Hadith on Hijrah: Emigration Not Required
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 3077, Sahih Muslim 2912
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said on the day Mecca was liberated, “There is no longer emigration, but rather only jihad and good intentions. When you are called to duty, go forth.”
This hadith was said on the day Mecca was liberated, marking the end of the era where Muslims were obligated to emigrate (hijrah) to escape persecution. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that now, physical migration for faith is no longer necessary. Instead, the focus is on jihad and good intentions, emphasizing that striving for Allah’s cause can take many forms, and believers are encouraged to respond when called to duty.
What “Only Jihad” Means:
- Not Only Fighting: While jihad can include fighting in self-defense or to protect the Muslim community, it is broader than just armed struggle.
- Striving in Allah’s Cause: Jihad also means striving against one’s own evil desires, spreading goodness, maintaining justice, and working for the welfare of the community.
- Good Intentions Matter: The hadith emphasizes that actions must be guided by sincere intentions. Even ordinary deeds done for Allah’s pleasure fall under this concept.
Supporting Hadith on Broader Jihad:
📖Sunan Abi Dawud 4344
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best jihad is speaking a word of truth before an oppressive ruler.”
(This shows jihad is not only physical fighting but also standing for justice and truth.)
📖Sunan an-Nasa’i 3104
Mu’awiyah bin Jahimah reported: Jahimah asked the Prophet ﷺ, “I want to go out for Jihad. What do you advise?” He ﷺ said, “Do you have a mother?” He replied, “Yes.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Then stay with her, for Paradise is beneath her feet.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 22:78
And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty…
(Jihad includes striving in the way of Allah in all permissible forms, not just combat.)
📖Quran 2:190
Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors.
(This supports defensive fighting, but the verse does not limit jihad to warfare alone.)
📖Quran 49:13
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.
(This emphasizes that striving for goodness, morality, and righteousness is also a form of jihad.)
Lesson from the Hadith Today:
- Emigration (hijrah) is not necessary if Islam can be practiced freely in your current location.
- It is only permissible to go to non-Muslim countries for legal reasons, such as business or work, if allowed.
- Migration is required only in cases of war, oppression, or inability to practice Islam.
- Muslim countries have a duty to help their people relocate if necessary for safety or religious obligations.
- Unnecessary migration to unsafe or restrictive places is discouraged.
📖Quran 2:205
And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption.
(This warns that seeking or causing harm in places where one could live peacefully is prohibited; human actions should be aligned with safety, justice, and the purpose Allah created the earth for.)