What's the stand of Islam on a Muslim woman marrying a non-believer?
In Islam, the permissibility of a Muslim woman marrying a non-believer is addressed in various verses of the Qur'an and is further elaborated in hadith literature. One of the key verses on this matter is found in Surah Al-Baqarah, which states: 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.
2:221. This verse clearly prohibits the marriage of Muslim women to idolatrous men, emphasizing that a believing woman, even if she is a bondwoman, is preferable to a disbeliever.
Tafsir from Shia sources, such as Al-Kafi, provides further insight into the implications of this prohibition. It states: The People of the Book and everyone who has a covenant – if one spouse converts to Islam, the marriage remains valid. It is not permissible for the Muslim spouse to expel the other from the house of Islam to elsewhere, nor to spend the night apart, but he may come to her during the day. As for the polytheists, like the Arab polytheists and others, the marriage lasts only until the waiting period ('iddah) expires. If the woman embraces Islam and then the man does before the end of her 'iddah, she becomes his wife; but if he converts only after the expiration of her 'iddah, she is free from him, and he has no rights over her.
Al-Kafi 3:182.
This indicates that while a Muslim woman cannot marry a polytheist, if a non-believer belongs to the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), there are conditions under which the marriage may remain valid, especially if the spouse converts to Islam. However, the general principle remains that a Muslim woman is advised against marrying non-believers, as such unions may lead to spiritual and social conflicts.
Sources
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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.
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Al-Kafi 3:182
Al-Kafi · Book 3, Hadith 182
Among what Allah revealed to Moses (peace be upon him) and sent down in the Torah: 'I am Allah, there is no god but Me. I created creation and created good and caused it to flow through the hands of those I love. Blessed is he through whose hands I cause good to flow. And I am Allah, there is no god but Me. I created creation and created evil and caused it to flow through the hands of whoever I will. Woe to him through whose hands I cause evil to flow.' — OR — I heard Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) forbid performing the ritual washing (ghusl) inside the grave. — OR — The least that the pilgrim who is not accepted will return with is that he will be preserved with his family and wealth. I asked: By what will they be preserved? He said: Nothing will happen to them except what would happen to them if he were staying with them. Ali ibn Ibrahim narrated from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Jundab, from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) who said: The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said: Hajj is the jihad of the weak. Then Abu Abdullah placed his hand on his chest and said: We are the weak, indeed we are the weak. — OR — The People of the Book and everyone who has a covenant – if one spouse converts to Islam, the marriage remains valid. It is not permissible for the Muslim spouse to expel the other from the house of Islam to elsewhere, nor to spend the night apart, but he may come to her during the day. As for the polytheists, like the Arab polytheists and others, the marriage lasts only until the waiting period ('iddah) expires. If the woman embraces Islam and then the man does before the end of her 'iddah, she becomes his wife; but if he converts only after the expiration of her 'iddah, she is free from him, and he has no rights over her. The same applies to all who do not have a covenant. It is not proper for a Muslim to marry a Jewish or Christian woman if he finds a free or slave Muslim woman. — OR — Ali (peace be upon him) used to say: When a man drinks wine, he becomes intoxicated, and when intoxicated he speaks nonsense, and when he speaks nonsense he fabricates; so flog the one who fabricates the hadd punishment.
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