The Ruling on Becoming British - Shaykh Sālih Al-Fawzān

Question: Honourable Sheikh, may Allah grant you success, a questioner from Europe says that he lives with his family in Britain, and all of his family have British citizenship, but this brother holds Albanian citizenship.

His question is: Is it permissible for me to take British citizenship so that I do not face difficulties?

Shaykh Sālih Al-Fawzān: It is not permissible for a Muslim to take the citizenship of the disbelievers. A decision was issued concerning this years ago by the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League, stating that it is not permissible for a Muslim to take the citizenship of the disbelievers, because he then becomes subject to their system and governed by their laws, and this is not appropriate.

However, taking residency is not a problem—he may take residency, but he should not take citizenship. Yes.

[Source: https://youtu.be/jVfiXt4QsIk accessed 18/1/25]