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:

i was wondering if Islam gives equal rights to Men 7 Weman. i read this the other day on your website a question posted by one of your reader (Question No.7088)Inheritance of Christian wife. does it also apply on female if she marry an Christian man.

in your answer you told your reader that there are four absolutely obligatory conditions for a 'nikaah' or marriage to be valid in Shariah Law:

Proposal by one party and acceptance of the other.

The determination of 'mehr' The presence of (at least) two witnesses to the marriage contract.

The consent of the 'wali' or guardians of the bride.

if a Muslim girl marry Chritian Man with all that above mentioned "Nikaah" in shariah law will it be a nikaak in eyes of allah or is it only that Muslim Men are allowed to marry Christains or Jews?

(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:

Can a woman marry disbeliever

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.

Your Question: ….i was wondering if Islam gives equal rights to Men 7 Weman

Allah Says in the Glorious Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 36 (part):

…and the male is not like the female!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 228 (part):

228 …... And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them (in a marriage) according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them, and Allah is Exalted in Power Wise.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 34:

34   Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the one more (advantage) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard (their chastity, their husband’s honor, property, etc.)

Allah Subhanah declares in His Glorious Quran that the male is ‘not like’ the female, and although the woman has similar (not same!) rights as against them, The Lord Most Majestic, in His Supreme Wisdom and Knowledge has given or bestowed upon one more advantage than the other.

Dear and beloved Sister, the confusion and disillusion starts when one tries to make something which has been created as ‘balanced’ to a thing ‘equal’! Contrary to popular belief, men and women are not created equal by the All-Wise, All Knowing Lord; but rather, they are balanced! For example: a kilo of apples and a kilo of bananas are balanced in weight, but the two are not equal!

For the test period of this one transitory life, each gender has been given a set of duties and responsibilities by Allah Subhanah best suited according to their bestowed nature. It would not only be unjust, but absolutely incorrect and unfair for a society to treat as ‘equal’ what the Creator has declared as unequal but balanced! The so called modern-educated but ignorant and un-Godly societies which have tried to challenge and reverse the bestowed nature and declare the men and women as equal rather than balanced have paid an enormous price in the forming of their families, their relationships, their homes, and their lives!

The societies which have propagated the ‘equality’ amongst the sexes have obviously not understood the nature of the man and the woman like the One Who Created their nature! The Creator has bestowed on the man and the woman ‘balance’ so that they may complement each other; but the ignorant and un-Godly society insist on making them ‘equal’ so that they may ‘compete’ against each other!

Your Question: ….if a Muslim girl marry Chritian Man with all that above mentioned "Nikaah" in shariah law will it be a nikaak in eyes of allah or is it only that Muslim Men are allowed to marry Christains or Jews?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 5 (part):

(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.

Allah Subhanah has given a special permission and an option to the believing men that they may marry chaste women from amongst the People of the Book, if they wish to do so.

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 idolatrous woman even though she allure you. Nor marry (your girls) to disbelievers until they believe: a man slave who believes is better than a disbeliever even though he allure you. Disbelievers 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.

Respected Sister in Islam, it is categorically and unconditionally forbidden, prohibited, unlawful and illegal for a woman who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to marry any man other than a believer; just as it is absolutely forbidden for a believing man to marry a woman who is not from amongst the believers or from the ‘People of the Book’.

Thus even if all the obligatory conditions of a Shariah Nikaah are fulfilled, the marriage of a believing woman with any but a believer, or the marriage of a believing man with any woman but a Muslimah, or from the People of the Book will be unlawful in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, Shariah Law, and in the sight of the believers.

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