Non-Muslims married to Muslim MENA

[joelunchbox 0]

When I was little, my best friend lived next door to me. His father was a devout Catholi, his mom protestant. They are still married today. A testament to love and the inevitable give and take of a relationship. It is very obvious to me today that they must have had very good communication!

My fianc'e's father was Moslem and her mother Orthodox. He died about four years ago but it is obvious to me that they had a very healthy relationship and raised two very strong willed girls.

I believe the important thing to not "assume" anything with regards to religion. Communication is required.

And anything is possible.

[Nasturtium 500]

It's obviously a dig. But whatever, honestly. Oooh, I'm a fornicator. Big whoop. And I couldn't really care less about what someone who uses the term fornicator as an insult has to say about it.

You could use that as a title on business cards. That would be awesome.

[Jenn! 918]

It's obviously a dig. But whatever, honestly. Oooh, I'm a fornicator. Big whoop. And I couldn't really care less about what someone who uses the term fornicator as an insult has to say about it.

You could use that as a title on business cards. That would be awesome.

Good idea!

Jenn!

Actuary

Fornicator

Catchy, no?

[Nasturtium 500]

Where was the question asked about what we can assume Muslim/non-Muslim marriages are due to or whether they have anything to do with fornication?

Sorry! I thought it was her response to Jenn but I see it was her response to you. I understand her logic in it, but I apologize for the confusion.

Good idea!

Jenn!

Actuary

Fornicator

Catchy, no?

I like it. It has a certain ring to it. I'm pretty sure it will catch on

[SaadBell 0]

That is my problem with all religions, there are so many rules, and everyone has different views on passages, what the meaning is. You would think that God being this perfect being would write something that everyone can understand clearly. There would be no vague passages that can mean five different things. I am not just talking about Muslims, also Christians and all religions, they are so confusing, there are so many rules, and some rules contradict other rules. Just my thoughts, everyone thinks they are the ones with the inside knowledge of this God. I have seen a lot of people suffer, thinking they are sinners, or not living up to what their religion says they should do. I am too lazy; really, I know I break all kinds of rules, so I guess I better pack for hot weather. That said, I think I am a good person, never have hurt anyone, always try to help others, my career is in a field of helping. I guess that doesn't cut it with the big guy, I wonder if I will get a condo near the lake of fire.

[Rocketta 0]

whoooo, ok I take offense to being calling a fornicator.

I'm of the belief that spiritual belief is personal and up to everyone to decide what they believe. So if I have kids and my husband is ok with them being christian I"m not going to look at him as something lacking in him, sorry. I wouldn't mind them being raised Muslim but I expect the same respect of my religious beliefs of my husband.

I'm glad I talked to my husband a lot about this before we got married. Just like I adapted my loud, brash American personality to the culture of Jordan when I was there, I expect my husband to adapt his personality to the country he lives in. It's all about compromise. If I can give up pork in my home, he can give up some of the ideas of women and men being friends. That's how I look at it. Compromise and communication is key. I'm not going to be the one doing all the compromising..... but my husband all ready knows that.

[mohamed N melinda 0]

it is good topics to discuss

first of all MUSLIM WOMAN CANT MARRY NON MUSLIM MAN and there is no islamic law say that . some converted muslim women think they know all about islam while they dont and THEY SPREAD WRONG INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM

second when muslim man marry non muslim woman thats allowed in islam but kids must be muslim and the man who accept that his kids to become non-muslim dont desereve to called MUSLIM

third

drink is haram no matter how amount of cup you drink . islam forbid drinking , pork , blood . and if u want to know why islam forbid that it is simply cause it harm anyone drink or eat it

pork has certain type of nematode called H.NANA it is found only in pigs

drinking make fibrosis in liver , blood or uncooked meat has germs

please everyone if you arenot sure about what you about islam PLZ DONT SPREAD WRONG INFORMATION ABOUT IT

I'm not sure what you are saying. Is that a typo? First you say that Muslim women cant marry non-Muslim men, then you say that there is no law that says thay cant marry non-Muslim men.

The first part, Muslim women cant marry non-Muslim man, is wrong. The second part, there is no law that says they cant marry non-Muslim men, is right. There is no need for a law to allow what Allah has not prohibited.

There is nothing in the sharia that forbids Muslim women from marriage with ahl al kitab men. The "law" is from fiqh, the mutable, challengable, mortal determinations from men that can be and are changed. Fiqh is not divine as, is sharia, and it is not binding on all Muslims. Since only God can make haram, marriage between Muslim women and men of the Book is not haram, it is only makruh, as are marriages between Muslim men and non-Muslim western women, a convemniently overlooked element of the fiqh of marriage.

Also, the Quran clearly says that Allah determines what a person's faith will be, so the faith of children is not "inherited" from a parent, male or female. That is evidenced by the conversions of Muslims out of Islam, and of non-Muslims into Islam. I am Muslim, my deceased husband was Christian, our children are all Muslims. Four of my cousins, who had a Muslim father and Christian mother, only one is Muslim. Allah says He designed the world for us to believe differently so we will learn to live together and strive toward him; It is hubris to believe that the father of a child controls his belief, and it is easy to prove that wrong.

If you are referring to me as a convert spreading wrong information, I am not a convert. I am a born Muslim from a Palestinan family who learned my faith from learned, legitimate scholars. We are called upon to read and learn, and I have done so in context of the history of sharia and Islamic law, with the ability to discriminate between the taint of culture and the law itself that is lacking in the laymen, born Muslim or not. Nothing less should be accepted when discussin weighty issues.

On Christian Men marrying Muslim Women

As-Salaam-Alaikum:

I don't mean to bother you but this is disturbing my mind and I need an educated explanation.

I was at a Muslim Sister's Fashion Show (predominately African American sisters) when during casual conversation a young sister (mid 20s) stated that her husband is Christian. This as you can image created quite a stir. She was immediately verbally attacked. She tried to defend herself by saying that he did not prohibit her from practicing Islam and he has agreed that the children will be Muslim. She was advised to divorce him.

I don't know if they were married and she converted or if she was already Muslim when they married. She was under such a heavy attack that I could not get that question in. However this issue is one that I need to understand because I can't adequately explain why there is a prohibition for the Muslim female in marrying from the people of the book and there is no prohibition for the Muslim male. More often than not I hear all non Muslims classified as kufar.

The only explanation I can provide is that the Quran specifies that the male can marry a Christian or Jewish woman. Since he is the head of the household the expectation is that he will respect her rights and the children will take his religion. Really in actuality from what I've seen this is not the case. The woman has so much pressure put on her to abandon her beliefs that she eventually gives in or gets out of the marriage.

I have been asked does the Quran specifically prohibit the Muslim woman from marrying a Christian or Jewish male. My understanding is the only specific prohibition is for polytheist. Am I wrong?

This is a big issue for African Americans especially because of the rate of conversion. There are instances where the husband converts and the wife does not. This is not seen as a problem. However there are instances where the wife converts and the husband does not. It doesn't matter whether they have been together 2 years or 20 years, the advice the sister receives is to divorce him.

Then there are the cases of sisters whose preference is to marry within their race but there are not enough suitable African American Muslim men at least in this city. They resign themselves to being celibate forever.

When I say suitable African American Muslim men, I mean those who are knowledgeable about the Deen and truly strive to practice it, those who have truly accepted the role and responsibilities of the Muslim male and do not demand that the woman provide more financially for them than they provide for her, those who are not extremist, those who have not been married and divorced 3, 4 or 5 times with children all over the place, those who are not trying to have several wives when they can't afford to take care of one, etc. This is airing dirty laundry but so be it, this is our harsh reality.

[Name withheld for privacy]

****************************************

Al-salamu 'alaykum sister:

First I should apologize for the long time it has taken me to respond to your message. As you might have heard, I have been rather ill. But on a happier note, recently we were blessed with a wonderful baby boy.

But I should confess that there is another reason for the delay. This is a difficult issue to deal with. I did receive a large number of inquiries about this same issue, and I have tended to avoid responding to them because I am not exactly very excited about handling this weighty and serious problem.

Surprising to me, all schools of thought prohibited a Muslim woman from marrying a man who is a kitabi (among the people of the book). I am not aware of a single dissenting opinion on this, which is rather unusual for Islamic jurisprudence because Muslim jurists often disagreed on many issues, but this is not one of them.

All jurists agreed that a Muslim man or woman may not marry a mushrik [one who associates partners with God--there is a complex and multi-layered discourse on who is to be considered a mushrik, but we will leave this for a separate discussion]. However, because of al-Ma'ida verse 5, there is an exception in the case of a Muslim man marrying a kitabiyya. There is no express prohibition in the Qur'an or elsewhere about a Muslim woman marrying a kitabi. However, the jurists argued that since express permission was given to men, by implication women must be prohibited from doing the same. The argument goes: If men needed to be given express permission to marry a kitabiyya, women needed to be given express permission as well, but since they were not given any such permission then they must be barred from marrying a kitabi.

The justification for this rule was two-fold: 1) Technically, children are given the religion of their father, and so legally speaking, the offspring of a union between a Muslim male and a kitabiyya would still be Muslim; 2)It was argued that Muslim men are Islamically prohibited from forcing their wives to become Muslim. Religious coercion is prohibited in Islam. However, in Christianity and Judaism a similar prohibition against coercion does not exist. According to their own religious law, Muslim jurists argued, Christian men may force their Muslim wives to convert to their (the husbands') religion. Put differently, it was argued, Islam recognizes Christianity and Judaism as valid religions, but Judaism and Christianity do not recognize the validity of Islam as a religion. Since it was assumed that the man is the stronger party in a marriage, it was argued that Christian and Jewish men will be able to compel their Muslim wives to abandon Islam. (If a Muslim man would do the same, he would be violating Islamic law and committing a grave sin).

Importantly, the Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi'i jurists held that it is reprehensible (makruh) for Muslim men to marry a kitabiyya if they live in non-Muslim countries. They argued that in non-Muslim countries, mothers will be able to influence the children the most. Therefore, there is a high likelihood that the children will not grow up to be good Muslims unless both parents are Muslim. Some jurists even went as far as saying that Muslim men are prohibited from marrying a kitabiyya if they live in non-Muslim countries.

This is the law as it exists or the legal legacy as we inherited it. In all honesty, personally, I am not convinced that the evidence prohibiting Muslim women from marrying a kitabi is very strong. Muslim jurists took a very strong position on this matter--many of them going as far as saying if a Muslim woman marries a kitabi she is as good as an apostate. I think, and God knows best, that this position is not reasonable and the evidence supporting it is not very strong. However, I must confess that in my humble opinion, I strongly sympathize with the jurists that argued that in non-Muslim countries it is reprehensible (makruh) for a Muslim to marry a non-Muslim. God knows best--I have reached this position after observing that the children of these Muslim/non-Muslim marriages in most cases do not grow up with a strong sense of their Islamic identity. It seems to me that in countries like the U.S. it is best for the children if they grow up with a Muslim father and mother. I am not comfortable telling a Muslim woman marrying a kitabi that she is committing a grave sin and that she must terminate her marriage immediately. I do tell such a woman that she should know that by being married to a kitabi that she is acting against the weight of the consensus; I tell her what the evidence is; and then I tell her my own ijtihad on the matter (that it is makruh for both men and women in non-Muslim countries). After telling her all of this, I add that she must always remember that only God knows best; that she should reflect on the matter as hard as she can; then she should pray and plead for guidance from God; and then ultimately she must do what her conscience dictates.

I hope this response helps answer your question. I pray to God to guide us both to what He pleases and wants, and that He helps the sister you wrote me about to find peace and tranquility with whatever decision she makes. God is the best guide and mentor--may He forgive our sins and bless us with His Compassion and Mercy.

With my sincere regards,

Shaykh Khaled Abou El Fadl

[mohamed N melinda 0]

Why does Allah Almighty allow Muslim men to marry non Muslim women, but doesn't allow Muslim women to marry non Muslim men?

Note: Some of the writings of my article come from the foot notes of the Noble Quran that I have that was translated by Sheikh (Minister) Abdallah Yusuf Ali; may Allah Almighty rest his soul.

It is lawful by Allah Almighty for Muslim men to marry only Jewish or Christian women, but not lawful for Muslim women to marry non Muslim men of any faith. In this article we will see the wisdom behind it.

Let us look at Noble Verse 5:5 "This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book [Jews and Christians] is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good)."

Let us look at Noble Verse 2:221 "Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But God beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise."

"O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,- whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye God, if ye have faith (indeed). (The Noble Quran, 5:57)"

"O ye who believe! When there come to you believing women refugees, examine (and test) them: God knows best as to their Faith: if ye ascertain that they are Believers, then send them not back to the Unbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them. But pay the Unbelievers what they have spent (on their dower), and there will be no blame on you if ye marry them on payment of their dower to them. But hold not to the guardianship of unbelieving women: ask for what ye have spent on their dowers, and let the (Unbelievers) ask for what they have spent (on the dowers of women who come over to you). Such is the command of God: He judges (with justice) between you. And God is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom. (The Noble Quran, 60:10)"

The reason why Allah Almighty didn't allow Muslim women to marry non Muslim men including the People of the Book, is because women especially in the Middle East 1400 years ago used to culturally follow their husbands' traditions/religions.

Arabs used to be idol worshipers, and they had different methods of idol worshiping depending on the tribe. When a woman marries a man from a tribe, then she is EXPECTED to follow his and his family's method of worship. So automatically, she would become part of them.

So when a Muslim woman marries a non Muslim man, she would be EXPECTED to follow his religion. This would also mean that the children that she will bring to life will also be non Muslims. So this is very serious in Islam.

That is why Allah Almighty prohibited for Muslim women to marry non Muslim men. As for Muslim men, from the non Muslim women, they are not allowed to marry any of them except from the People of the Book.

I as a Muslim am not allowed to marry a Hindu woman for instance according to the Laws of the Noble Quran. But I can however marry a Jewish woman for instance.

Islam is not exclusive. Social intercourse, including inter-marriage, is permitted with the People of the Book. A Muslim man may marry a woman from their ranks on the same terms as he would marry a Muslim woman, i.e., he must give her an economic and moral status, and must not be actuated merely by motives of lust or physical desire. A Muslim woman may not marry a non-Muslim man, because her Muslim status would be affected: the wife ordinarily takes the nationality and status given by her husband's law (especially in the Middle Eastern culture among the Arab pagans 1400 years ago). A non-Muslim woman marrying a Muslim husband would be expected eventually to accept Islam. Any man or woman, of any race or faith, may, on accepting Islam, freely marry any Muslim woman or man, provided it be from motives of purity and chastity and not of lewdness. Muslim men are prohibited to marry pagan women. Only women from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) are ok to marry from.

Important Note: If we are not allowed to take the non-believers as friends and protectors, do you think we should consider marrying from them?

Imam Khaleel Mohammed's defense of inter-faith marriage

(Note: This defense uses the example of a Muslim woman marrying a Christian man, but the principles apply to marrying any non-Muslim man.)

"The verse that is traditionally used by imams to prohibit an inter-religious marriage is Qur'an 5:5, which states: 'This day, all innately good things are lawful for you... Lawful to you are the chaste women from among those who have been given the Book before you...' Traditional imams contend that since women are mentioned, and men are not, then it must be understood that the marriage of Muslim women with non-Muslim men is forbidden.

This, however, is problematic. For the Qur'an is addressed, because of the custom of the time, to men. It is for this reason that the Qur'an says, for example, "And when you divorce your wives..." or "During the nights of fasting [Ramadan] you may have sex with your wives..." What do I mean by the custom of the time? In the tribal context, the woman, once married, accepted the husband as master. He, in turn, accepted the religion of his tribal chief.

Given that reality, a whole host of issues arose for Muslim scholars -- issues that made them oppose inter-religious marriages for women. One issue was, whereas Muslims honor the non-Muslim prophets, followers of the other two monotheistic religions do not honor Muhammad, and that would put the Muslim woman in the terrible position of having her prophet disrespected. Another issue was that most Christians see Jesus as God, and for a Muslim to attribute divinity to a human in unthinkable. Then, too, there was the problem of the children from such a marriage, who would presumably be brought up in the religion of the male spouse.

But remember that all of these 'issues' assume the woman must take the faith of her non-Muslim husband, and that is clearly not the case in your relationship. You live in a different time and a different place.

To be sure, most Muslims would argue that the Qur'an is true for all time and all places. If we go by that logic, then we must acknowledge that the Qur'an is still sympathetic to your dream of marrying a Christian man. Even though he is a Christian, the Qur'an does not hold that against him. For while mentioning that there are Christians who take Jesus as God, Islam's main document calls this 'kufr' (disbelief/ingratitude) rather than 'shirk' (polytheism). It's a significant distinction because, in another verse, the Qur'an also states that Christians who do good deeds have the right to enter heaven. Christian creedal beliefs are the same for both male and female followers of Christianity, so how can the Qur'an allow marriage to the Christian woman but not to the Christian man?

The evidence indicates that the main hang-up is the problem I emphasized above -- that the religion of the male spouse becomes dominant (as also evidenced in the Book of Ruth in the Hebrew Bible). In our day, since Qur'anic Islam (as opposed to the Islam of the male jurists) must acknowledge the radical notion that women are equals of men, that women have legal rights, and that those rights include placing conditions on the marriage (what you and I would term a 'pre-nuptial agreement'), then an inter-faith marriage can take place on condition that neither spouse will be forcibly converted to the other's religion. As long as that condition is respected, you and she have my blessing.

On the question of children, certainly there will be some religious confusion. But as a Muslim scholar, I can tell you that the Qur'an advocates the use of the heart and mind in forming opinions. If both parents are faithful to their interpretations of the Creator's will, then the children will make informed decisions when they come of age.

I would be happy to officiate at the ceremony depending on my availability. You may reach me through www.forpeoplewhothink.org.”

Dr. Khaleel Mohammed studied Sharia at Muhammad bin Saud University in Riyadh (Sunni) and the Zeinabiyya in Damascus (Shia). He holds a Ph.D. in Islamic law from McGill University.

[mohamed N melinda 0]

Scholars of Islam, as-salamu `alaykum wa rahamatu Allah wa barakatuh. We have heard some people saying that a Muslim woman can marry a non-Muslim man without leaving Islam because the verse that prohibits Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men was confined to the early time of Islam. What is your opinion in this regard?

Also, we have read in the news that a Muslim Sudanese girl has married a Christian Ethiopian man in a ceremony backed by a controversial religious edict by a local scholar allowing Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men. What do you, Muslim scholars, say on this?

Date

24/May/2006

Name of Counsellor

Muzammil Siddiqi, Faysal Mawlawi

Topic

Marriage

Answer

Wa`alykum As-Salamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, we are greatly impressed by your question for it’s related to the affairs of our fellow Muslims. We seize the chance to earnestly implore Allah from the depths of our hearts to lead all perplexed men and women to the light of Islam, the true religion of Allah.

First of all, it should be crystal clear that the Qur’an is Allah’s guidance to people in every time and place, even the Qur’anic verses which were revealed in certain occasions during the Prophet’s lifetime are to be applied according to the general meaning of the text, irrespective of the particular cause of revelation. In the same vein, no one has the right to assume that some verses of the Qur’an were confined to the early time of Islam except with a solid evidence based on the Qur’an or the Sunnah.

As for the issue of a Muslim girl marrying a non-Muslim man, there is no way to justify it. This has been categorically forbidden by the Qur’an: [… Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise] (Al-Baqarah 2: 221).

All Muslim jurists have unanimously agreed that this kind of marriage is forbidden. Violating the consensus (ijma`) of the Muslim scholars is not acceptable under any pretext.

Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi, Deputy Chairman of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, states:

This is totally untrue. Muslim scholars of all ages agree that a Muslim woman is not permitted to marry a non-Muslim man. This is proven by the following Qur’anic verses:

[… Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise] (Al-Baqarah 2: 221).

[O ye who believe! When believing women come unto you as fugitives, examine them. Allah is best aware of their faith. Then, if ye know them for true believers, send them not back unto the disbelievers. They are not lawful for the disbelievers, nor are the disbelievers lawful for them] (Al-Mumtahinah 60: 10).

The overwhelming majority of Muslim scholars hold the view that if it happens that a non-Muslim woman embraces Islam while her husband remains non-Muslim, she is to leave him and separation should occur. In this specific case, some Muslim jurists hold the view that she can keep on living with him without having intercourse so long as he does not persecute her and she hopes hat he may embrace Islam one day. Another opinion is that such a woman can remain at her non-Muslim husband’s house while holding all duties and responsibilities so long as she expects his conversion and the conversion of the children. Those two opinions still go in contrary to the mainstream of Muslim scholars and it’s somehow confined to a specific case, namely when a woman embraces Islam when she is already married to a non-Muslim.

In contrast, a Muslim woman is, according to the consensus of Muslim scholars, never permitted to marry a non-Muslim man. Falling into this sin is tantamount to committing adultery. Yet, it falls short of apostasy. As for claiming that the verse(s) forbidding a Muslim woman from marrying a non-Muslim is (are) confined to the early days of Islam, this is not true. All the Qur’anic verses address all Muslims until the day of Resurrection and they are to abide by the rules imbedded in them as far as they can. The verses forbidding Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men, is for all people at all ages.

Focusing on the question of interfaith marriage, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, president of the Fiqh Council of North America, states:

As far as the interfaith marriages are concerned, Islam does not encourage them. The general rule of Islam is that Muslims should marry Muslims. A Muslim male or female should not marry a non-Muslim male or female. Allah Almighty says: [… Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise] (Al-Baqarah 2: 221).

The only exception is given to Muslim men who are allowed to marry the girls from among the People of the Book. Allah Almighty says: [This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honor, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter] (Al-Ma’dah 5: 5).

For the satisfaction of your heart, let me explain why Muslim men are allowed to marry women from among the People of the Book and why Muslim women are not allowed to do so.

First of all, it is not an honor or a privilege to marry a non-Muslim. It is a burden and a big responsibility. It is better to abstain from such marriages. Muslim men who are living in non-Muslim countries in particular should not marry non-Muslim women. However, man being the head of his household is more capable to handle the needs and problems of his non-Muslim (Christian or Jewish) wife. Muslims believe that Moses and Jesus (peace and blessings be upon them all) were Prophets of Allah and so they give them full honor and respect.

Jews and Christians do not consider Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as the Prophet of Allah. Thus they are unable to give the same respect and honor to him and to his followers. A Jewish or Christian woman with a Muslim husband will be in a much better position than a Muslim woman with a Jewish or a Christian husband. Even then, there are many non-Muslim women who married outside their faith say that they wish their religion too had forbidden them, because they know how difficult and hard it is to be the wife of a husband who has a different faith.

A Muslim woman should know that Allah has really honored her and made it easy for her by not allowing her to marry a non-Muslim man.

According to the Qur'an, the husband is the head of the household and his wife should obey him. Allah does not put the Muslim woman in a position that a non-Muslim becomes her head in her own private life. Allah has spared her to suffer from being under the authority of a non-Muslim husband

Name of Questioner

Zenab

Title

Why a Muslim Woman Is Not Allowed to Marry a Non-Muslim Man

Question

Dear Sheikhs, As-Salamu `alaykum. I would like to know why a woman is not allowed to marry a non-Muslim man while a Muslim man can marry a Jewish or Christian lady? What is the wisdom of that? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Date

28/Sep/2003

Name of Mufti

Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, Muhammad `Ali Al-Hanooti

Topic

Marriage

Answer

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

First of all, it is to be stressed that Islam does not encourage the interfaith marriages. The general rule of Islam is that Muslims should marry Muslims. A Muslim male or female should not marry a non-Muslim male or female. The only exception is given to Muslim men who are allowed to marry the chaste girls from among the People of the Book.

However, a Muslim woman is better suited to a Muslim man than a woman of Christian or Jewish faith, regardless of her merits. This is because marriage is not based on fulfilling one’s sexual desires; rather, it is an institution. It aims to establish a home on the bases of tranquility, faith and Islamic morals. To fulfil this task, the whole family must apply Allah’s course and try to convey His message.

It is obvious that Islam made it impermissible for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim with aim of keeping her away from things that may jeopardize her faith. In fact, Islam aims at protecting religion. To achieve this goal, it prohibits a Muslim from being involved in something that represents a threat to his religion. A Muslim woman will not feel that her religion is secure while being with a Jewish or a Christian husband especially as the majority of the People of the Book do not show due respect to our Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Allah Almighty says: “And the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, till thou follow their creed. Say: Lo! The guidance of Allah (Himself) is Guidance. And if thou shouldst follow their desires after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, then wouldst thou have from Allah no protecting friend nor helper.” (Al-Baqarah: 120)

Given the fact that the husband is generally the head of the household, it's not far-fetched for a non-Muslim husband to prevent his Muslim wife from performing some Islamic rituals which may seem a nuisance to him, for example fasting, or even refraining from marital relations during the fast. As a result, he might force her to change her religion, and if she refuses, the situation may culminate in divorce.

As for why Islam allows a Muslim man to marry a Christian or Jewish woman, it's clear that every Muslim believes in Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) and he holds all the Prophets of Allah in high esteem. Thus a Muslim finds no harm in his wife’s being a Christian or a Jew, for the spirit of tolerance Islam holds for other religions is ingrained in him.

In his response to the question you raised, the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hanooti, member of the North American Fiqh Council, states:

"If Allah is the one who prohibits a Muslim woman from marrying a non-Muslim, then we as Muslims are supposed to believe it and to take it. As a matter of faith, you cannot become a Muslim unless you accept everything when it is ordained by Allah or carried out by his Messenger. The Qur'an says, "O Ye who believe! Put not yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger…" (Al-Hujurat: )

If you ask about the benefits of not marrying a non-Muslim, we can count you many reasons. A man is the manager of his household. He will persecute his Muslim wife in many dos and don'ts. She can hardly guarantee that kind of operation. Moreover, marriage is an institution for elevating our levels of having a good Islamic life. Pleasing Allah is our number one goal. If a woman is married to a non-Muslim, maybe the only thing she will accomplish in her marital life is what is good for livestock."

Shedding more light on the question, we'd like to cite the words of the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, in his well-known book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam:

"It is haram for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man, regardless of whether he is of the People of the Book or not. We have already mentioned the saying of Allah, "...and do not marry (your girls) to idolaters until they believe..." (Al-Baqarah: 221)

And He said concerning the immigrant Muslim women: "Then if you know them to be Believers, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are not lawful for them (as wives), nor are they lawful for them (as husbands)." (Al-Mumtahanah: 10)

No text exists which makes exceptions for the People of the Book. Hence, on the basis of the above verses, there is a consensus among Muslims concerning this prohibition.

Thus, while a Muslim man is permitted to marry a Christian or Jewish woman, a Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a Christian or Jewish man. There are many sound reasons for this difference. First, the man is the head of the household, the one who maintains the family, and he is responsible for his wife. And while Islam guarantees freedom of belief and practice to the Christian or Jewish wife of a Muslim, safeguarding her rights according to her own faith, other religions, such as Judaism and Christianity, do not guarantee the wife of a different faith freedom of belief and practice, nor do they safeguard her rights. Since this is the case, how can Islam take chances on the future of its daughters by giving them into the hands of people who neither honor their religion nor are concerned to protect their rights?

A marriage between a man and woman of different faiths can be based only on the husband's respect for his wife's beliefs; otherwise a good relationship can never develop. Now, the Muslim believes that both Judaism and Christianity originated in divine revelation, although later distortions were introduced into them. He also believes that God revealed the Tawrah to Moses and the Injeel to Jesus, and that both Moses and Jesus (peace be on them) were among the Messengers of Allah who were distinguished by their steadfast determination. Accordingly, the Christian or Jewish wife of a Muslim lives under the protection of a man who respects the basic tenets of her faith, her Scripture, and her Prophets, while in contrast to this the Jew or Christian recognizes neither the Divine origin of Islam, its Book, or its Prophet (peace be on him). How then could a Muslim woman live with such a man, while her religion requires of her the observance of certain worships, duties, and obligations, as well as certain prohibitions. It would be impossible for the Muslim woman to retain her respect for her beliefs as well as to practice her religion properly if she were opposed in this regard by the master of the house at every step.

It will be realized from this that Islam is consistent with itself in prohibiting the Muslim man to marry a mushrik (polytheist) woman, for since Islam is absolutely opposed to shirk (polytheism), it would obviously be impossible for two such people to live together in harmony and love."

Allah Almighty knows best

[mohamed N melinda 0]

Name of Questioner

Sajidah - Uzbekistan

Title

Marrying a Non-Muslim Male

Question

I am wondering if you will be able to give me some advice on a problem of mine. I live in the United States and I have many friends who are Christians. Some of these friends are males. Recently, my feelings for a male friend have grown deeper. I feel I am falling in love with him. It is at the point where I want to marry him, since he also has feelings for me.

However, I do not want to commit anything that is against Islam. Why is it okay for men to marry Christian women yet Muslim women are not allowed to marry Christian men? That is what my parents have told me. I don't know what to do. Can you please give me some assistance?

Date

21/Sep/2003

Name of Mufti

Muzammil Siddiqi

Topic

Marriage

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, thank you very much for having confidence in us, and we hope our efforts, which are purely for His Sake, meet your expectations.

In his response to the question in point, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, former president of the Islamic Society of North America, states the following:

“The issue of friendship here has nothing to do with being Muslim or non-Muslim. You should not have taken Muslim or non-Muslim males as your friends. The Qur’an and the Sunnah have given us rules about relations between men and women.

There are two types of people: Mahram and non-Mahram. Mahram are those relatives between whom marriage is not allowed. Non-Mahram are those among whom marriage is permissible. Referring to this, Allah Almighty says: “ Forbidden unto you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your father's sisters, and your mother's sisters, and your brother's daughters and your sister's daughters, and your foster mothers, and your foster sisters, and your mothers-in-law, and your stepdaughters who are under your protection (born) of your women unto whom ye have gone in but if ye have not gone in unto them, then it is no sin for you (to marry their daughters) and the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins. And (it is forbidden unto you) that ye should have two sisters together, except what hath already happened (of that nature) in the past. Lo! Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (An-Nisaa’: 23)

Muslim men and women can socialize among the Mahrams, but not among the non-Mahrams. When men and women are in the presence of non-Mahrams then they must lower their gaze. Allah Almighty says: “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigor, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed. And marry such of you as are solitary and the pious of your slaves and maid servants. If they be poor; Allah will enrich them of His bounty. Allah is of ample means, Aware.” (An-Nur: 30-31)

He Almighty also says: “O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women. If ye keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you), but utter customary speech.” (Al-Ahzab: 32)

Hence it is clear that Islam does not allow Muslims to have friends from the opposite gender. Males should not have female friends and females should not have male friends. Non-Mahram males and females may talk to each other, but should not socialize or go out in parties.

A single male and female should never be together in a place where they are all alone, isolated without the access of any one else. Islam has given these rules to save men and women from committing sin or getting involved in situations where they might commit sin.

As far as the interfaith marriages are concerned, Islam does not encourage them. The general rule of Islam is that Muslims should marry Muslims. A Muslim male or female should not marry a non-Muslim male or female. Allah Almighty says: “ Wed not idolatresses till they believe; for lo! a believing bondwoman is better than an idolatress though she please you; and give not your daughters in marriage to idolaters till they believe, for lo! a believing slave is better than an idolater though he please you. These invite unto the Fire, and Allah inviteth unto the Garden, and unto forgiveness by His grace, and expoundeth thus His revelations to mankind that haply they may remember.” (Al-Baqarah: 221)

The only exception is given to Muslim men who are allowed to marry the girls from among the People of the Book. Allah Almighty says: “This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honor, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.” (Al-Ma’dah: 5)

For the satisfaction of your heart, let me explain why Muslim men are allowed to marry women from among the People of the Book and why Muslim women are not allowed to do so.

First of all, it is not an honor or a privilege to marry a non-Muslim. It is a burden and a big responsibility. It is better to abstain from such marriages. Muslim men who are living in non-Muslim countries in particular should not marry non-Muslim women. However, man being the head of his household is more capable to handle the needs and problems of his non-Muslim (Christian or Jewish) wife. Muslims believe that Moses and Jesus, peace and blessings be upon them all, were Prophets of Allah and so they give them full honor and respect.

Jews and Christians do not consider Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as the Prophet of Allah. Thus they are unable to give the same respect and honor to him and to his followers. A Jewish or Christian woman with a Muslim husband will be in a much better position than a Muslim woman with a Jewish or a Christian husband. Even then, there are many non-Muslim women who married outside their faith say that they wish their religion too had forbidden them, because they know how difficult and hard it is to be the wife of a husband who has a different faith.

A Muslim woman should know that Allah has really honored her and made it easy for her by not allowing her to marry a non-Muslim man.

According to the Qur'an, the husband is the head of the household and his wife should obey him. Allah does not put the Muslim woman in a position that a non-Muslim becomes her head in her own private life. Allah has spared her to suffer from being under the authority of a non-Muslim husband.

Please abandon the idea of marrying a non-Muslim, unless he truly accepts Islam. If you marry a non-Muslim, this will be a major sin. You will be living in sin and your relationship with that non-Muslim will be illegitimate in the eyes of Allah. May Allah protect you from all sins, Amen.”

If you have any further comments, please don't hesitate to write back!

Allah Almighty knows best

[mohamed N melinda 0]

Name of Questioner

Shahin

Title

My Daughter Married a Non-Muslim Man!

Question

What should a Muslim father living in a Western country do, when his daughter marries a non-Muslim man against his will?

Date

08/Feb/2004

Name of Mufti

Group of Muftis

Topic

Marriage

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner! Thank you for your question and the confidence you place in our service, and we pray to Allah to enable us render this service purely for His Sake.

The problem of Muslim women going with non-Muslim men in the West and marrying them is really a serious problem that needs cautious handling. Unwise handling will only further complicate the matter. In fact, in the West, as anywhere else, from the very beginning, parents should pay due care to raising their children as Muslims, instructing them in the teachings of Islam, and bringing them up in an Islamic environment. This will help them avoid such things, for they will understand that a Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man. It is important here to remember that prevention is better than cure. However, when a father is faced with his daughter coming with a non-Muslim man and saying “Hey, dad! This is my husband!' he has to be very cautious and never lose his temper.

The prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Hulail, Imam of Tariq ibn Ziad Mosque in Frankfort, Germany, tries to offer us some advice in this regard:

"In fact, the point raised in the question is one of the serious problems that many Muslim fathers do face in the Western countries. This problem should be tackled seriously from all sides. One of the main reasons behind this problem is the parents neglecting to bring up their children to be true Muslims.

It is against Islamic law for a Muslim woman marry a non-Muslim man. However, some Muslim women, unfortunately, do breach this Islamic principle and marry non-Muslim men.

If a Muslim father faces a problem of such kind with his daughter, he should not resort to violence with her. The European law would guarantee her and her husband protection and might even prevent the father from seeing his daughter for a long time. Prudence is the most appropriate way to follow in treating this problem; the father is to wisely try to convince his daughter of the wrongness of her action in the Islamic point of view and show her his concern for her sake in that regard.

Then, he is to try to take some further steps to solve such a problem. For example, he can attempt to convince his daughter's husband to accept Islam. Allah Almighty might will that the husband embrace Islam, in which case, the marriage would be lawful under the Islamic law. The father then would be pleased, first, for attracting a new person to Islam, and second, for guaranteeing that his daughter would lead a life according to the Islamic Law.

If the husband does not accept Islam, the father should not severe the relationship with his daughter on the pretext that the marriage is against Islamic Law. He should remain on good terms with her and keep exerting his utmost so as to persuade her to return to the right path of Islam. If he is already sincere in his attempts to do so, Almighty Allah will help him and may guide the man his daughter married to the right path."

Focusing more on this issue, the prominent Muslim scholar Dr. Jamal Badawi, professor at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and member of the Fiqh Council of North America, also states:

"The first thing a father is to do in that regard is to make it clear that he and his wife do not agree with the marriage, as this is something that is decisive and clear in Shar`iah. A Muslim woman should marry only a Muslim man.

Second, the father should not sever all relationship with his daughter because, given the setting in the Western world, it might even increase her intransigence, and a girl or woman who marries a non-Muslim obviously seems to have some problem with her understanding of and commitment to Islam. So, by severing all relationship, actually, it might push her towards intransigence. As a father—God forbid it that happens—of course, I could not justify to myself being a part of the wedding, for example. That might be hard on the parents, but they should do so [i.e., refuse to attend], for attending the wedding may appear as sanction and acceptance of the marriage. Rather, the parents are to make it clear that marriage is not acceptable and that it this is something that would hurt them. But, meanwhile, they are to indicate that their love for and relationship with their daughter is something that will continue, that the father's home would be open for her, and that should anything happen in the future to her, he would be there to help. In other words, the parents should have a balanced and careful relationship with their daughter. They should express their disapproval and displeasure, but they should also continue the relationship and the show of concern and love, because that may, it is hoped, soften her heart. She may by herself realize what she did and become more committed and want to have some changes in her life.

It is quite possible she married the person because she has had a strong emotional attraction to him, but she may then realize that things do not work as she had expected and the marriage may break down. In which case, there should be always a welcoming home for her to come back to. But more importantly, of course, is what led to that situation. It may be, in part, a lack of understanding why Islam does not allow a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man, while it allows Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women, and whether this is depriving a woman of any privilege.

One has to understand that there are specific reasons why it is permitted for Muslim men, but not Muslim women, to marry non-Muslims [but only Christians or Jews]. By the way, this is not recommended; it has been allowed by way of exception. This is not discrimination; there are good reasons for it. The Muslim woman should, after all, have the right to practice her faith and to raise her children without pressure from a husband who does not believe in her religion. A non-Muslim husband does not believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), does not believe in the Qur'an, does not believe even in Islam as a legitimate religion.

On the other hand, when a Muslim man marries a woman of the Book, he guarantees her freedom to practice her religion, for he principally believes in the Heavenly Book she believes in, that is, in its original form. His religion teaches him that he is obligated not to oppress her. So, she can practice her religion freely, in the whole, not just in individual cases.

Furthermore, there is a very good reason why this permission was given to men from the early days of Islam. The early Muslims were the ones who carried the message of Islam to many places in the world and even resided there for good. If they had not been allowed to marry People of the Book, it would have been very difficult to them to maintain their chastity. And as a result of marrying from these countries, their wives, actually, accepted Islam and their children were raised as Muslims, and that was how Islam spread in the world.

So there were specific situations why that exception did serve the purpose for men. In the case of women, they need to have full protection in respect of their religious rights, and that can only be guaranteed by marrying not only a Muslim, but a good Allah-fearing Muslim who would not mistreat them or interfere in their religious practice."

Here, we'd like also to cite the words of Sheikh Ounis Guergah, Head of the Fatwa House, Paris, France:

"The Muslim father should not agree to that kind of marriage. He should try to persuade his daughter not to marry a non-Muslim man, for it is unlawful for the Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man. Such a relationship between the Muslim woman and the non-Muslim man is regarded in Islam as a kind of fornication. However, the parents should remain on good terms with their daughter, so that she may not turn away from Islam altogether. The parents also should be wise in dealing with their daughter's partner, so that he may one day accept Islam. If he embraced Islam, the contract of marriage would be rewritten, then, to be lawful in Islam."

[mohamed N melinda 0]

Name of Questioner

Zonto - Ghana

Title

A Muslim Woman Married to a Non-Muslim: Is She Still Considered a Muslim?

Question

What is the status of a woman who prays five times daily, fast during Ramadan, pay Zakah but remains married to a non-Muslim man? Can she be called a Muslim? Does the Qur'an have any injunction on Muslim women marrying non-Muslims?

Date

04/Sep/2002

Name of Counsellor

Group of Muftis

Topic

Marital relationships, Marriage

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, we would like to thank you for showing keenness on learning the teachings of Islam, and we appreciate the great confidence you have in us. We hope our efforts meet your expectations, yet we apologize for the late reply.

First of all, it’s important for a Muslim woman to know the essence of the ruling that she should not marry a non-Muslim; she should know that it’s a great honor for her to be bared from doing so. According to the Qur'an, the husband is the head of a household, and as such his wife should obey him. Almighty Allah does not want to put the Muslim woman in a position that a non-Muslim becomes her head in her own private life. Allah has spared her from being under the authority of a non-Muslim husband. Please read first the following fatwa for more details:

Marrying a Non-Muslim Male

With regard to whether a woman who is already married to a non-Muslim man will be regarded as a Muslim or not, we would like to furnish you with the views of different scholars regarding the issue.

Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Imam of Calgary Mosque, Canada, and Former Professor at King Saud Univ., Saudi Arabia, answers:

“Dear Brother, your question actually touches on the Islamic legal status of a Muslim woman married to a non-Muslim. First of all, I would like to explain two things before quoting the relevant verses regarding the main question:

1-Any effect in faith is decisive, and any practice of Islam will not benefit the person if he or she does not have sound belief.

2- The Qur’an and Sunnah are both the sources of Shari’ah, so we will follow the Sunnah the same way we follow the Qur’an. And the way to apply the text and to extract meanings from it is called Fiqh. So we need to seek the expert opinion of fiqh scholars for understanding the sure and exact meaning of the legal text.

Now let me quote for you two verses from the Qur’an concerning the Islamic ruling of a Muslim woman marrying a non-Muslim man. The first verse is mentioned in Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 221, where Allah, the Almighty, says:

“And do not give (believing women) in marriage to idolaters until they believe, and certainly a believing servant is better than an idolater, even though he should please you.”

The second verse is no. 10 in Surat Al-Mumtahinah, where Allah, the Almighty, says:

“O ye who believe! When there come to you believing women refugees, examine (and test) them: Allah knows best as to their Faith: if ye ascertain that they are Believers, then send them not back to the Unbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them.”

In the light of the foregoing verses and according to the practice of Muslims, it is absolutely Haram (forbidden) for a Muslim woman to get married to a non-Muslim man. This is one of the basics of Islam, and any woman is not supposed to violate the ruling whatever the case maybe.

Now, we have some relevant cases: If a Muslim woman is married to a non-Muslim man believing that this is Halal (permissible) while being aware of the clear-cut proofs prohibiting this, then she has committed an act of disbelief by denying a ruling which has been established by Ijma’ (consensus of scholars).

Another case is that of a non-Muslim woman who has embraced Islam while her husband is still non-Muslim. In this case, it is not wise, as Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and a number of prominent scholars have stated, to tell the lady to leave her husband the moment she embraces Islam especially if she has kids and her husband can be convinced to convert to Islam. So, in this case, I would say that the lady should work on her husband and try to give him time to consider Islam in an attempt to embrace Islam and resume their matrimonial life. If her husband accepts Islam, then marriage is to be resumed; otherwise she has to leave him. If she stays with him then she will be committing a huge sin which might result also to the stage of Riddah (apostasy) if she gets to know the ruling and still prefers to stay with her husband.

A Muslim lady must not take this ruling lightly for its violation might cause her to lose not only her acts of worships but her faith (Iman) too, if she insists on violating the Islamic ruling regarding this.”

Sheikh Hamed Al-Ali, instructor of Islamic Heritage at the Faculty of Education, Kuwait and Imam of Dahiat As-Sabahiyya Mosque, confirms:

"If a Muslim woman gets married to a non-Muslim, she will be committing a huge sin and will even be regarded as an adulteress. If she considers it Halal for her to stay in this marriage, denies the prohibition established by the Shari`ah in explicit and unequivocal words, and finds nothing wrong Islamically in keeping up this marriage, then she would be considered a Kafir (disbeliever) in this case."

The late prominent scholar Sheikh Mustafa Az-Zarqa, may Allah bless his soul, points out:

“As for the marriage of a Muslim woman to a non-Muslim man, there is no way to justify it. It has been categorically forbidden by the Qur’an: “And do not give (believing women) in marriage to idolaters until they believe.”

“O ye who believe! When there come to you believing women refugees, examine (and test) them: Allah knows best as to their Faith: if ye ascertain that they are Believers, then send them not back to the Unbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them.”

All Muslim jurists have unanimously agreed that this kind of marriage is forbidden.

However, I would like to take into consideration a public interest regarding some cases which result from this marriage. We should differentiate between a Muslim woman who marries someone from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), not caring about the difference in religion between them, and a woman from the People of the Book who accepted Islam while her husband is still non-Muslim, and she has kids from him. In the latter case, the woman is not allowed to live with her non-Muslim husband unless he becomes a Muslim; however it is possible that the dissolution of marriage does not take place right away upon the husband’s refusal to embrace Islam.

It is reported that the Prophet’s daughter Zainab was married, before Islam, to a polytheistic man called Abul `As Ibn Ar-Rubayy`. The latter participated with the disbelievers in the Battle of Badr and he was taken captive by Muslims. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, released him on the condition that he would send Zainab free. Abul `As did what he promised the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to do.

Then it happened that Abul `As went to Ash-Shaam (the Levant) with a caravan, and on his way back he was intercepted by the expedition of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. All the people in the caravan were arrested with the exception of Abu Abul `As, who ran away. When it was the night, Abul `As came to Zainab, may Allah be pleased with her, and sought her protection, and she did protect him. At the Fajr prayer, she, may Allah be pleased with her, went to the Masjid and announced that she had given refuge to Abul `As. Upon saying this, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to her: “Make his stay honorable, but don’t let him have intercourse with you for you are no longer lawful for him.”

It is said that Abul `As returned to Makkah to give back the trusts to their rightful owners; then he went back to Madinah, embraced Islam, and then returned to his wife Zainab. It is not reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did make a new Nikah (marriage contract) for his daughter.

The lesson we learn from this incident is that a wife’s patience towards her non-Muslim husband might guide his heart to Islam. So, a Muslim wife should try to give her husband some time, and invite him to Islam. However, in all case, she is not allowed to have sexual intercourse with him.

Thus, we conclude that it is completely Haram for a Muslim woman to get married to a non-Muslim man, and a Muslim woman must not violate this prohibition that has been established by clear-cut proofs from the Qur’an and Sunnah. If a Muslim woman does go against this ruling out of weakness in her faith, then she will still be considered a sinful Muslim committing a great sin that would even reach the stage of Zina if she knows the ruling and still denies it. However, if she violates the ruling out of stubbornness, denying the ruling of Allah, and considering this act to be permissible, while being aware of the proofs and evidence speaking against this forbidden act, then she will be considered as a Kafir and outside the fold of Islam.

[crazyinEgypt 0]

So much for me just reading the forums as I typically do. I have to ask regarding the fornification and Islam Is it not true that Islam forbids premarital sex? Is that why there's so many fiance visas in MENA that have children together? Not that I care, because I don't. I just find it interesting.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

So much for me just reading the forums as I typically do. I have to ask regarding the fornification and Islam Is it not true that Islam forbids premarital sex? Is that why there's so many fiance visas in MENA that have children together? Not that I care, because I don't. I just find it interesting.

and the reason they ask you about this (if u have) when you go to get your marriage papers okd

[mohamed N melinda 0]

I'm not sure what you are saying. Is that a typo? First you say that Muslim women cant marry non-Muslim men, then you say that there is no law that says thay cant marry non-Muslim men.

The first part, Muslim women cant marry non-Muslim man, is wrong. The second part, there is no law that says they cant marry non-Muslim men, is right. There is no need for a law to allow what Allah has not prohibited.

There is nothing in the sharia that forbids Muslim women from marriage with ahl al kitab men. The "law" is from fiqh, the mutable, challengable, mortal determinations from men that can be and are changed. Fiqh is not divine as, is sharia, and it is not binding on all Muslims. Since only God can make haram, marriage between Muslim women and men of the Book is not haram, it is only makruh, as are marriages between Muslim men and non-Muslim western women, a convemniently overlooked element of the fiqh of marriage.

Also, the Quran clearly says that Allah determines what a person's faith will be, so the faith of children is not "inherited" from a parent, male or female. That is evidenced by the conversions of Muslims out of Islam, and of non-Muslims into Islam. I am Muslim, my deceased husband was Christian, our children are all Muslims. Four of my cousins, who had a Muslim father and Christian mother, only one is Muslim. Allah says He designed the world for us to believe differently so we will learn to live together and strive toward him; It is hubris to believe that the father of a child controls his belief, and it is easy to prove that wrong.

If you are referring to me as a convert spreading wrong information, I am not a convert. I am a born Muslim from a Palestinan family who learned my faith from learned, legitimate scholars. We are called upon to read and learn, and I have done so in context of the history of sharia and Islamic law, with the ability to discriminate between the taint of culture and the law itself that is lacking in the laymen, born Muslim or not. Nothing less should be accepted when discussin weighty issues.

now virtual wife

DO YOU NEED ANY MORE EVIDENCE FROM QURAN AND SUNNAH TO KNOW THAT MUSLIM WOMEN CANT MARRY MUSLIM MEN IT IS HARAAAAAAAM

it doesnot mean that you were married to non muslim man that it is halal and allowed to marry non muslim men

you should ask for forgivness sister

and please dont spread those wrong information about islam again

Allah guide us all to his striaght path Ameen