Hijrah and its Application in Classical and Contemporary Muslim Contexts

Abstract

The juristic opinion of several medieval Islamic scholars about hijra as an obligation (under certain conditions) to migrate from Darul Kufr (the land of non-believers) to Darul Islam has produced many ramifications both in the past and present. In the past, this dichotomous approach emerged as a doctrine and was widely imitated by the subsequent Muslim clergy and political dissidents in resolving several migration-related issues. However, phenomena like the advent of nation-states in the post-colonial era and the increasing migration of Muslims to non-Muslim states created new dimensions and challenges, and the notion of hijrah as a migration from Darul Kufr became irrelevant. To address and resolve the issues highlighted, this study argues for a recall and reassessment of all those factors that led to hijrah during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). To examine the problem, this study uses a qualitative methodology. The data and findings given in this paper are the outcomes of a thematic analysis of the literature obtained from various classical and contemporary secondary sources related to the topic. This study emphasizes the fact that the hijrah of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). and his companions was not merely a relocation from the hostile, polytheistic, and sceptical environment but certainly, a divine guidance to seek moral refuge from all forms of vice and corruption, and to build a Tawhidic (monotheistic), peaceful, just, and coexistent Islamic society as a model for the generations to come. Further, to deal with the issues relating to the classical and dichotomous juristic interpretations of hijrah, this study emphasizes the current facets of hijrah from Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah perspective. Finally, analyzing the historical event of hijrah from earlier sources and within the ambit of Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah, this study finds that the hijrah was essential to safeguard and nurture the religion (al-dīn), life (al-nafs), intellect (al-‘aql), lineage (al-nasl), and wealth (al-mal) of the Muslims of that time.

Keywords: Hijrah, Migration, Darul Kufr, Nation-States, Maqāṣid, Muslim minority, Fiqh al-Aqalliyyat