The future of Muslims in the West

Bismillah, alhamdulillah

Where the future of Muslims in the West lies is a difficult question to answer but an important one to consider and plan for. I was rustling through my notes when I came across this conversation.  I had made a note of it while sitting in a hospital waiting room a few seats away from an elderly white couple in the United Kingdom.

Man: “I went to see a young doctor, he was more like a plumber.”

Hijrah – yes or no?

Bismillah, alhamdulillah

A verse in the Quran talks about emigrating or hijrah. Hijrah or emigration from non-Muslim lands to Muslim lands. This had been a topic of much conversation in Muslim circles around a decade ago especially in the West. The enthusiasm and zeal for this idea seems to have died down over the last few years as the reality of emigrating and its hardships has set in bolstered by counter arguments over the overall benefit of hijrah.

Hijrah is not as easy, palatable and in some circles not strictly relevant or a priority in the current climate. At times like this when the pendulum of discussion swings between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ the casual observer is lost in the complex mesh of argument and counter-argument. Is hijrah or emigrating an obligation, an obligation that cannot be met hence hence excused, or the opposite as hijrah can lead to worse consequences. The debate naturally occurs at a variety of levels from the scholastic to the common. At times like this contemplation of God’s book is a vital source of strength: