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:

assalam alykum wa rahmatul-lahi wabarakatuhu

my question is,

A christian guy who is actually an atheist, wants to marry me. Myself being a Muslim i said no to his proposal, and told him that i cant compromise on my religion, as i am very God fearing person. Just for that he said that he will convert, but not before marriage.He wants to convert, so that he can marry me. He says that it will take lot of time for him to convert(at least 1-2yrs) , n after he does, he might not find me waiting for him. His friend took about 7yrs 2 convert, so he says, it will be easier for him, if i m there for him after marriage n make him do so. He also went an asked a priest in a mosque, who said that, even if wants 2 convert he becomes a half Muslim and can definitely marry a Muslim girl and convert totally after marriage.

Can u please help me, n suggest what Islam says regarding this issue?? 

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Answer:

Athiest convert to Islam to marry

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.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 221:

221 Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters) until they believe; a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman even though she allure you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: a man slave who believes is better than un unbeliever even though he allure you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the fire. But Allah beckons by His grace to the Garden (of Bliss) and forgiveness and makes His Signs clear to mankind: that they may celebrate His praise.

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, The Lord Most High Himself has declared it absolutely forbidden for a believing woman, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to seek to marry a disbeliever; such a marriage would be absolutely illegal, unlawful and a grave sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Your Statement: Just for that he said that he will convert, but not before marriage.

My beloved sister in Islam, it is absolutely prohibited in Islam and a grave sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah for a believing woman to marry a disbeliever.

Because the person is emotionally besotted with you and desires to marry you, he may claim conversion only to marry you and there is every possibility that he may revert back to unbelief after he has fulfilled his desire with you! As your brothers and sincere well-wishers in faith, our humble advice to you would be to be extremely careful regarding this person and his proposal, and do not bring upon yourself a trial which you might regret for the rest of your life.

Only, and we reiterate only if you are absolutely convinced that the person has reverted to Islam because he has recognized the Truth of this Divinely approved ‘perfect way of life’; and the person genuinely manifests by his acts and deeds that he is a good God-fearing pious muslim….then and only then consider his proposal for marriage.

Your Statement: He wants to convert, so that he can marry me.

Beloved Sister, a person who is besotted by love and lust will say and do almost anything to get what he desires; and it is very probable that after he has fulfilled his desires he may revert back to unbelief.

If he has made it absolutely clear that he will revert only so that he wishes to marry you, then it is more than likely that he has not reverted to Islam for its Reality and Truth but rather only to obtain what he desires…..thus if I were you, I would consider such a proposal, which would have such a long term effect on one’s life and the Hereafter with extreme and supreme caution.

Your Statement: He says that it will take lot of time for him to convert(at least 1-2yrs) , n after he does, he might not find me waiting for him. His friend took about 7yrs 2 convert, so he says, it will be easier for him, if i m there for him after marriage n make him do so.

Regardless of the person’s arguments, know with absolutely conviction that the marriage of a believing woman to a disbeliever is absolutely prohibited in Islam and amongst the gravest sins in the Sight of Allah Subhanah. Thus there should be absolutely not even a consideration to such an unlawful proposal!

Even if the person professes belief to fulfill the legal condition of marriage, who is to say or guarantee that the person will actually revert to Islam with his heart and soul? Unless and until the person reverts to Islam, and accepts this way of approved life with his heart and soul, and manifests his belief ……and you are absolutely convinced that the person has truly reverted to Islam, we, as your brothers and sincere well-wishers in faith would heed extreme caution at even considering such a proposal.

Your Statement: He also went an asked a priest in a mosque, who said that, even if wants 2 convert he becomes a half Muslim and can definitely marry a Muslim girl and convert totally after marriage.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 208:

208 O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly (completely); and follow not the footsteps of the Shaytaan; for he is to you an avowed enemy.

Beloved Sister in Islam, this is probably the first time that I have even heard, leave alone comprehend the term ‘a half-muslim’!!!!!!

Allah Subhanah Commands and Guides the believers to enter into Islam completely and absolutely whole-heartedly, if indeed they believe in Allah and the Last Day.

Allah Alone Knows which ‘priest’ the person consulted, for no scholar in Islam who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day would even consider inviting someone to become a ‘half-muslim’!!!!! Either one is a muslim or he is not, for there is absolutely no space in Islam for one to be a half, or a quarter, or a three-quarter muslim!!!!

Your Question: Can u please help me, n suggest what Islam says regarding this issue?? 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 221:

221 Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters) until they believe; a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman even though she allure you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: a man slave who believes is better than un unbeliever even though he allure you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the fire. But Allah beckons by His grace to the Garden (of Bliss) and forgiveness and makes His Signs clear to mankind: that they may celebrate His praise.

Our dear and beloved Sister in Islam, Allah Subhanah has Himself absolutely prohibited the marriage of a believing woman with a disbeliever, unless and until he believes (completely)!

Beloved Sister in Islam, if I were you, or you were my sister or daughter, I would be extremely extremely cautious in considering such a proposal from a disbeliever who wishes to accept Islam only so that he wishes to fulfill his desire for marriage. As your brothers and sincere well-wishers in faith, we humbly caution you to not put your life and especially your Hereafter on trial on the sole promise of a disbelieving person who desires to marry you; for the Lord Himself has warned that such disbelievers do only beckon you to the Fire of Hell…..whereas Allah Subhanah, by His Grace and Mercy, beckons the believers who truly submit to Him to His Forgiveness and the Eternal Gardens of Bliss.

May Allah Subhanah bestow His Grace and Mercy upon you, and grant you the wisdom and the courage to make a decision which is beneficial to you in the short and transient life of this world, and especially to your eternal and everlasting life in the Hereafter. May Allah Subhanah keep you and your family always in His Infinite Mercy, Grace, and Protection. Ameen.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

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