Can a Muslim man marry a non-Muslim (and non-Ahl-al-Kitab) woman?

Sources

• ✓ 2:221 · Al-Baqara

  2:221 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكَٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌۭ مُّؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌۭ مِّن مُّشْرِكَةٍۢ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌۭ مُّؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌۭ مِّن مُّشْرِكٍۢ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

  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 His revelations to mankind that haply they may remember.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 2:221

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 2:221

  This verse serves as a prohibition from Allah, the Almighty, forbidding the believers from marrying polytheistic women who worship idols. Although the wording is general, encompassing all polytheistic women—whether from those with scriptures or idol worshippers—it is specifically restricted by another verse that permits marrying chaste women from among the People of the Book, provided they are given their dowries honorably and live chastely, never committing adultery or taking lovers (Qur'an 5:5). Ali ibn Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn Abbas that the prohibition against marrying polytheistic women does not extend to women of the People of the Book. Many early scholars including Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Mak'hul, al-Hasan, al-Dahhak, Zayd ibn Aslam, and al-Rabi' ibn Anas agreed with this view. Others said the term "polytheists" here refers strictly to idol-worshipping pagans and does not encompass all People of the Book absolutely, which is a meaning close to the first interpretation, and Allah knows best. Ibn Jarir related a narration from Abdullah ibn Abbas describing how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade marrying any women except believing emigrant women, forbidding all who had any religion other than Islam. The Almighty says: "Whoever denies faith, his deeds are worthless" (5:5). It is recorded that Talhah ibn Ubayd Allah married a Jewish woman, and Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman married a Christian woman, which made Umar ibn al-Khattab very angry, so much so he considered taking action against them. They reassured him, and Umar said that if their divorce was lawful, then so was their marriage, but he intended to keep these women away from them as he feared something worse might happen. This tradition is unusual and considered strange, a sign of Umar's sternness in these matters. Ibn Jarir notes the consensus among the scholars allowing marriage to chaste women from the People of the Book. Umar disliked it to prevent people from turning away from Muslim women or for other reasons, as narrated from various chains of transmission. In one narration, Umar wrote to Hudhayfah advising him to free the Jewish woman, fearing the influence of immoral behavior from among them. Another narration from Ibn Jarir quotes Umar ibn al-Khattab as saying, "A Muslim man may marry a Christian woman, but a Christian man may not marry a Muslim woman." This narration has a stronger chain of transmission. In addition, Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "We marry the women of the People of the Book, but they do not marry our women." Although this narration has some weakness in its chain, Ibn Jarir affirms it aligns with the consensus of the Ummah on the permissibility of marrying chaste women of the People of the Book. Ibn Abi Hatim related from Ibn Umar that he disliked marrying from the People of the Book, interpreting the verse's prohibition as applying to idol-worshipping women in particular. Al-Bukhari reported Ibn Umar saying: "I do not know a greater form of shirk than saying 'Jesus is Lord.'" Abu Bakr al-Khallal narrates that Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked about this verse, and he stated: "Polytheistic women are the Arab idolaters worshipping statues." Regarding the verse's statement: "A believing slave woman is better than a polytheistic woman, even if she pleases you," As-Suddi related that it was revealed concerning Abdullah ibn Rawahah, who had a black slave girl. When he became angry, he struck her, then feared for her and went to the Prophet ﷺ describing her. The Prophet ﷺ assured him she was a believer. Abdullah then said, "By He who sent you with the truth, I will free her and marry her." He did so, but some Muslims criticized him for marrying a slave. The people had hoped they would marry idolaters for worldly gain, but Allah revealed this verse to warn against this. 'Abdullah ibn Humayd narrated a hadith from the Prophet ﷺ advising not to marry women for their beauty, wealth, or status, but rather for their religion, as a believing, humble slave woman is better. The hadith's chain is somewhat weak. In the Sahih collections, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "A woman is married for four reasons: her wealth, lineage, beauty, or religion. So seek the one of religion, may your hands be blessed." A similar hadith from Jabir and a statement from Ibn Umar that the best enjoyment of this world is a righteous wife further affirm this principle. The verse continues: "Nor marry polytheistic men to believing women," meaning men who do not believe should not marry believing women, supported by the Qur'an verse: "They are not lawful for them, nor are they lawful for them" (60:10). The following verse clarifies that a believing slave man is better than a polytheist, even if the latter is notable, and warns that consorting with such people inclines one to love worldly life and choose it over the Hereafter. Allah alone calls to Paradise and forgiveness by His command, explaining His signs so people may take heed. This is the full core of Ibn Kathir's commentary on this verse according to the classical narrations and explanations he records.

• ✓ Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an on 2:221

  Shia

  Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an · 2:221

  Recitation Variants: None specified explicitly in this passage. Language: The term "نكاح" (nikah) primarily denotes the contract of marriage and the act of intercourse. Some say its original meaning was intercourse, which eventually widened to include the marriage contract itself, similar to how "عذرة" ('udhra) means both chastity and dissolution, and "غائط" (ghayt) can denote both excrement and the place of comfort. The verb form "نكح ينكح نكاحًا" means "to marry," and "أنكحه" means "he married him/her off." The word "الأمة" (al-‘amah) refers to a female slave. It is said that the root relates to words like "إماء" and "آم," and the various forms such as "أكمة," "إكام," and "آكم" indicate the feminine servant. Grammatical Parsing: The phrase "حتى يؤمن" (until she believes) is grammatically in the accusative case with the subject implicit (a nāthir). Some read it as "أن يؤمن," in the genitive case governed by "حتى." The particle "حتى" relates to the verb "تنكح" (to marry). The prepositional phrase "من مشركة" (than a polytheist woman) serves as an accusative complement to "خير" (better). The phrase "ولو أعجبتكم" (even if she pleases you) is understood as the answer to an elided "لو," meaning "if." Similarly, "ولا تنكحوا المشركين حتى يؤمنوا" (and do not marry polytheist men until they believe) has the object implied as "الازواج" (the spouses). The parsing of "حتى يؤمنوا" and "ولو أعجبكم" is analogous. Occasion of Revelation: This verse was revealed concerning Marthad ibn Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi, whom the Prophet had sent to Mecca to bring out Muslims. He was strong and brave. A woman named ‘Anaq, who had been affectionate to him in pre-Islamic times, asked him to marry her. He refused. She was notable in the pre-Islamic era. She asked, "Will you marry me?" before he sought permission from the Prophet. When he returned asking for permission to marry her, this verse was revealed. Meaning: After previously mentioning social mingling, God declares who it is lawful to marry: "Do not marry polytheistic women until they believe." This means do not marry women who are disbelievers in God and His Messenger. The ruling is broad; it forbids marriage with all polytheists, including the People of the Book and others. This command is not abrogated nor is it restricted. There is scholarly disagreement: - Some scholars say that "polytheists" here does not include the People of the Book. God distinguishes between them elsewhere, as in verses referring separately to polytheists and disbelieving People of the Book. Thus, both groups are conjunctively mentioned without abrogation or restriction in this verse. - Others hold the verse covers all disbelievers, since "polytheism" can encompass rejection of Prophet Muhammad's message, which implies denial of his miracles and attributing divinity to others. This is indeed a form of polytheism. - Others say this verse was abrogated by the verse in al-Ma'idah (5:5) that permits marrying chaste women from among the People of the Book—this view is attributed to Ibn Abbas, al-Hasan, and Mujahid. - Another group restricts the verse to non-Book polytheistic women (as per Qatadah and Sa'id ibn Jubayr). - Others take it at face value, banning marriage with any disbelieving woman, Book or non-Book alike (per Ibn Umar and some Zaydi traditions), which is the view adopted here. The verse in al-Ma'idah will be discussed separately. The expression "and a believing female slave is better than a polytheistic free woman" means that a faithful, Muslim female slave is preferable even over a free woman who is a disbeliever, even if the latter's beauty or wealth is attractive. This indicates it is permissible to marry a believing slave woman even if you already have a free wife. Regarding the following phrase (from the same Surah but later verse) "And those of you who cannot do it, marry from the believing slave girls," it is mentioned that this is an exhortation rather than a prohibition. The phrase "do not marry polytheistic men until they believe" means do not marry disbelieving men, including all disbelievers among the People of the Book and others, until they believe. This supports the interpretation that "polytheists" here encompasses all disbelievers. The phrase "and a believing slave is better than a polytheist" refers to a believing male slave being better than a disbelieving free man, even if the latter’s wealth, status, or appearance is appealing. The subtle linguistic distinction between "ولو أعجبكم" (even if he pleases you in the past) and "وإن أعجبكم" (if he pleases you in the future) shows the deliberate choice of grammatical mood, but both convey admiration not mere surprise. "Those" (the polytheists) are said to "call to the Fire," meaning to disbelief and sin which lead to Hellfire. This is an explanation for the imperative, as usually spouses influence each other's religion. "God calls to Paradise and forgiveness by His permission," meaning by His command and legal ordinances—this is ascribed to al-Hasan and al-Jubayri. Some say "by His permission" means by His guidance or announcement. The phrase "and makes clear His signs to the people" means God demonstrates His evidences, commands, prohibitions, what is forbidden and permitted to people, so that "they may remember" or take heed.