How can I live a religious life amidst such conditions that encourage corruption? Is immigration from countries where religion and honesty are lacking the solution?

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

A happy life is that in which one adheres to the Book of Allah and follows his guidance. In this regard, Allah Almighty says (what means): {Whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.} [Quran 2: 38] Commenting on this verse, Muslim scholars maintain that whoever follows Allah’s guidance will be protected from worldly temptations and will never grieve in the Hereafter. Allah also says (what means): {...then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].} [Quran 20: 123]

The verse means that all Muslims have to adhere to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as understood by the early generations of Islam. Muslims should all adhere to the Muslim community and stick to good friends. Muslims should all turn to Allah in repentance much and supplicate Him that He protects them from worldly temptations. They should all do as many good deeds as they can. If they do this, then they will lead a happy and blessed life about which Allah says (what means): {Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.} [Quran 16: 97] As far as immigration is concerned, Muslim scholars maintain that a Muslim must emigrate from the country where he lives, if there is much evildoing and he fears that he may fall in sinful acts. In this case, a Muslim may immigrate to another country where there is no evildoing. If this is not available, then he could immigrate to a country where there is less evildoing. We ask Allah to guide us all to that which pleases Him.

Allah knows best.