WHEN encountering different beliefs and cultures in geographies where migration takes place, there may be certain concerns and fears within us about not being able to preserve our own beliefs and values and becoming assimilated. Therefore, we may try to create a closed community in order to protect ourselves and our future generations. However, migration means opening up to a new world and a new society, not closing ourselves off. Therefore, in order to become a member of that society in the migration destination, it will not be possible without being open to different cultures and innovations that are not contrary to the spirit of Islam, and migration will not be permanent and fruitful without it. Otherwise, migrants who isolate themselves from society by displaying a conservative attitude just to avoid assimilation or who take a stance against innovations or do not take them seriously, will miss out on the era they are living in and will face assimilation at that point.
The Messenger of Allah was always open to innovations in his life and encouraged his companions/Ummah to develop individual and social projects in this regard, to open good and beautiful paths: “Whoever starts a good practice in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who practice it after him, without decreasing any of their rewards. Whoever starts a bad practice among Muslims will have its sin and the sin of those who practice it after him, without decreasing any of their sins, still belonging to the one who started that bad practice”.[1] In addition, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said in another hadith, “The wise saying is the lost property of the believer. Wherever he/she finds it, has more right to have it.”[2] and “Seek knowledge, even as far as China.”[3] He always directed his Ummah to be open to new wisdom and knowledge, to find it wherever and from whomever they can.
In this sense, for the believers, researching and finding the right and good words and practices in the places they emigrate to and incorporating them into their lives is a source of material and spiritual wealth. This openness and exchange will also contribute positively to the integration of the Migrants (Muhajirs) with that society. Innovations that are adopted in compliance with the basic standards set by the Qur’an and Sunnah will make the migrant community even stronger and more equipped.
When the Last Prophet (PBUH) migrated to Medina, he learned that the Jewish tribes fasted on the tenth day of Muharram and celebrated it as a festival. He asked them about the reason and they replied, “This is the day when Allah saved Moses from his enemies and punished Pharaoh. Moses fasted on this day in gratitude!” Upon hearing this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “We are closer and dearer to Moses than you are. We have more right to follow his example than you do!”[4] and he fasted on the day of Ashura. He also recommended this fast to the believers, saying, “I hope that the fast on the day of Ashura will serve as an expiation for sins committed in the previous year.”[5] However, he cautioned his companions not to imitate the Jews completely and advised them to fast on both the ninth and tenth of Muharram.[6]
As we can see, the Prophet (peace be upon him) observed the Ashura fast, which did not contradict Islamic teachings, as a means of integrating with the new community he had joined after the migration. He did not object to his companions who wanted to fast on this day and, in fact, saw it as an opportunity to connect with Prophet Moses and to uphold the essential practice of fasting in the Abrahamic religions. He also had a social goal of bringing different groups together in the new land of migration.
One of the initiatives of the Last Prophet (PBUH) after his migration to Medina was to send letters to the leaders and kings of tribes and countries in the region to engage in dialogue with them and invite them to Islam. When the Prophet decided to enter into such a dialogue, some of his companions told him, “If your letter is not sealed, they will not accept it.” Upon this, the Prophet accepted their proposal and had a silver ring made. He had the inscription which means (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) engraved on the ring.[7] Thus, the Prophet showed his companions and the Ummah that it was not harmful to comply with such customs among states and that it is necessary to be open to innovations in such matters.
The most important event that made Salman Al-Farisi known was his proposal to the Prophet during the Battle of the Trench. The Ahzab army had set out to attack Medina and kill the Muslims. When the Prophet learned about this, he gathered his companions and started consulting them. It seemed difficult to face this army with a field battle, which was much stronger than the Muslim army in terms of both military and weapons and equipment.
A new defence strategy was needed. The Prophet listened to everyone’s opinions. Then Salman Al-Farisi spoke and said, “O Messenger of Allah! In Iran, we used to surround ourselves with trenches against the attacks of enemy riders. Can’t we do the same now?” This original idea was attractive to both the Prophet and the companions, and digging a trench began immediately along the northern part of Medina, which was the entrance to the city. As we can see, the Prophet did not object to Salman’s proposal to offer a defence technique for the city’s and Muslims’ defence just because it has been used by Iranians. On the contrary, he found it appropriate and successful. This method was not a matter of faith, practice, or ethics that had a legal judgment attached to it. It was a technical issue related to the appropriate way to de-fend the city. Therefore, in such technical matters, it is necessary to be open to the tactics and methods used by different nations, not as a form of assimilation but rather to act with wisdom according to logic, reasoning, and contemporary conditions.
