Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

Marrying a Christian woman

· 30 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1443 AH2 min readFatwa 38480English

Question

Assalam-o-allekum,I really need help, Well i want to ask is it permissible for a muslim boy to marry a christian girl? according to my research so far, yes this is permissible but the woman has to be a chest woman, meaning she didn't had any sexual relationships with anyone, i want to know what if that woman never had any sexual relationships but she had been a rape victim several times by someone who was blackmailing her to do this, are we then allowed to marry her? while she follows her religion! Kindly give me a answer ASAP i really need your help! JazaKallah

Answer

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

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In principle, it is permissible for a Muslim male to marry a Christian female. It presents one with the opportunity to introduce her to Islam and embrace Islam. It is not necessary that the Christian female be chaste and did not have intimate relationship before. If she was a victim of rape then too the nikaah with her will be valid. The husband should make every possible attempt to invite her towards Islam.[i]

The above is a general rule. However when one decides to marry a Christian, he should consider some of the major following challenges that come along with marrying her.

(a) If she is strong in her religion and the husband is weak in practicing Islam, there is a fear that she may influence him into Christianity. In such a situation, it will not be even permissible to marry a Christian as one puts his Iman at risk.

(b) You may also face major challenges in raising your children according to Islamic ethics and values. Before committing to marrying a Christian, consider all angles seriously. A believer ought to be sensitive to his Iman and should make Iman his measure and criteria before making any decision.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad IV Patel

Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

(2017-08-11)

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[i]

اللباب في شرح الكتاب (3/ 7)

(ويجوز تزوج الكتابيات) مطلقاً، إسرائيلية أولا، حرة أو أمة

اللباب في شرح الكتاب (ص: 254)

(ويجوز تزوج الكتابيات) مطلقاً، إسرائيلية أولا، حرة أو أمة (ولا يجوز تزوج المجوسيات) عباد النار (ولا الوثنيات) عباد الأصنام؛ لأنه لا كتاب لهم، وقال صلى اللّه عليه وسلم في مجوس هجر: (سنوا بهم سنة أهل الكتاب غير ناكحي نسائهم ولا آكلي ذبائحهم) (ويجوز تزوج الصابئيات إذا كانوا يؤمنون بنبي ويقرون بكتاب)؛ لأنهم من أهل الكتاب (وإن كانوا يعبدون الكواكب ولا كتاب لهم لم تجز مناكحتهم)؛ لأنهم مشركون،

فتح القدير - ط. الفكر (3/ 229)

والكتابي من يؤمن بنبي ويقر بكتاب والسامرية من اليهود أما من آمن بزبور داود وصحف إبراهيم وشيث فهم أهل الكتاب تحل مناكحتهم عندنا

البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق (8/ 59)

وَحَلَّ تَزَوُّجُهَا أَطْلَقَهُ وَقَيَّدَهُ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ بِقَوْلِهِ: إنْ كَانُوا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِدِينِ نَبِيٍّ وَيُقِرُّونَ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ ؛ لِأَنَّهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَإِنْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ الْكَوَاكِبَ وَلَا كِتَابَ لَهُمْ لَمْ تَجُزْ مُنَاكَحَتُهُمْ ؛ لِأَنَّهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ

المبسوط للسرخسي (5/ 50)

بَلَغَنَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ -رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ مُنَاكَحَةِ أَهْلِ الْحَرْبِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ؟ فَكَرِهَ ذَلِكَ، وَبِهِ نَأْخُذُ فَنَقُولُ: يَجُوزُ لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ كِتَابِيَّةً فِي دَارِ الْحَرْبِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ

تبيين الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق (5/ 259)

قَالَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ (وَحَلَّ تَزَوُّجُ الْكِتَابِيَّةِ) لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنْ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ }

Answered by
Muhammad IV Patel
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/38480
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-38480

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