The Ruling on a Muslim Marrying a Non-Muslim Woman

The questioner:
Is it permissible for a Muslim to marry a non-Muslim woman? May Allah reward you a thousand times.

The Shaykh:
Yes, it is permissible for a Muslim to marry a chaste woman from among the People of the Book, meaning one who is not known for committing lewd acts; she must be a free woman of good character, as Allah the Exalted said in His great Book: “Today We have made lawful to you what is good, and the food of those who were given the Scripture before you is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you give them their due compensation with good conduct, not as unlawful lovers or [taking] private partners.” The chaste women from among the People of the Book are free women of good character. So it is permissible for a Muslim to marry a chaste woman from among the Jews or the Christians, but leaving it is better and more excellent, and contenting oneself with Muslim women is preferred, because marrying a non-Muslim woman may lead the wife to her religion, and may lead her children to Christianity or Judaism. For this reason, a group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked it and feared its consequences. Otherwise, the oath is not broken; they are lawful by the explicit text of the Noble Qur'an, provided they are chaste, of good character, and known for staying away from lewd acts and fornication, and are free women, not slaves. In that case, the Muslim may marry her. Even if he is able to marry a Muslim woman, marrying a Muslim woman is better, more excellent, safer, and further from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for him and his children. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
As for those other than the People of the Book, no, such as the atheists among the Shi'ah, or the polytheists like the Zoroastrians and their like, or their counterparts among the rest of the disbelievers. It is not permissible to marry their women. This is specific to the People of the Book and the Christians. As for the rest of the disbelievers, it is not permissible for a Muslim to marry any of them. Yes.

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good. The matter, as Your Eminence the Shaykh has favored us with, is permissible, and praise be to Allah. But are there specific conditions required of the woman from the People of the Book, or is the matter absolute?

The Shaykh:
As he said, perhaps their chaste women are fornicators. They should not be known as fornicators; they should be known for modesty and staying away from lewd acts. If they are fornicators, they are not to be married, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. But he may marry her if he is certain of her condition and that she is chaste, meaning of good character. If he is certain of her condition through the testimony of those who know her, and despite all this, leaving her is better. Even if she is chaste, even if she is of good character, leaving her is better and more excellent, because this is safer for his religion, as his love for her may lead him to adopt her religion or become lax in his own religion. And it may lead her children to be with their mother in Judaism or Christianity. He may divorce her and take his children to her land or to her community. So the result is that there is danger,

The presenter:
Correct.

The Shaykh:
there is danger, as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said. Yes.

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good. Regarding her religion, Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz?

The Shaykh:
She is a disbeliever. A disbeliever, yes.

The questioner:
But is it assumed?

The Shaykh:
Allah named them disbelievers. Yes.

The questioner:
But is it required of her that she be committed to some of the rulings of her religion?

The Shaykh:
As He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: except for those from Makkah among the People of the Book and the polytheists, it was not the case that when He called them disbelievers.

The presenter:
Yes.

The Shaykh:
The point is that they are disbelievers; the Jews and the Christians are disbelievers, and they are also polytheists. However, when the term is used in its general sense, "polytheists" refers to the worshippers of idols, while the People of the Book are the Jews and the Christians. The term "shirk (associating partners with Allah)" may be applied to all of them, as in His saying, Glorified and Exalted is He: the impure This encompasses the Jews, the Christians, and all polytheists. They are not permitted to recite the sacred verses, but the People of the Book are excluded from the polytheists, so there is no harm in marrying their women if they are chaste and known for that. However, leaving it is better, and in this era, it is even more so; because of the weakness of faith in men, the abundance of trials in the present age, the many inclinations toward women, and obedience to women, this necessitates caution, and the danger becomes more severe with it. Therefore, leaving it is better in all cases. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.