This means moving from the land of shirk to the land of Islam, as the Muslims moved from Makkah – before its people became Muslim – to Madeenah, because it had become the city of Islam after its people had pledged their allegiance (bay’ah) to the Prophet (Sall'Allahu'Alahy'Wsalam) and asked him to make hijrah to them. So Hijrah means migratinmg to join other Muslims. Hijrah may also take the form of moving from one land of shirk to another land of shirk where evil is less prevalent and there is less danger to the Muslims, as when some of the Muslims migrated from Makkah, at the command of the Prophet (Sall'Allahu'Alahy'Wsalam) to Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
Migrating from the land of kufr to a Muslim country is obligatory upon every Muslim who is able to do it; whoever does not migrate when he is able to is wronging himself and is subject to AllaahÂ’s Ta'alaa warning of a severe torment.
Allaah ´Ta'alaa says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): “In what (condition) were you?” They reply: “We were weak and oppressed on the earth.” They (angels) say: “Was not the earth of Allaah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?” Such men will find their abode in Hell — what an evil destination!”
[al-NisaÂ’ 4:97]
Hadeeth Abi Dawood,
it is narrated that the Prophet (Sall'Allahu'Alahy'Wsalam) said: “I have nothing to do with any Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen.” (A saheeh hadeeth, al-Irwaa’, 5/30).
From ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab who said that Allaah’s Messenger (salallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said:
Actions are but by intentions and there is for every person only that which he intended. So he whose migration was for Allaah and His Messenger, then his migration was for Allaah and His Messenger, and he whose migration was to attain some worldly goal or to take a woman in marriage, then his migration was for that which he migrated.”
Allaah Ta'alaa says (interpretation of the meaning):
“As for those who strive hard in us (Our cause), we will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allaah’s Religion).” Soorah al-Ankaboot (29):69


