In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Clutching onto the religion will be like one clutching onto hot coals

By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen may Allah have mercy on him

Question: The (following) listener of the program sent a series of questions. He says in this (current) question: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

‘There will come upon the people a time (when) the one holding firmly onto his religion is like the one clutching onto hot coal.’

The one holding onto his religion, here, is like the one holding onto hot embers.” He says: “Has that time come? Or are we in that time?”

Answer: This matter varies depending on the people or places (in question). Thus, in certain places a person might be severely persecuted in his religion such that he becomes like the one holding onto hot embers. And in such circumstance, it is obligatory for him to make hijrah (migrate) to another land where there is freedom of religion and tranquility. (This is) Because the scholars have said that when someone is not able to openly practice his religion in the land of the disbelievers, then it is mandatory that he migrate to establish his religion. In certain lands, in this time of ours, you find that the people have total freedom in establishing religious rituals, openly practicing, and promoting them, therefore it is not possible for us to say whether the time that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated refers to the present time that we find ourselves in, and to Allah belongs all praise. In some of the Muslim countries it is not possible (for one) to establish his religion in the way that Allah and His Messenger like it.