In the name of Allah, Most Gracious and Most Merciful
All Praise be to Allah
Marriage is a social institution that is considered very important in Islam. Through marriage, generations will continue.
Interfaith marriage is always being debated and is quite controversial in the community, especially among those communities that have a wide variety of people with different religions and in which Muslims and non-Muslims interact frequently. This question often arises concerning the subject of marriage: can a Muslim marry a non-Muslim? What, according to the Islamic perspective, is the status of interfaith marriage?
Islam does not encourage 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. 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. The goal is to achieve uniformity in many ways, including educating the children in the future.
In Islam, a Muslim man can not marry a non-Muslim woman unless she is Christian or Jewish. He is not allowed to marry a non-Muslim woman believing in any religion other than these two religions. The only exception is given to Muslim men who are allowed to marry the chaste girls (women who guard of honor) from among the People of the Book (Ahlul Kitab), as written in this verse of Al-Qur’an:
وَلَا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكَاتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنُوا ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ بِإِذْنِهِ ۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُو |
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 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).
Another verse from Surah Al-Maidah:5 reads:
This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] women who guard of honor from among the believers and women who guard of honor from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers. And whoever denies the faith – his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.
Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah said, ” Women of the Book (ahlul kitab, means Jews and Christians) may be married to Muslim men under this verse.”
It means a Muslim man is allowed to marry ahlul kitab (Christians and Jews) but not others (such as Hindus, Buddhists, and/or Confucians).
However, the Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a non-Muslim man even if he is a Christian or a Jew. Why?
Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’la, says:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا جاءكم المؤمنات مهاجرات فامتحنوهن الله أعلم بإيمانهن فإن علمتموهن مؤمنات فلا ترجعوهن إلى الكفار لا هن حل لهم ولا هم يحلون لهن
“O ye who believe , when it comes to you emigrated women who believe , you shall test them. God knows more about their faith. If you already know that they are (really) believers do not return them (believing women) to (their husbands) unbelievers. They (believing women) are not lawful for the infidels and unbelievers are not lawful for them.“ (Al- Mumtahanah:10).
Ibn Kathir rahimahullah said:
هذه الآية هي التي حرمت المسلمات على المشركين
“This verse (verse 10 of Surah Al-Mumtahanah) indicates that illegitimate Muslim women marry male idolaters (non-Muslims).
The eminent Muslim scholar, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, in his well-known book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam said:
“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 from Kitabullah (Al-Qur’an) , “…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).
It is obvious that Islam made it impermissible for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim with the aim of keeping her away from things that may jeopardize her faith. In fact, Islam aims at protecting religion. Man by nature tends to be dominant and woman by nature tends to be compromising.
Primarily Islam teaches us to believe in all the prophets, ‘alaihi salam, that were sent by Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, to Mankind. Thus a Muslim by default believes in Jesus and Moses, ‘alaihuma salam. On the other hand, the Christian does not believe in Prophet Muhammad, Shalallahu ‘alaihi Wa sallam, and the Jew does not believe in Prophet Muhammad, Shalallahu ‘alaihi Wa sallam, nor that Jesus, ‘alaihi salam, is of the prophets of Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. This is a very important point because a Muslim man would by default respect the prophet which his non-Muslim wife believes in but a non-Muslim man would not believe or respect the prophet which his wife believes in. After the couple has children, the non-Muslim wife would teach their child to love and respect the prophet she believes in. The Muslim man would certainly not object if his child is being taught to love Jesus or Moses, ‘alaihuma salam. On the other hand the non-Muslim husband might object when his Muslim wife would teach their child about Islam.
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 should 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)
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.”
Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, says:
O Ye who believe! Put not yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger; but fear Allah: for Allah is He Who hears and knows all thing”s. (Al-Hjarat:1).
May Allah guide us all to truth and keep us on the Straight Path. Aamiin.
And Allah know best.
