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:

Asslam-o-Alikum,

Dear Brother, I want to know that as a muslim can I marry with christan..??

(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 christian

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 (Jews and Christians) 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 (Jews and Christians) 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).

Islam has permitted the believing men to marry chaste women from amongst the believers, and also chaste women from amongst the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), if one indeed wishes to do so.

A marriage between a believer and a chaste Christian women is indeed permissible, lawful and valid in Shariah Law, if one indeed chooses and wishes to do so. There is no obligation in Shariah Law that the Christian woman one intends to marry must revert to Islam for the marriage to be considered lawful in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

As much as it might be lawful in Shariah for a believer to chose to marry a Christian woman, it is entirely upto the individual to decide whether such a marriage is indeed good for him and his Hereafter, or the trials which will inevitably befall upon him when he has to spend a whole life with a woman who does not share a common faith, or the trials of the upbringing of the offspring which may result from the marriage, etc.

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."

But if for whatever reason, a believer wishes and chooses to marry a chaste woman from amongst the People of the Book (Jewish or Christian), he is well within his rights to do so, as a marriage between a believer and a chaste woman from amongst the Jews and the Christians will be considered absolutely lawful and valid in the Sight of Shariah Law.

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