What is the ruling on marrying a woman from the People of the Book, whether Jewish or Christian? And is she to be left to her practice of drinking intoxicants?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you... What is the ruling on marrying women from the People of the Book, whether Jewish or Christian?
The Shaykh : What is it?
The questioner : Marrying a woman from the People of the Book?
The Shaykh : And what is the question?
The questioner : What is the ruling on marrying a woman from the People of the Book, whether Jewish or Christian?
The Shaykh : It is not for us to rule except with what Allah has ruled, my brother! And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:5] meaning: it is lawful. It is permissible for a man to marry a Jewish or Christian woman; this is the original ruling. However, if a person fears for himself or his child that marrying a Jewish or Christian woman will lead to harm, he is prohibited from doing so. This is not because the woman is forbidden, but because of the fear that he will fall into what is forbidden. If a man is lax in his religion and a Jewish woman pleases him, and he does not feel safe that she will not drag him into her religion, then here we prohibit him and say: It is forbidden for you, because your marriage to her, though lawful, is a means to falling into what is forbidden. Likewise, if he fears for his children, because some people are like men but are not men; a man in his clothes, a man in his shemagh, a man in his thawb, but his reality is that of a woman. If he fears that she will corrupt his children through her, he should not marry her. The same is said regarding a Christian woman. The conclusion is: The original ruling is the permissibility of a Muslim marrying a Jewish or Christian woman, as long as he does not fear the prohibited consequence. If he fears the prohibited consequence, he is prohibited from it.
And so, my brothers, everything is permissible. If the prohibited consequence is feared from it, it becomes forbidden. Pay attention to this rule; take it, O student of knowledge, and O layperson as well, because it is very easy: "Everything is permissible, but if the prohibited consequence is feared from it, it becomes forbidden". Here is a point I will relate to you so that you know that the person who is on his fitrah (innate natural disposition) has in his answer what the deviated scholar does not have. It is said that a man from the people of Najd met a Christian, I think in Egypt, and conversation passed between them as it often does between those who sit together. The Christian said to him: "You Muslims are unjust. You Muslims are unjust." He said: "How so?" He said: "Because you permit yourselves to marry from us, but you do not permit us to marry from you." Is this correct or not? How? Correct? Not correct? Correct? Not correct? Correct? Not correct? Listen to what he says: "You are unjust; you permit yourselves to marry from us, but you do not permit us to marry from you." Is this correct or not? Not correct. Yes, a detail, my people. Do not leave. His statement that "you are unjust" is not correct, okay... Pray. And his statement that "you permit and do not permit" is correct. So the layman said to him: "We believe in your Prophet, and you do not believe in our Prophet. Glory be to Allah! A conclusive and convincing answer. Believe in our Prophet, and then you may marry from us. What do you say about this answer? Yes? Answer, my people. A sound answer. And another insult to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "His wife has what she has, and they accused her of slander, and they accused her of slander." And he is a Christian. He said: "Your Prophet, may Allah kill him, meaning may Allah kill the Christian, says: Your Prophet has a wife, meaning he mentioned the slander. The hypocrites accused her of slander, or not? They accused Aisha of being a fornicator, and I seek refuge in Allah! So the layman said: Layman! If our Prophet’s wife was accused and charged with fornication, then your Prophet’s mother was accused and charged with fornication. What do you say, is this correct or not? Correct, because the Jews consider Mary (peace be upon her) a fornicator. They said:[Maryam 19:28] My brother: Look, Glory be to Allah! The answer based on fitrah is usually convincing. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you.
The questioner : Do we leave her to what she does, such as drinking intoxicants and the like?
The Shaykh : Yes. We leave her, meaning if he marries a Jewish or Christian woman, he leaves her to what she considers lawful in her religion. Brothers.
The questioner : May Allah bless you and your knowledge, O Shaykh. This is the first time we are participating in this blessed meeting with you.
The Shaykh : May Allah greet you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with the best reward.
The Shaykh : My question: Are you hearing well?
The questioner : Yes, we are hearing well, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, praise be to Allah, praise be to Allah.
The questioner : ... Praise be to Allah
The Shaykh : O Allah, to You is praise.
The questioner : We are in the Rafiqiyyah Grand Mosque, the Grand Mosque of the province...
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : The Grand Mosque in the province.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. O Shaykh, there is a question.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : What is it?
The questioner : Marrying a woman from the People of the Book?
The Shaykh : And what is the question?
The questioner : What is the ruling on marrying a woman from the People of the Book, whether Jewish or Christian?
The Shaykh : It is not for us to rule except with what Allah has ruled, my brother! And Allah the Exalted said:
This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture 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
الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنْ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنْ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْAnd so, my brothers, everything is permissible. If the prohibited consequence is feared from it, it becomes forbidden. Pay attention to this rule; take it, O student of knowledge, and O layperson as well, because it is very easy: "Everything is permissible, but if the prohibited consequence is feared from it, it becomes forbidden". Here is a point I will relate to you so that you know that the person who is on his fitrah (innate natural disposition) has in his answer what the deviated scholar does not have. It is said that a man from the people of Najd met a Christian, I think in Egypt, and conversation passed between them as it often does between those who sit together. The Christian said to him: "You Muslims are unjust. You Muslims are unjust." He said: "How so?" He said: "Because you permit yourselves to marry from us, but you do not permit us to marry from you." Is this correct or not? How? Correct? Not correct? Correct? Not correct? Correct? Not correct? Listen to what he says: "You are unjust; you permit yourselves to marry from us, but you do not permit us to marry from you." Is this correct or not? Not correct. Yes, a detail, my people. Do not leave. His statement that "you are unjust" is not correct, okay... Pray. And his statement that "you permit and do not permit" is correct. So the layman said to him: "We believe in your Prophet, and you do not believe in our Prophet. Glory be to Allah! A conclusive and convincing answer. Believe in our Prophet, and then you may marry from us. What do you say about this answer? Yes? Answer, my people. A sound answer. And another insult to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "His wife has what she has, and they accused her of slander, and they accused her of slander." And he is a Christian. He said: "Your Prophet, may Allah kill him, meaning may Allah kill the Christian, says: Your Prophet has a wife, meaning he mentioned the slander. The hypocrites accused her of slander, or not? They accused Aisha of being a fornicator, and I seek refuge in Allah! So the layman said: Layman! If our Prophet’s wife was accused and charged with fornication, then your Prophet’s mother was accused and charged with fornication. What do you say, is this correct or not? Correct, because the Jews consider Mary (peace be upon her) a fornicator. They said:
O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste."
يَا أُخْتَ هَارُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيّاًThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you.
The questioner : Do we leave her to what she does, such as drinking intoxicants and the like?
The Shaykh : Yes. We leave her, meaning if he marries a Jewish or Christian woman, he leaves her to what she considers lawful in her religion. Brothers.
The questioner : May Allah bless you and your knowledge, O Shaykh. This is the first time we are participating in this blessed meeting with you.
The Shaykh : May Allah greet you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with the best reward.
The Shaykh : My question: Are you hearing well?
The questioner : Yes, we are hearing well, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, praise be to Allah, praise be to Allah.
The questioner : ... Praise be to Allah
The Shaykh : O Allah, to You is praise.
The questioner : We are in the Rafiqiyyah Grand Mosque, the Grand Mosque of the province...
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : The Grand Mosque in the province.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. O Shaykh, there is a question.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.