What does Islam say about changing one's citizenship to protect our family's faith?

Question

I want my future family to have a good Islamic environment. From the Islam perspective, is it allowed for me to change citizenship or would it be better for me to make my home country better?

Jazakallah Khair.

Answer 1

In chapter 4 verse 97:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا ۚ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا

Translation BY Abdul Almnnan Omer:

Surely, the angels will ask those whom they cause to die while they were acting unjustly towards themselves (by prolonging their stay in the land of the disbelievers and thus transgressing against their own souls), 'What circumstances were you in (that you did not avow Islâm openly)?' They will reply, 'We were treated as weak in the country (to express our belief).' They (- the angels) will say, 'Was not Allâh's earth spacious enough for you to have emigrated therein?' It is these whose abode shall be Gehenna and an evil destination it is!

Translation BY Abdullah Yusuf Ali:

When angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their souls, they say: "In what (plight) Were ye?" They reply: "Weak and oppressed Were we in the earth." They say: "'Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (From evil)?'

Answer 2

Islam does not recognize 'citienship' or 'nationality'. So, do whatever you want with that as long as you don't leave a true Islamic Khilafat for another country's allegiance. But, nowadays there are only secular countries, and if you think one secular country is better for your religion than another than for sure go ahead and move there. There is no Islamic reason not to.

Answer 3

Nothing directly. This is an issue of interpretive reasoning (اجتهـاد). However, any rulings on this topic are potentially problematic unless they demonstrate a formidable understanding of the current world polity. The term “citizenship,” as we know it today, is completely different from the social arrangements of the past. It is tied to the modern nation state, which is a very recent form of social organization. The “countries” of our time cannot be compared with previous forms of territorial sovereignty, at least not very easily. That said, Islamic scripture (Quran and hadith) does not address these concepts directly because they did not exist during the time of the Prophet pbuH. Naturally, you will find vast differences of opinion over how the Ulema interpret our allegiances to the modern nation state. If another country enables your family to worship in a way that is desirable, you should move there (assuming your current place of residence does not enable you to).

Answer 4

Citizenship means paying allegiance to the head of the new country (King/Queen/etc). If they are not Muslims (or worse enemy of Islam) then we must never pay them allegiance. I hope I am wrong but I cannot see any alternative.