بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Grave Danger Awaiting Those Who Turn from Their Hijrah!
Shaykh Abdullâh bin Abd'il Latîf Rahimahullâh1
Shaykh Abdullâh bin Abd'il Latîf bin Abd'ir Rahmân Rahimahumullâhu Taâlâ said:
In the name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
From Abdullâh bin Abd'il Latîf to all the honourable brothers from the people of al-Artawiyah and others,
May Allâhu Taâlâ save them from evil and grant them success in holding onto al-Urwat'ul Wuthqâ (Tawhîd the firmest handhold). May He protect them from misguiding views and desires. May Allâh's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
The motive of this letter is to increase in warning you, making you understanding, and cautioning you against enmity, division, and disagreement. For Allâh has blessed you with recognizing His religion and has guided you to His religion; He has saved you from the darkness of ignorance, desire, Shirk, destruction, and Jâhiliyyah which those whom live upon it lives as a wretched and the deceased is thrown into the fire.
Allâh Subhânahu wa bi Hamdih did not severe the Islâmic brotherhood between the one who murders unjustly and the person whom he murdered, despite the severe threat pertaining to killing unjustly. Allâhu Taâlâ said,﴿كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ وَالْأُنْثَى بِالْأُنْثَى فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ﴾
"O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever is pardoned by his brother..." (al-Baqarah, 2/178)
So Allâhu Taâlâ named the killed person the brother of the murderer and this grave sin did not severe the brotherhood between them. Allâhu Taâlâ said,﴿وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ ۞ إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ﴾
"And if two factions among the believers should fight, then reconcile between the two. But if one of them transgresses against the other, then fight against the one that transgresses until it returns to the command of Allâh. And if it returns, then reconcile between them with justice and act justly. Indeed, Allâh loves those who act justly. All believers are but brothers, therefore seek reconciliation between your two brothers!.." (al-Hujurât, 49/9-10)
Allâh Subhânahu did not severe the brotherhood between the Muslims even if fighting occurred amongst them and one party transgressed the other.
Whereas, you have parted the company of one another and hate one another for things that are lesser than this and which do not require forsaking! This is from among the greatest of traps belonging to the shaytân for the people of Islâm. May Allâh protect us and you from this.
Also, Allâh Subhânahu wa bi Hamdih, blessed those whom he blessed among you with Hijraj (migration) and settling. This is a great blessing. Rasûlullâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam recommended this to those who embraced Islâm from the Bedouins and others. Rasûlullâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said in the Hadîth of Buraydah Radiyallâhu Anh,ادعهم إلى الهجرة والجهاد، فإن فعلوا ذلك فلهم ما للمهاجرين، وعليهم ما على المهاجرين، فإن أبوا فأخبرهم أنهم يكونون كأعراب المسلمين، ولا يكون لهم في الغنيمة والفيء شيء، إلا أن يجاهدوا مع المسلمين
"Invite them to Hijrah and Jihâd. If they do this, then for them is what is for the Muhâjirûn, and upon them is what is upon the Muhâjirûn. If they refuse, then inform them that they shall be like the Bedouins of the Muslims; they will not have any share from the loot and spoils of war, unless they wage Jihâd alongside the Muslims..."2
And Rasûlullâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam informed about a man who had migrated, then returned from his Hijrah to live in the desert and he said,ردة صغرى، ملعون من فعل ذلك
"This is Minor Apostasy! Whoever commits this is cursed!"3
Those who stay in the desert and perfects his Islâm is better in the sight of Allâh than those who migrated, then turned back from his Hijrah.
It has reached me that from the people of al-Artawiyah are those who migrated, established themselves, and desire to turn back from their Hijrah to the desert. This is a great catastrophe! The one who does so is not safe from falling into major apostasy and from being of those who turned back on their heels after guidance was made clear to them. So, beware of this! Be patient, compete with each other in patience, guard your frontiers, remain firm upon the command of your Lord, and do not be of those who have exchanged the blessing of Allâh for Kufr!.. I ask Allâh to grant me and you success guidance.
Wa's Salâmu Alaykum wa Rahmatullâhi wa Barakâtuhu.
1- Ad-Durar'us Saniyyah, 8/80-82.
2- With similar wording in Muslim, Hadîth no. 1731.
3- With similar wording in an-Nasâ'î, Hadîth no. 5102.