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:

Assalamu Alaikkum Brother,

I was born and brought up in a hindu family. I was married to a christian( Roman Catholic) girl whom i met while i was working in Delhi.We fall in love and got married and i have ture intension to get converted in to christianity and i was studying the prayers which i should reproduce when the priest ask during my baptism.

We got married in Abu Dhbai Indian Embassy and I have given a word to my wife i will marry her at her church so that her parents and her other family members will be happy. But I accepted islam 6 months ago on a May 10th.

I dont have any intension to keep her away from me nor she wish to do so. But she never listen to what i am trying to say her abt Islam and Holy Quran.She curses me in every way she can when she became angry and i used to beat her but for the last few months i just kept quite, but the situation remains the same.

She is conderned abt her family and marringa muslim is a shame on her and her family....I am sure abt my path and i dont have any doubts regarding this..

My question is is it possible for me to take part in thier religious cerimonies, their festivals and can i marry her in thier church ...

kindly guide me

Regards

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Answer:

Revert and wife non muslim

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 none 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 5 Surah Maidah verse 5:

5 This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time when ye give them their due dowers and desire chastity not lewdness nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith fruitless is his work and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).

Dear and beloved brother, a marriage between a believer and a chaste woman from amongst the ‘People of the Book’ (Jews or Christians) is considered an absolutely valid and lawful marriage in the Sight of Shariah Law, even if the wife does not accept Islam and chooses to follow her own religion.

Your Question: My question is is it possible for me to take part in thier religious cerimonies, their festivals and can i marry her in thier church ...

Every people have their own civilization, their culture and days of celebration. Allah and His Messenger (saws) have appointed the two Eids for celebration in Islam, and have made every Friday a day of Eid and celebration for the believers. For a true believer, every day that dawns is a Sign from our Merciful Lord, and every day that Allah gives us life, can be a day of celebration for us.

There is absolutely no harm if one celebrates or congratulates one’s non-muslim friends on their personal accomplishments and happy occasions like their marriage, the birth of their baby, or their children’s graduation, or a promotion in their job, etc. But it would neither behove nor befit a believer who believes in Allah and the Last Day to greet or celebrate any of their religious occasions with them like Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Holi, etc……for that then would be to intentionally witness a falsehood.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 72:

72 (The true slave-servants of Allah are) Those who witness no falsehood (intentionally), and if they pass by futility they pass by it with honorable (avoidance)

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, the jurors in Islam have listed four categories which would make any celebration or gathering forbidden:

1. The celebration should not be a pagan religious festival.
2. The celebration should not involve any ‘shirk’.
3. The celebration should not involve or encourage ‘fahisha’ or indecency or any of the things absolutely forbidden in Islam (alcohol, gambling, etc.)
4. The celebration should not indulge in excess spending.

The pagan beliefs and religions and thus their religious festivals are based on absolute falsehoods, and it does not behove one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day as Truth to indulge in celebrations of falsehood. To greet or celebrate pagans on their pagan and religious days of festivals would be to justify their false beliefs.

Your Question: …can i marry her in thier church ...

Because a marriage would involve religious rites, it would neither be permissible, nor would it behove and befit a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to perform any religious rites in a pagan temple or church, where other gods are associated with Allah Subhanah.

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