Ruling on granting the nationality of a Muslim country to a non-Muslim

Published

Jul 27, 2020 / Dhul-Hijjah 6, 1441

Question:

What is the ruling on granting the nationality of a Muslim country to a non-Muslim?

Answer:

It is permissible to grant a non-Muslim the nationality of a Muslim country provided that the danger of Fitnah (sedition) is secured and that his good intentions are sensed. However, he is not allowed to reside in Arabia unless he embraces Islam. This is based on the Prophet’s command to expel the non-Muslims from the Arabian Peninsula 1.

  1. Ahmad, vol. 1, p. 222; Al-Bukhari, Fat-h-ul-Bary, no. 3168; Muslim, no. 1637; and Al-Darimi, no. 2501. ↩