Muslim Man Marrying A Chaste Christian Woman (Free Not Loose Or Immoral)
Islamic Rulings -
Living Shariah Verdicts
Islamic Questions & Answers
I would be
most grateful for your help with the following issue.
My daughter is a Christian (Woman of the Book) and she
would like to marry a Muslim man and she does not want
to change her religion.
They are both living in Singapore and I have been told
that in Singapore because the Muslim relogion is not
the dominant religion he cannot marry her unless she
becomes a Muslim. Is this the case? If it is not, can
they both be married in a Muslim wedding service even
if my daughter remains a Christian and could the
Muslim man also take part in a Christian wedding
service after he has been married according to the
Muslim tradition.
I am sorry to submit such a long question but this
issue is causing considerable difficulties in our
family and I would like to have the correct Muslim law
on this issue so I can resolve the problem with the
least upset to all. I thank you in anticipation.
Praise be to Allaah.
Islam does
not prevent marriage to a Christian woman if she is
chaste. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"…The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of
the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is
lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. (Lawful to
you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers
and chaste women from those who were given the
Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when
you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by
the husband to his wife at the time of marriage),
desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock)
not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking
them as girlfriends…"
[al-Maa'idah 5:5]
What is meant by chaste women is that they are free
(not slaves) and chaste (not loose or immoral).
See also question no. 2527
But if a woman is not chaste, and she has boyfriends
or lovers with whom she is intimate, then Islam
forbids marriage to her, whether she is a Muslim or a
woman from among the People of the Book, just as it
forbids marriage to a man who has girlfriends or
lovers, to protect married life from collapse and to
protect against mixing of lineages and to avoid causes
of dispute, accusation and suspicion.
With regard to the Muslim husband attending marriage
parties according to the Christian tradition, this is
not permissible because there will be many things in
these celebrations that are forbidden in Islam, such
as free mixing between men and women, listening to
music, drinking alcohol, dancing etc.
In the hadeeth the Prophet (Peace And Blessings Of
Allaah Be Upon Him) said: "Whoever believes in Allaah
and the Last Day, let him not sit at a table where
wine is being drunk." Narrated by Ahmad, 1/20; al-Bayhaqi,
7/366. Al-Albaani said in al-Irwa', 7/6: it is saheeh.
We thank you for your noble feelings and this good
attitude and your keenness to ask about the Islamic
rulings on this matter.
We ask Allaah to help you and guide you to the
religion of Islam. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of
the Worlds.
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