Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan - Assalam Alaikum

May Allah help us use this forum in becoming better followers of Islam.

My question: I fell in love with a girl. The relationship also had its bad cycle - where we had loads of fights. However, then it got better. So now its a decent relationship. Not amazing, but not bad either. I committed to maryying her - gave her my word. So she expects to get married to me. Her parents too. Her parents are old and ill.

The issue is that the girl is not too religious, where as I am - atleast I want to get religious. She wears western dresses, she wears sometimes fitted clothes and even sleeveless. Again these are not very cheap and indecent, but not as conservative as Islam would ask for. Plus she has male friends and colleagues whom she interacts with socially - which gets me a little inseucre, but also is islamically incorrect. When I try to push her to Islam, she gets turned off, and says that she is not a "moulvi". But on the other hand, she has recently started to get a little religious - she strictly stopped any physical interaction with me (not that we had much in any case), she has started praying, and recently she told me that she would want to go and do umrah with me after marriage even before we leave for honey moon. But she still wears her sleeve less and westerns and interacts with guys. She doesnt think it is wrong at all. My question is that "since I have committed to her, should I marry her" or "should i stick to the islamic guidance of marrying a religious girl". When it comes to my parents, my mom is not too happy with this marriage, but she has given me her ok.
Your brother in Islam 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Marry Religious girl

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.27 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "A woman is married for four things, i.e., her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religion. So you should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser."

When Allah and His Messenger (saws) command the believers to do something and they do not do it, without an iota of a doubt it is a grave sin which will bring nothing but ruin upon the transgressors in this world and the Hereafter.

Then there are some things where Allah and His Messenger (saws) simply guide and advice the believers when making a choice, like choosing a girl for marriage. Allah is our witness brother, when one chooses to ignore or overlook even the advice of Allah and His Messenger (saws), they will never prosper.

As your brothers and well-wishers in Islam our humble advice to you would be to first and foremost fear Allah yourself and to accept, follow and obey the advice of Allah and His Messenger (saws) and choose a pious, religious and God-fearing girl to marry. Such a choice will stand in good stead for you in your life of this world and the Hereafter.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan