Source: Fatawa Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam)
What is the Islamic ruling on traveling to European countries for work purposes?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Considering present-day circumstances, if a Muslim is able to find employment or a means of livelihood in an Islamic country, he should give preference to working there rather than in European or other non-Muslim countries.
The primary reason is that traveling to non-Muslim lands poses several religious risks, the most significant being the loss of proper Islamic upbringing — especially for children. In such environments, raising children on Islamic principles becomes extremely difficult. As a result, children are not only inclined towards disobedience to Allah ﷻ but may also become disobedient to their parents.
A Muslim should not sacrifice his Hereafter merely for worldly gains. Instead, he must prioritize the Hereafter over worldly benefits. Alongside this, he should consistently pray to Allah ﷻ to provide him with means that are better for his faith and worldly life. Indeed, the treasures of Allah ﷻ are vast and limitless.
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best.
Question
What is the Islamic ruling on traveling to European countries for work purposes?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Considering present-day circumstances, if a Muslim is able to find employment or a means of livelihood in an Islamic country, he should give preference to working there rather than in European or other non-Muslim countries.
The primary reason is that traveling to non-Muslim lands poses several religious risks, the most significant being the loss of proper Islamic upbringing — especially for children. In such environments, raising children on Islamic principles becomes extremely difficult. As a result, children are not only inclined towards disobedience to Allah ﷻ but may also become disobedient to their parents.
Key Advice
A Muslim should not sacrifice his Hereafter merely for worldly gains. Instead, he must prioritize the Hereafter over worldly benefits. Alongside this, he should consistently pray to Allah ﷻ to provide him with means that are better for his faith and worldly life. Indeed, the treasures of Allah ﷻ are vast and limitless.
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best.
