Voice of British Muslim Women

Maria Ahmad Tooba, London

‘Love of one’s country is a part of faith’ ⁽¹⁾. The Islamic teachings of loving one’s homeland are clear and precise. It is man’s natural tendency to fall in love with the place where he is born, where he grows up and where he spends the most of his life. It is this emotion that connects us to the soil of our land. With such a strong connection, the mere thought of leaving one’s country can be traumatising, let alone the event of migration itself. Leaving your country is akin to leaving a piece of you behind – with a constant fear of whether it will be possible to go back and reunite with all those people and places you are leaving behind. But all you can take with you is a bunch of memories to cherish throughout your life.

The day I migrated is still fresh in my mind and that pain can still be felt deeper in my heart. It was a dark, rainy day as if the weather was also sharing the same pain and sorrow. As the plane was about to take off, I recalled the incident of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)’s migration and the words he said while facing his city during the time of his departure; ‘Mecca, you are dearer to me than all other places; but your people would not let me dwell on in you.’⁽²⁾ This does not only reflect my feelings or thoughts but those of hundreds of thousands of Muslim migrants who had to flee their country for the sake of their religion, life or human rights. No one desires to leave their beloved country; it is their unfortunate circumstances that force them to take this painful step. However, for a believer, this pain is worth tolerating as it is rewarded by Allah the Almighty as stated in the Holy Quran, ‘And whoso emigrates from his country in the cause of Allah will find in the earth an abundant place of refuge and plentifulness. And whoso goes forth from his home, emigrating in the cause of Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward lies on Allah, and Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.⁽³⁾

If I love my homeland, my place of birth, despite the persecution faced there, then how can I not love the land which Allah has made as a place of refuge, providing so many with the freedom they were denied in their homeland. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said, ‘The one who is not grateful to people is not grateful to God.’⁽⁴⁾  Hence it is incumbent upon every Muslim to be grateful, loyal and faithful to the country of their residence. Such are the teachings of Islam, peaceful and of the highest moral values. The head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) once stated in an address, ‘It is essential for a citizen of any country to establish a relationship of genuine loyalty and faithfulness to his nation. It does not matter whether he is a born citizen, or whether he gains citizenship later in life, either through immigration or by any other means.’⁽⁵⁾  

Being part of British society, it is and has always been my effort to work for the betterment of this nation, the nation that provided me with the human rights I was deprived of in my land of birth. I am truly grateful to the nation and the best form of showing gratitude is to give something in return, promoting love and respect, and for me this would include a personal gesture to convey the true peaceful message of Islam to help remove all misconceptions around it.  

References:

• Fathul-Bari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari
• Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets by Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan. Available at URL: https://www.alislam.org/book/muhammad-seal-prophets/migration/
• The Holy Quran Chapter 4, verse 101
• Tirmidhi, Hadith: 1955, Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3 pg. 32
• True loyalty to one’s nation – Address by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V. Available at URL: https://www.alislam.org/library/articles/True-Loyalty-to-Ones-Nation.pdf