A Muslim Man Marrying a non-Muslim Woman
Question
As-Salamu `Alaykum. Is it permitted for a Muslim man to marry a non-Muslim woman who is divorced and has kids, if she agrees to embrace Islam?
Answer
Wa`alaykum As-Salaamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Wa`alaykum As-Salaamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear brother in Islam, thank you very much for having confidence in us, and we implore Allah to guide you to the best and to grant you a blessed marriage life, Insha Allah.
Originally, a Muslim man is permitted to marry a non-Muslim woman from among Ahlil-kitab or the People of the Book, but not vice versa. This is backed by the Qur’anic verse that reads: “This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honor, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.” (Al-Ma’idah: 5)
Focusing more on the question in point, Dr. Muzzamil Siddiqi, former president of the Islamic Soceity of North America (ISNA), states the following:
“You are allowed to marry that woman as long as she is a Jew or a Christian. If the woman wants to bring her minor children with her, then they should also be treated as Muslims and they should be raised up as Muslims.”
