hijrah-obligation2

“There will be hijrah after hijrah, and the best people of Earth will be those whomost closely follow the hijrah of Ibrāhīm.”I (Abū Basīr) say that the hijrah of Ibrāhīm was to Palestine and its surrounding areas of theland of Shām. And the hadīth is an encouragement for the people of Palestine to remain andstay firm in the land of Palestine, which was the destination of the hijrah of Ibrāhīm.“The essence of the lands of the believers is Shām.” 80I say that what is better than living in Madīnah, Shām, and other similar regions is to stick tothe lands in which there is ribāt and Jihād in the Path of Allāh, and to seek to travel to suchlands no matter where one is. This is because it has been authentically narrated from theProphet (peace be upon him) that he said: “Ribāt in the Path of Allāh for a single day isbetter than the world and all that is in it, and the space taken up by a leather strap ofyours in Paradise is better than the world and what is in it, and one expedition thatthe servant embarks on in the Path of Allāh is better than the world and what is init.” 81 And ribāt is to remain on the frontlines between the Muslims and their enemies inpreparation for fighting, and in order to guard and protect the Muslims from them.“Ribāt for one day and night is better than fasting and praying at night for an entiremonth, and if one dies during this, he will still be rewarded for the actions that hewas doing, and he will be provided for, and he will be protected from the fattān(Munkar and Nakīr, who carry out the questioning in the grave).” 82“Standing for one hour in the Path of Allāh is better than standing in prayer at nighton the night of al-Qadr at the Black Stone.” 83“Ribāt for one day in the Path of Allāh is better than one thousand days any otherplace.” 84 And in the narration of Ibn Mājah: “Whoever engages in ribāt in the Path ofAllāh for one night, it is as if he engaged in fasting and night prayer for one thousandnights.” 85will happen – sooner or later – and that the dark cloud over Damascus and Shām that is manifested in thisdisbelieving secular regime will soon fade away, and this is not far off, by the Permission of Allāh.80 All of the ahādīth that have just been mentioned in regards to the virtues of Shām are all authentic, and someof them are in the ‘Sahīhayn.’ I extracted them from the book ‘Fadā’il ash-Shām wa Dimashq’ with the checking ofShaykh Muhammad Nāsir ad-Dīn al-Albānī. So, whoever wishes should refer to it.81 al-Bukhārī (2892)82 Muslim (3/1520)83 ‘Sahīh at-Targhīb wat-Tarhīb’ (1223)84 ‘Sahīh at-Targhīb wat-Tarhīb’ (1224)85 ‘Sahīh at-Targhīb wat-Tarhīb’ (1224)44