleshfar, may his life be lengthened, makes various points in line with what has already been presented here, but adds some modern-day realities and a gnostic touch.

Before discussing the issue of migration itself, he discusses preliminary issues such as identity in the west, verses 4:97-100 of the Holy Qur’an, the term “mustad’af”, and also the choices we make under oppression.

With regards to identity in the west, he states, “identity is a function of your existence.” Sheikh Sekaleshfar continues by saying, “the identity we are referring to is not extrinsic to us, rather it is intrinsic. So, in short, whoever you are, wherever you are residing, your identity is the same i.e. manifesting or succeeding Allah’s divine perfect attributes

i.e. the attributes of pure existence.”

As for those who consider themselves to be mustad’af, he says:

“The Prophets’ call to humanity has been that of inviting them to submit to absolute perfection and to reject tyrants and despotic rule. The more your path towards perfection is barred, the less ‘free’ you are. Freedom is a function of your journeying towards perfection. Those who are shackled in captivity by their lust, whims, power, prejudice, wealth etc., have compromised their freedom, have compromised their journey to perfection and thus have compromised their identity.

“They choose to be a mustad’af – and that is not allowed.

“We are not allowed to assign ourselves as the suppressed!”

Sheikh Sekaleshfar then goes on to discuss the term mustad’af as it appears in Surah Al-Nissa:

“The mustad’af is one whose journey to perfection and whose objective and goal to be Allah-like has been compromised. Their freedom has been hampered either out of their own doing or others’. Such a state should not

continue. A people may temporarily experience and live under circumstances whereby they qualify as a mustad’af [suppressed], they must however not tolerate such a status quo and they must not integrate into such a status quo and should therefore retaliate and minimize and endeavour in overcoming such a suppressed situation.

“Not doing so is tantamount to giving the green light to shame and self-abasement.

“Some people may have the highest of socio-economic statuses, highest of academia-related certificates and even the highest of seminary qualifications, but as a result of optionally living under a status quo whereby their journey to become Allah’s ‘caliphate’ is barred, they are in reality poor, ignorant and suppressed unless they either endeavour towards correcting the ambiance or in the very least, leave.

“Yes, they must – a spiritual must I must add – leave and migrate elsewhere where they can more comfortably reach one’s objective and exit the folds of being a mustad’af. Either endeavour or migrate. But never be comfortable with being a mustad’af.

“In the Holy Qur’an, 4:97, explicit reference is made to one of the questions angels are to ask many of us. In the ahadith, examples of questions that are to be asked are abundantly mentioned such as “Who is your Lord?”, “What is your Book?” and “Who is your Prophet?” – and we accept this.

“However, in 4:97, a question is referred to which in and of itself embraces all the hadith questions. Deliberate carefully!

“When the angels see the poor spiritual status of the person [applies to humans – Muslim or non-Muslim] and see that the person was drowned in wrong-doing, they ask the person: “In what condition were you in?” Why have you abased and shamed yourself spiritually? Didn’t you have a warner? Why did you make yourself susceptible to all this? Its game over now! No returning back! Why did you do this to yourself?

“Then, in 4:97, the poor person’s reply comes: “We were of the suppressed ones in the land!” Yes, the reason why their resurrection in the Hereafter is so unhuman and as a result of not attaining to perfection and not incorporating divine attributes, they are resurrected as apes, pigs, snakes, predators and the like, due to their integration into a capitalist, socialist, fascist, tyrannical, liberal or anarchical state that had hampered their progress towards perfection and they were okay with it!

“Then the angels exclaim, “Wasn’t Allah’s earth spacious for you to migrate therein?” The verse then ends stating that such people’s refuge is Hell and what an evil destination it is to be.

“It’s only when you have correctly endeavoured in not being suppressed [a mustad’af] will you be able to truly reply to questions such as who is your Lord, who is your prophet…”

Sheikh Sekaleshfar’s writings delve further into our responsibilities in situations where tyranny, or taghut, is being enforced. Citing the obligation, “reject all forms of taghut [16:36]. The taghut is that which hampers you from incorporating Allah’s attributes.

“Be it a government, a lifestyle, an ideology etc… we are not allowed to allow the many forms of taghut that exist to permeate and diffuse into our lives. Hence, the prescription from Imam Sadiq [peace be upon him] guiding us not to eat, clothe or walk like those who are the enemy, who assign lifestyles and systems whereby Man is inhibited in progressing towards perfection.

“An Islamic lifestyle dictates one to eat, walk and clothe etc. in a particular manner because that manner is on a par with one’s journey to perfection.”

Sheikh Sekaleshfar then makes a relationship between the terms “mustad’af” and “taghut”… where one, being the oppressed, makes a choice to favour the comforts of this world and reaches out for an excuse to remain in a status quo, yet under the protection of the oppressor:

“So imagine one lives comfortably – without endeavouring to compensate – under such forms of taghut and intentionally assign themselves as mustad’af and suppressed, not only have they ruined and wasted

themselves, but they have added and participated and propagated and enhanced the taghuti system and they will be resurrected with such a system in the Hereafter.”

After addressing all these preliminary issues, Sheikh Sekaleshfar moves on to the main topic of Migration. He says, “We must migrate from such places wherein we are being suppressed”; and he endorses migration as “the first course of action for the common lay Muslim based on the explicit dictates of the Qur’an.”

He continues, “Assuming we cannot and must stay in such a land out of necessity, then we must endeavour and compensate for the ills that we are drowned in; we must compensate for the fact that we – as Muslims – are being resurrected as Jews and Christians. In 5:51, Allah says:

“O you who have believed, do not take Jews and Christians as guardians. They are guardians of one another. And whoever amongst you who takes them as a guardian, then verily they are one of them. Verily Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people” (5:51).

The operative clause being, “they are one of them”, meaning, in esoteric terms, they will be resurrected as a Jew or Christian.

This type of terminology is observed abundantly in the traditions of Ahl al-Bayt in relation to many rituals whereby, were they to be missed intentionally, one would be

resurrected as a Jew or Christian etc. This is the risk we are facing.”

Sheikh Sekaleshfar’s view of Muslims living in areas where they are not free to pursue their ultimate goal of perfection is as follows:

“However, blindness has struck most Muslims and the worldly life has diffused into their souls. How is it that we go to the doctors when a simple common cold arises within us but are not willing to cure ourselves from the fire within.

Answer: it is merely out of our blindness and lack of faith in the unseen. The problem is we have not merited the label and the addressed form of “O you who have believed!” It is a serious concern. We have to plan!”

In a later post, he continues to describe these Muslims:

“They may assign themselves with pride for attending and going to the Mosque, local centre, community programs etc., but it’s a deception within an abode of deception. A mirage they are comfortably hypnotised with. A deep sleep they have sedated themselves with. What a state to be in!? They are submitting to Hell and turning a blind eye to it!

“Even if you have a nation whose rules and regulations are all Islamic but its head of state is non-Muslim, this would be substantially worse than living in a state ran by a just, competent mujtahid EVEN IF the rules and regulations are not entirely Islamic. After all, the former would not hold the

best interests of Islam; may bomb and murder our brothers and sisters in Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir etc. We are not allowed to be led by such a leader.

Sheikh Sekaleshfar addresses this same issue in the very early part of his writings where he raises concerns over “communities/centres who decide to thrive “minus clerical supervision”?” calling it an “illness” [forgive the expression]” and is grieved by youth “beginning to have faith in an “Islam minus clerics” system! They manage things themselves and they learn a religious worldview from non-clerical speakers from different academic backgrounds.”

Interestingly, Sheikh Sekaleshfar also provides a direct answer to the very common question of “where” to migrate to. While this must be investigated according to individual circumstances, it would be appropriate to include these statements here also. He says,

“Until 40 years ago, we may not have been able to identify such a nation which is based on an Islamic constitution on a par with the teachings of the Holy Prophet.

Today however we have the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose constitution – give or take a few articles – are on the whole theoretically based on Islam.”

He then discusses the shortfalls of the government in the Islamic Republic of Iran, but ultimately “the fact that a just,

pious mujtahid is ruling as the guardian is sufficient” [reason to move].

Further commentary is given on the roles and duties of both the migrant and the government, and the benefits to both in allowing such form of migration, confessing it is a “a heavy responsibility” upon the government.

Sheikh Sekaleshfar has the following message for those who migrated with their families years ago or were born to migrant families in the West:

“Our fathers and forefathers may have migrated to the land of kufr generations ago for materialistic reasons, but we are independent today and have to make our own choice, as individuals and communities.

We do not have to give in into thinking that we must remain under non-Islamic guardianship. Once upon a time, a race of people pertaining to the Hindu religion decided to embrace a denomination of Islam and withstood the Hindu authorities and were ready to flee and assigned a holy destiny for themselves [i.e. exiting the folds of being a mustad’af] and fled their hometowns and gave many martyrs in the process. This is very noble. Then they moved into a country not willing to channelize their wealth, knowledge and power to that country’s despotic regime. They were forced to flee again. Migration after migration.”

This last sentence, migration after migration, is an important one to consider. It opens up the opportunity to further discuss verses concerning migration such as 2:218, 4:100, 8:72, 22:58, 9:20, 59:8, and 24:22 with the viewpoint that migration is not necessarily a one-time event.

The migration of parents or ancestors may have been appropriate for whatever reason at their time, but for those who have inherited the actions of their predecessors, a further migration may be necessary. Furthermore, a migration by one individual at a particular point in time does not rule out the possibility of another migration in the near future.

In fact – Migration is Islam. Starting from the spiritual level and ending in a spiritual level with what is in between includes the physical, geographical location also.

• 1. Sheikh Al-Tusi, Al-Mabsoot. Vol. 2 P. 4.
• 2. Allamah al-Hilli, Muntaha Al-Matlab, P. 898.
• 3. Al-Majlisi, Bihar Al-Anwar. Vol. 85 P. 60.
• 4. Syed Khoei considers this to be a weak narration, but another two as correct. See Syed Khoei’s commentary.
• 5. Al-Majlisi, Bihar Al-Anwar. Vol. 75 P. 267.
• 6. al-Najafi, Jawahir Al-Kalam. Vol. 21 P. 34.
• 7. Sayyid Al-Hakim, Mustamsak Al Urwat Al Withqa.Vol. 7 P. 331.
• 8. Sayyid Khoei, Mustanad Al Urwat Al Withqa.- Kitab Al-Salat Vol 5 Part 2 P. 433.
• 9. Shaykh al-Amili, Wasa’il al-Shia. Vol. 8 P. 325.
• 10. U.S. Site of Syed Al-Khoei, https://www.al-khoei.us/books/?id=2577cited 28/03/2019.
• 11. Shaykh al-Amili, Wasa’il al-Shia. Vol. 8 P. 325.
• 12. Ma’rifat Al-me’aad, معرفة المعاد, Vol. 2, p. 18.
• 13. Official site of Syed Al-Hakeem, http://www.alhakeem.com/en/questions/674, cited 28/03/2019.
• 14. Official site of Syed Al-Hakeem,
  http://www.alhakeem.com/ar/question/1464/%D9%87%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A9
  cited 28/03/2019.