#624: Is it advisable for a Muslim to marry a Non-Muslim

QUESTION

“My 2nd question is more of seeking advice,we have our Muslim fellows that are reverts and practice Islam to the best of their ability AlhamduliLLAH, and sometyms sch a brother or sister is the only Muslim in his or her entire family, now from experience the family background of spouses affects the upbringing of offsprings that are born especially if its the father whose family r non Muslims, and it becomes difficult for the mother to give proper tarbiyyah… Will it be sinful or unwise for the guardians or parents of a woman to refuse the marriage proposal of such a fellow solely for this reason/ fear??”

ANSWER

Alhamdulillāh

Know, may Allāh be merciful to us and to you, that the Ulamā are at a consensus that it is Harām for a Muslim woman to be married out to a non-Muslim of any Creed.

The proof for this is what Allāh said:

ولا تنكحوا المشركين حتى يؤمنوا ولعبد مؤمن خير من مشرك
ولو أعجبكم أولئك يدعون إلى النار والله يدعو إلى الجنة والمغفرة بإذنه وبيين آياته للناس لعلهم يتذكرون

“And do not give out in marriage (Muslim women) to Mushrikin until they believe. And a believing slave is better than a free Mushrik, even if he amazes you. They call to the Fire and Allāh calls toward the Jannah and forgiveness by His Permission, and makes clear His signs that they may remember ”

Imām At-Tabarī – rahimahullāh – explained in his Tafsīr to this verse the generality of this ruling.

Stating that the word ‘Mushrikīn’ encompasses every non-Muslim who belongs to any other Creed outside of Islām, without exemptions.

It is not permissible to give a Muslim sister out to such a person for marriage.

This is by consensus by virtue of the verse quoted.

As for a Muslim man marrying a non-Muslim woman, then the following verse also forbids it:

ولا تنكحوا المشركات حتى يؤمنّ ولأمة مؤمنة خير من مشركة ولو أعجبتكم ..

“And do not marry women who are Mushrik until they become believing women. And a believing slave woman is better than a Mushrik woman, even if she amazes you”

This verse is generic by implication and encompasses all women that do not believe in the Message of Islām.

Except that there is an exemption to this ruling that came in the verse:

اليوم أحل لكم الطيبات وطعام الذين أوتوا الكتاب حل لكم وطعامكم حل لهم والمحصنات من المؤمنات والمحصنات من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم إذا آتيتموهن أجورهن محصنين غير مسافحين ولا متخذي أخدان

“Today the pure foods have been made permissible for you, and the food of the People of the Book is permissible for you and your food is permissible for them. Likewise are chaste women from the Believing women and chaste women from those who were given the book before you, as long as you have paid them their due (Sadāq), to attain chastity, not for lewdness..”

This verse takes out the women of the Christians and the Jews from the ruling and makes them permissible for the Muslim man to marry.

And based on this, the Ulamā differed on the conditions for the marriage between a Muslim man and a Christian or Jewish lady.

These differences are not intended to be addressed in this response and shall be treated in another question Allāh willing.

But as regards to this, it is not permissible for a Muslim girl to be given in marriage to a non-Muslim man of whatever creed.

And it is not advisable for a Muslim man in this era to marry a non-Muslim woman for whatever reason due to the weakness of Islām, the inability to ensure that the training of the Children are guaranteed in Islām and the harmony of the family is preserved.

And Allāh knows best.

Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran.

📚IslamNode