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,

Alhumdullilah my upbringing was by muslim parents in muslim surrounding.

I was married by my choice to a man who is born to muslim parents but is an athiest.

I decided to marry him thinking in mind may be he will change over a period of time if he gets intellectual people around him.

He was not ready to get married in Islamic way but finally he did. But I over a period of 10 yrs of marriage I found that he is very intellectual and is very strong in his belief. He runs away when I call for some dars.

As time passed by my faith and trust in Allah increased Alhumdulillah and I started feeling sad about he being an athiest. More than that I have a guilt that it was my decision to marry such a person who had told me everything about his belief. We love each other. He is very good at heart and but is free minded. He does not look at theings from Halal-Haram point of view but I do and the clashes happen.

I think I have tried my best. But I think I am not a good daayee. After 10 yrs he says May be there is a God or may be not. I have changed from absolutely "does not exist" to "May be or may not be".

Question:
1. Is our relationship wrong in the site of Allah?

2. SHould I wait for him to accept Islam?

3. When I say him at least say Shahada in front of everyone and become Muslim by law. He denies.

What should I do?

4. We both love each other, but this doubt of validity of our marriage bugs me.

I am unable to take a decision I think becasue of security. I am scared of Akhirah.

Please tell me what should I do. 

(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:

Marriage to a muslim atheist lawful unlawful

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.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3090 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, 'When someone with whose religion and character you are satisfied asks your daughter in marriage, accede to his request. If you do not do so, there will be temptation on earth and extensive corruption.'

Respected sister in Islam, the time to thoroughly investigate and satisfy oneself with the belief, practice of religion, and their character is before one agrees to marry the person…..not after ten years of one’s marriage!

If one knowingly chose to marry a person with whose belief or practice of religion one was not thoroughly satisfied with, they themselves will be responsible for putting themselves and their faith in a severe state of trial.

If one is born of muslim parents or one verbally declares the ‘shahaadah’ or testimony of faith that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah Subhanah Alone and that Prophet Mohamed (saws) is the Last and Final Messenger of Allah (saws)…..regardless of whatever might be in the person’s heart, such a person will be regarded and deemed to be a legal muslim in the Sight of Shariah Law….and every right that is due to a muslim would be accorded to such a person in full.

But if one, even if he happens to be born of muslim parents, is not ready to declare even only the ‘shahaadah’, or he verbally claims that he doubts or he denies the very existence of Allah and thus the Last Day…..such a person will be regarded as a disbeliever in the Sight of Shariah Law….and a marriage between such a disbelieving man and a believing woman would be deemed absolutely unlawful, null and void in the Sight of Shariah Law and in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Q-1: Is our relationship wrong in the site of Allah?

If the person refuses to declare the ‘shahaadah’, or has verbally declared his doubt or denial of the existence of Allah Subhanah or the Last Day, or has verbally declared his apostasy from the fold of Islam….such a person will be considered and regarded as a disbeliever in the Sight of Shariah Law and in the Sight of Allah Subhanah. The marriage between such a disbeliever and a believing woman would be absolutely unlawful, null and void in the Sight of Shariah Law.

Q-2: SHould I wait for him to accept Islam?

If the person has verbally declared his doubt or disbelief in the existence of Allah or the Last Day, or the person has declared his apostasy from the fold of Islam….your marriage with him is deemed null and void in the Sight of Shariah Law and in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

It is upto you whether you wish to wait for him to accept Islam or not, but you cannot legally continue your relationship with him as a husband and wife….for at the verbal declaration of his disbelief, the marriage itself is deemed null and void in the Sight of Shariah Law and in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

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