There are no cats in America and the streets are paved with cheese!

Or at least, this is was the little jewish mice sang when they dreamed of the promised american dream in the cartoon - 'an American Tail.'

Assalaamu alaykum,
peace be upon those who follow righteous guidance,

This post is regarding the hopeless optimism that some people have regarding the Muslim lands when it comes to Hijrah, there is no land which is perfect or where you will be welcomed and given a job, land, wife / husband, cash, benefits etc or where you will be totally safe from oppression and can even practice Islam totally etc.

Life just isn't like that, life is a test, and Allah is testing us constantly to see how we will cope. Hijrah is mean't to be a struggle that is why the reward is so great!

These brothers and sisters, often themselves sitting comfortable in the West are happy to tell you to just up and go, drop everything, don't save, don't bother looking before leaping, not realising that the Prophet Muhammad (saws) spent three years planning his Hijrah and he had others to help him!

So if so hard why bother? well because it's an obligation and besides, Jannah isn't free!

Two of my favourite verses from the Quran are these two,

Do people think they will be left alone because they say "we believe," and will not be tested?

And indeed we tested those before them. Allah will certainly make known those who are true and certainly make known those who are liars.

Surah Ankabut (chapter of the spider), verses 2 and 3.

So life is a test, finding a halal income is a test, finding a good spouse is a test, raising your children upon righteousness is a test, and moving yourself and your family half way across the world to start a new life is certainly a test from Allah!

To some, even though they know Hijrah is a Fard obligation, these tests seem so big and so insurmountable that they don't even bother trying, they don't even make effort and hope that that way they won't be counted by the Angels of death as those who are to be sent to the hellfire because they were unable to find a way to make Hijrah.

But this attitude is incorrect, if something is an obligation then that means you work towards it, you strive and struggle to attain it and the rewards of it and then having done all that you know that if you fall short, Allah is most merciful and that Inshallah he will forgive you your shortcomings.

If you never even tried, never even made any preparation could you seriously say that you had intention to do this act of ibadah? Would it be enough for someone who missed their salaah on a regular basis to just say 'well I wanted to do it'

You see, if that is the attitude then really it wasn't a very serious intention was it? and You're not going to fool Allah that way, only yourself.

So it is a balance, not to be too hopelessly optimistic and not to be so overwhelmed that you don't know what to do or where to start, so where to start?

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Abu Abdillah