Muslim Minorities in Non-Muslim Countries
20-7-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
I want to know further and if you could provide me information regarding; a Muslim minority community living under a non-Muslim government. What are the responsibilities for them to follow? And if you could include Hadiths or verses for Quran in matter of this question.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The responsibilities of Muslim communities and Muslim minorities in non-Muslim countries are numerous. But the most important of which are the following:
1. To migrate from non-Muslim countries to Muslim one's for whoever is not able to establish the rites of his religion or fears to be afflicted. The Prophet said: “Whoever keeps company with a non-Muslim and resides with him, is like him.” [Abu Daawood]
The Prophet also said: “I am exempt from any Muslim who resides among non-Muslims.” [Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and others]
2. Whoever is not able to migrate because of a sound reason, then it is incumbent on him to preserve and protect his religion and establish it as Allah, The Most High, likes, and avoid being carried away towards the belief or traditions of the non-Muslims, or imitating them in things that are peculiar to them.
The Prophet said: "Whoever imitates people, he is one of them." [Ahmed and others] He further said: "He is not one of us who imitates other than us (non-Muslims); do not imitate the Jews or the Christians." [At-Tirmithi and Al-Albaani classified it as authentic]
3. To call to the religion of Allah, as Allah says: {And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.} [Quran 3:104]
One of the best ways of Da’wah (calling people to Allah) in those countries is the strict practice of Islam by the Muslims and to be steadfast on the obedience of Allah refraining from all acts of disobedience. Many people embraced Islam just because of the good relationship they established with some Muslims and because of the latter being steadfast on the religion of Islam. Every Muslim should know that he/she is one of the soldiers of Islam. Non-Muslims consider the mistake of a Muslim as a mistake of Islam, and consider his/her good conduct and good behavior as part of Islam.
4. One of the most important responsibilities as well is to be keen on bringing up and educating one's children upon a good education that Allah is pleased with, and to preserve their Muslim identity, by establishing Muslim schools and institutes.
5. To abide by the rules that do not contradict the Islamic Sharee’ah.
6. Not to resort to non-Muslims and polytheists for judgement and opt for being judged according to Islamic Sharee’ah in settling disputes and arguments by asking the scholars in the country where one lives, or asking the scholars in Muslim counties; praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and may His blessings and peace be upon His Prophet, this matter has become now very easy.
Allah Says (what means): {But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.} [Quran 4:65]
Allah also Says (what means): {The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, “We hear and we obey.” And those are the successful.} [Quran 24:51]
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 93927, 86405, 92517, and 87345.
Allah knows best.