The condition for marrying a woman from the People of the Book is that she be chaste

Question: The trial of women has increased, and fornication has become widespread in America. Some of the young men want to marry a woman, and perhaps after that he will protect himself from fornication, and perhaps after that he will call her to Islam. What is your opinion, Your Eminence?

Answer: There is no harm if he finds a chaste, sound woman from the People of the Book, on the condition that she is chaste and known for it, and people can be asked about her. If she is known for her chastity and there is a need for it, then there is nothing wrong with it. However, it is better for him to leave that alone and not travel abroad, but rather to reside in his own country and study in his own country. In the country, by the praise of Allah, there is much good. There are universities and scientific institutes, and there is every kind of good, by the praise of Allah. So it is obligatory for him to be content with that, because traveling abroad involves great corruption and much evil. Therefore, it is not permissible for him to travel there; rather, he must be content with what he has in his own country. He has much good there, by the praise of Allah, and there is no need to travel there. If he is afflicted with the need to travel, or if dire necessity calls him to travel, then it is obligatory for him to fear Allah, take his wife with him, and be content with her. If dire necessity calls for marrying a righteous Muslim woman there and he finds her, or a chaste woman from the People of the Book due to dire necessity, we hope that there is no blame on him, provided he knows that she is chaste, sound, and modest, and far from fornication. Then there is nothing wrong with it, if Allah wills, because Allah has made that permissible.