The Rights of Refugees in Islam

Every human, regardless of his/her faith, has a natural right in Islam to food, clothing, and shelter.

Uthman ibn Affan reported: The Prophet ﷺ said:

لَيْسَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ حَقٌّ فِي سِوَى هَذِهِ الْخِصَالِ بَيْتٌ يَسْكُنُهُ وَثَوْبٌ يُوَارِي عَوْرَتَهُ وَجِلْفُ الْخُبْزِ وَالْمَاءِ

There is no right for the son of Adam except in these things: a house in which he lives, a garment to cover his nakedness, a piece of bread and water.

Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2341, Grade: Sahih

It is our duty in Islam to help these refugees and asylum seekers to the extent of our capability, just as we would wish someone would help us if we were in their place.

The story of Islam is one of the triumphs of faith and brotherhood in the face of persecution. When the Muslims of Mecca, known as the Muhajirun (the emigrants), were being tortured and killed for their faith, the Muslims of Medina, known as the Ansar (the supporters), brought them into their homes and cared for them as if they were members of their own family.

Allah said:

يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

They love those who emigrated to them and find not any desire in their hearts of what the emigrants were given, but rather give them preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. Whoever is protected from the greediness of his own soul, then those will be successful.

Qur’an 59:9

The righteous companions did not consider the emigrants to be a nuisance, but rather they accepted them with open arms and loved them, even giving these refugees preference over their own selves although they were in poverty.

The parable of the believers in support of each other is that of the bricks of a building. Each brick is held up by the others bricks and all of them require each other’s support to remain standing.

Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ كَالْبُنْيَانِ يَشُدُّ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا

Verily, the believers are like a structure, each one strengthening the other.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 467, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

And the parable of the believers in their compassion for one another is that of a body. If one part of the body becomes ill or injured, the entire body responds to heal it.

An-Nu’man ibn Basheer reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى

The example of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 5665, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

We need to realize that our brothers and sisters in Islam are suffering and they need us just as we need them. We should feel pain and anguish when we hear stories of their suffering and this should motivate us to perform constructive action in the form of charity donated through trustworthy and authentic relief organizations.

Allah and His Messenger have promised that whoever helps a person in need in this world will have his need taken care of in the Hereafter. There can be no better reward than for the Day of Resurrection to be made easy for us.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ نَفَّسَ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الدُّنْيَا نَفَّسَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلَى مُعْسِرٍ يَسَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ

Whoever relieves the hardship of a believer in this world, Allah will relieve his hardship on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever helps ease someone in difficulty, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2699, Grade: Sahih

In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَنْ أَنْظَرَ مُعْسِرًا أَوْ وَضَعَ لَهُ أَظَلَّهُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تَحْتَ ظِلِّ عَرْشِهِ يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ

Whoever grants respite to someone in difficulty or alleviates him, Allah will shade him on the Day of Resurrection when there is no shade but his.

Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1306, Grade: Sahih

The Prophet ﷺ set for us the most beautiful example in that he would never deny charity to anyone who asked him as long as he was capable of giving it.

Jabir reported:

مَا سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ قَطُّ فَقَالَ لَا

The Prophet ﷺ was never asked anything for which he said no.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 5687, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Anas ibn Malik reported:

مَا سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ شَيْئًا إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was never asked anything for the sake of Islam but that he would give it.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2312, Grade: Sahih

If this is the merciful example to which we must aspire, then how can we refuse to give something according to our means to those in terrible suffering?

image credit: UN photos

Tayeb Habib, EU Halal Consulting and Certification

Tayeb Habib is the owner of EU Halal Certification company based in Portugal.  He has been involved in setting up Halal DMS, a Document Management System project for Halal which is among the first projects is the Halal QR-code System that protects the integrity of Halal certificates and allows traceability.

www.euhalal.com/