In my opinion, leaving your country for a first world destination for the sake of better livelihood, is a vote of no confidence on Almighty Allah that He can provide you there but not here in your homeland. People do so despite knowing that one’s religion, culture and way of living will be compromised.

In my view, one can leave his homeland only to save his faith as did the people of the cave in Surah Kahf; or prophet and his companions did from Mecca to Medina or Muslims in the subcontinent to Pakistan in 1947.

Or one can leave his homeland to spread faith as did the holy companions after the conquest of Mecca. On the occasion of prophet’s last khutba (sermon), almost one hundred and twenty-five thousand were present but then they spread out far and wide for the propagation of Islamic faith. They spread out to far flung, downtrodden countries abandoning the comfort and company of the family and friends. Hardly few, if any, chose to opt for the first world countries of that era i.e. Sultanate of Rome and Persia because the purpose of migration was certainly not worldly pleasures but spread of Islam.

Another reason for temporarily leaving one’s homeland may be to acquire knowledge as the famous prophetic saying mentions “even reach out to China, if you have to, for the sake of knowledge”.

In Pakistan there is a rat race for first world countries as if the fortunes will be changed overnight. Whereas the fact of the matter is that the life becomes even more difficult; the new generations become more detached from their roots, religion and rituals. I have seen my own family and friends regretting their decisions after thirty, forty, fifty years. But then it’s too late!

Seeing the mad race for first world destinations, poor people are also lured to flee. Every now and then we hear the stories of boats capsizing and dreams drowning. While the government of Pakistan is definitely responsible, I also consider those who choose to go out despite abundant opportunities in Pakistan as responsible. These, mostly engineers, doctors and high-level professionals set up wrong examples for their poor countrymen, who even risk their lives, savings and family’s future for the lust of greener pastures. Grass is certainly not greener there; be rest assured!