Why are Muslim women prohibited from marrying non-Muslims while Muslim men are allowed to?

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.

• ✓ 5:5 · Al-Maaida

  5:5 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  ٱلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ حِلٌّۭ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّۭ لَّهُمْ ۖ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىٓ أَخْدَانٍۢ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلْإِيمَٰنِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ

  This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honour, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.

• ✓ 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 5:5

  Shia

  Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an · 5:5

  This verse clarifies what is permissible concerning food and marriage, completing what was previously discussed. It begins: “Today, lawful for you are all good things” — previously explained — which implies the permissibility of all wholesome foods except those explicitly prohibited by evidence. “...and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you” — Regarding what "food" here specifically refers to, there is disagreement. The majority of commentators and jurists say it means the slaughtered animals of the People of the Book. A group of our companions concur with this. Among them, some specify it means the slaughtered flesh of those who received the Torah and Gospel, those who follow their religion, according to Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan, Ikrimah, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, Al-Sha'bi, 'Ata, and Qatadah. They permit the meat of the Christians, specifically from Banu Taghlib. Others say it applies only to those who were given the Torah and the Gospel or are their descendants, excluding those who merely convert to their religion from other peoples; their slaughtered meat is not permitted, a view attributed to Al-Rabi' from Al-Shafi'i. They forbid the meat of the Christian Banu Taghlib, a statement reported from Ali (peace be upon him) and Sa'id ibn Jubayr. Another group understands “the food of those given the Scripture” to include their slaughtered animals and other foodstuffs, as stated by Abu al-Darda', Ibn Abbas, Ibrahim, Qatadah, Al-Suddi, Al-Dhahhak, Mujahid, and endorsed by Al-Tabari, Al-Jubay'i, Al-Balkhi, and others. Some interpret it narrowly as referring only to grains and items not requiring ritual slaughter, as narrated from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him), and supported by some Zaydi sect groups; thus, their slaughtered meat remains prohibited. “...and your food is lawful for them” means it is permissible to feed them your food. “...and chaste women from among the believers” means lawful marriage bonds are established with chaste, virtuous believing women, as stated by Al-Hasan, Al-Sha'bi, and Ibrahim. Others say it means free (non-slave) women, a view held by Mujahid and preferred by Abu Ali. According to this, slave women are not permitted for permanent marriage when free women are available. “...and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture before you” refers to Jews and Christians. There is disagreement about their status: some say they mean chaste free women, or war captives as slaves, or protected dhimmis; this is reported from Mujahid, Al-Hasan, and Al-Sha'bi among others. Others say they mean free women, whether dhimmis or captives. Our companions argue that permanent marriage with Christian women is not lawful, citing the prohibition against marrying polytheistic women until they believe, the prohibition against holding free women from disbelievers in marriage bonds, and interpret “chaste women from those given the Scripture” as those among them who converted to Islam, while “chaste women among the believers” refers to those born into Islam. This explanation addresses the concern of some who were reluctant to marry women who converted from disbelief; Allah clarifies there is no harm in this, which is why they are mentioned separately. Abu al-Qasim Al-Balkhi reports this view. They also say it may specifically refer to temporary marriage (mut'ah) and slave concubinage, permissible according to our teachings, though Abu al-Jarud reports Abu Ja'far (peace be upon him) said this was abrogated by the verses forbidding marriage to polytheists and the preclusion of permanent marriage to disbelievers. “...When you have given them their due compensation” means when you give them their bridal payment, a reward or price for the enjoyment of them, as explained by Ibn Abbas and others. “...who are chaste, not committing fornication” means they are modest women who do not engage in immoral acts, serving as a circumstantial description. “...nor taking them as secret lovers” means not having a special relationship with one woman unfaithfully, taking her as a close friend for sinful purposes. The meanings of chastity, fornication, and secret lovers were explained earlier in Surat An-Nisa. “Whoever disbelieves in faith” means whoever denies that which Allah commands belief in and confirmation of — the Oneness of God, His justice, and the Prophethood of His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family). “Their deeds are worthless” — their deeds hold no value. This means that those deeds which they considered as acts of worship to Allah yield no reward. “And they are among the losers in the Hereafter” — doomed to failure. Some say “whoever disbelieves in faith” refers to the People of the Book who refuse to accept faith. Thus, “their deeds are worthless” implies that although these disbelievers perform deeds appearing outwardly as good, because of their disbelief, these deeds do not merit reward. Therefore, their deeds are described as nullified, precisely in meaning.