Jamia Naeemia has issued a fatwa declaring the use of “dunki” (illegal immigration methods) to travel abroad as both illegal and against Islamic principles, Express News reported.
The fatwa comes in the wake of a heartbreaking incident in which up to 50 migrants, including 44 Pakistanis, are feared dead while trying to reach Spain from West Africa.
The tragic event took place when a boat carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, set sail from Mauritania on 2 January.
The ship was reported to have been in serious distress during its 13-day voyage without rescue assistance. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 survivors on Wednesday.
Helena Maleno, executive director of migrant rights group Walking Borders, confirmed the loss of 44 Pakistani lives and described the harrowing journey as one marked by suffering and anguish.
In the fatwa, signed by Dr. Mufti Raghib Hussain Naeemi and Mufti Imran Hanafi, Jamia Naeemia declared that trying to leave the country by illegal means is prohibited, both legally and according to Sharia.
The scholars emphasized that such actions violate the Islamic prohibition against self-harm and actions leading to it. “Suicide and any act leading to it is strictly prohibited in Islam,” the fatwa said. “Putting oneself in harm’s way or engaging in actions that could result in injury or death is never permitted.”
The fatwa further advised individuals seeking to travel abroad to do so through legal and secure channels, while condemning the role of agents profiting from illegal immigration schemes.
The scholars also urged the government to enact stronger laws against such agents and to protect citizens from dangerous and exploitative practices.
