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Maintaining a balance between professionalism and fulfilling the responsibilities as a Muslim

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

I am a doctor required to do surgical procedures  in US and miss jumah sometimes due to patient care and not able to leave the patients to go to jumah(it would look unprofessional on my part to leave patients that need surgery)

Is this enough reason to emigrate to a muslim country and find a job there?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

As a muslim professional we understand the demands of maintaining a balance between professionalism and fulfilling the responsibilities as a muslim. We also appreciate that the responsibilities as a muslim weighs more heavily than one’s professional ethics. In the enquired case, we advise that you discuss your concern with the management and make adjustments accordingly. However, if you are caught up with a patient whose life is in danger and there is no one else to attend to such a patient, then you will be excused. While Hijra has its virtues,[1] it is equally challenging. It is best that you make adjustments to facilitate your Islamic duties at your present work place.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Saleem Khan

Bradford, UK

Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.


[1] The virtues of Hijra (migration) in Islam are undeniable. One of the greatest deeds a person can do is make Hijra. Consider the following Hadiths:

حدثنا الحميدي عبد الله بن الزبير، قال: حدثنا سفيان، قال: حدثنا يحيى بن سعيد الأنصاري، قال: أخبرني محمد بن إبراهيم التيمي، أنه سمع علقمة بن وقاص الليثي، يقول: سمعت عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه على المنبر قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى، فمن كانت هجرته إلى دنيا يصيبها، أو إلى امرأة ينكحها، فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليه

[صحيح البخاري ج ١ ص ٦]

Translation: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.”

حدثنا محمد بن المثنى العنزي، وأبو معن الرقاشي، وإسحاق بن منصور، كلهم عن أبي عاصم واللفظ لابن المثنى، حدثنا الضحاك يعني أبا عاصم، قال: أخبرنا حيوة بن شريح، قال: حدثني يزيد بن أبي حبيب، عن ابن شماسة المهري، قال: حضرنا عمرو بن العاص، وهو في سياقة الموت، يبكي طويلا، وحول وجهه إلى الجدار، فجعل ابنه يقول: يا أبتاه، أما بشرك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بكذا؟ أما بشرك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بكذا؟ قال: فأقبل بوجهه، فقال: إن أفضل ما نعد شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمدا رسول الله، إني قد كنت على أطباق ثلاث، لقد رأيتني وما أحد أشد بغضا لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مني، ولا أحب إلي أن أكون قد استمكنت منه، فقتلته، فلو مت على تلك الحال لكنت من أهل النار، فلما جعل الله الإسلام في قلبي أتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقلت: ابسط يمينك فلأبايعك، فبسط يمينه، قال: فقبضت يدي، قال: «ما لك يا عمرو؟» قال: قلت: أردت أن أشترط، قال: «تشترط بماذا؟» قلت: أن يغفر لي، قال: «أما علمت أن الإسلام يهدم ما كان قبله؟ وأن الهجرة تهدم ما كان قبلها؟ وأن الحج يهدم ما كان قبله؟» وما كان أحد أحب إلي من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولا أجل في عيني منه، وما كنت أطيق أن أملأ عيني منه إجلالا له، ولو سئلت أن أصفه ما أطقت؛ لأني لم أكن أملأ عيني منه، ولو مت على تلك الحال لرجوت أن أكون من أهل الجنة، ثم ولينا أشياء ما أدري ما حالي فيها، فإذا أنا مت فلا تصحبني نائحة، ولا نار، فإذا دفنتموني فشنوا علي التراب شنا، ثم أقيموا حول قبري قدر ما تنحر جزور ويقسم لحمها، حتى أستأنس بكم، وأنظر ماذا أراجع به رسل ربي

[صحيح مسلم ج ١ ص ١١٢]

Translation: We visited ‘Amr bin Al-‘as (May Allah be pleased with him) when he was in his deathbed. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: “O father, did not the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) give you the good news of such and such? Did he not give you glad tidings of such and such?” Then he (‘Amr) turned his face towards us and said: “The best thing which you can count upon is the affirmation that: La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah), and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I have passed through three phases. I remember when I hated none more than I hated the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and there was no other desire stronger in me than that of killing him. Had I died in that state, I would have definitely been one of the dwellers of Fire (Hell). When Allah instilled the love for Islam in my heart, I went to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, ‘Extend your right hand, so that I pledge allegiance to you.’ He (ﷺ) stretched out his right hand, but I withdrew my hand. He said, ‘What is the matter, ‘Amr?’ I said, ‘I wish to lay down same conditions.’ He asked, ‘What conditions do you wish to put forward?’ I replied, ‘To be granted forgiveness.’ He said, ‘Do you not know that (embracing) Islam wipes out all that has gone before it (previous misdeeds). Verily, emigration wipes out all the previous sins, and the Hajj (pilgrimage) wipes out all the previous sins.’ Thereafter, no one was dearer to me than Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and none was more respectable than him in my eyes. So bright was his splendor that I could not gather enough courage to look at his face for any length of time. If I were asked to describe his feature, I would not be able to do so because I have never caught a full glimpse of his face. Had I died in that state I could have hoped to be one of the dwellers of Jannah. Thereafter, we were made responsible for many things and in the light of which I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, no mourner, nor fire should accompany my bier. When you bury me, throw the earth gently over me and stand over my grave for the space of time within which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy, and in your presence ascertain what answer can I give to the Messengers of my Lord (the angels in grave).”

From the above mentioned Hadith it can be established that if a person migrates for his religion, then he will receive the great reward of Hijra and his sins will be forgiven.

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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