Ruling on contracting marriage with a wife who does not pray or a People of the Book woman
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Question:
Is it permissible to contract marriage with a wife who does not pray?
Answer:
If the husband prays, he is not permitted to contract marriage with her until she repents to Allah. However, if he does not pray, he is of the same kind as she is. But if he prays and she does not, he is not permitted to contract marriage with her until she repents. Likewise, if he does not pray and she does, she is not permitted to marry him until he repents to Allah and prays. This is because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) according to the most precise scholars, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) and other evidence from the Book and the Sunnah indicating that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever. Therefore, if a man or a woman abandons it—even if he does not deny its obligation—he is a disbeliever according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. But if he denies its obligation, or mocks it, he is a disbeliever according to all of them, we seek refuge in Allah. If he says: "It is not obligatory," or mocks it and ridicules it, or its people, in denial of it and mockery of it, he is a disbeliever—we ask Allah for well-being—according to all scholars. This is because Allah says, Exalted is He: [At-Tawbah 9:65] Do not make excuses; you have become disbelievers after your faith [At-Tawbah: 65-66]. And because if he denies its obligation, he has lied to Allah and His Messenger, and thus he becomes a disbeliever, we ask Allah for well-being.
Likewise, if he denies the obligation of zakah, or denies the obligation of fasting in Ramadan, or denies the obligation of Hajj with the ability to perform it, or mocks it, he is a disbeliever according to all Muslims. Likewise, if he denies the prohibition of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) and says: "Zina is lawful," or "Intoxicants are lawful," and he is like him in not being ignorant of it, or if he knew and was informed, then he persisted in denying the prohibition of zina, or denied the prohibition of intoxicants, he becomes a disbeliever, we ask Allah for well-being.
The conclusion is that whoever denies what Allah has made obligatory, which is known to everyone, such as prayer and fasting and the like, or denies the prohibition of what Allah has prohibited, which is known to all scholars and known by explicit texts, such as zina and intoxicants, then this person is a disbeliever according to all scholars, we ask Allah for well-being. And like that is the one who abandons prayer, even if he does not deny its obligation; he is a disbeliever according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. This is because the matter of prayer is great; it is not of the same kind as other obligations, but rather it is the greatest of the obligations and the most important after the two testimonies. So abandoning it and being lax with it is not of the same kind as other things, but rather the one who does that is a disbeliever—we ask Allah for well-being—whether a man or a woman. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good. Tell us, if you please, about the ruling on marrying a Christian woman?
The Shaykh : It is permissible for a Muslim to marry a Christian or Jewish woman if she is chaste, not known for fornication or zina. Allah, Exalted is He, said: [Al-Ma'idah: 5]. So if he marries her and she is chaste, not a fornicator, known for modesty and not committing zina, then it is permissible for a Muslim to marry her. But leaving it is better, and striving for a Muslim woman is safer for him and his offspring. This is because she may lead him to disbelief, or lead his offspring to it. So it is better for the believer not to marry a People of the Book woman, and to turn away from her to a Muslim woman, as a precaution for his religion and out of fear for himself and his offspring. We ask Allah for safety and well-being. Yes.
The presenter : O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
Is it permissible to contract marriage with a wife who does not pray?
Answer:
If the husband prays, he is not permitted to contract marriage with her until she repents to Allah. However, if he does not pray, he is of the same kind as she is. But if he prays and she does not, he is not permitted to contract marriage with her until she repents. Likewise, if he does not pray and she does, she is not permitted to marry him until he repents to Allah and prays. This is because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) according to the most precise scholars, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Between a man and disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the abandonment of prayer.
بين الرجل، وبين الكفر والشرك ترك الصلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة، فمن تركها؛ فقد كفرSay, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?"
قُلْ أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ Likewise, if he denies the obligation of zakah, or denies the obligation of fasting in Ramadan, or denies the obligation of Hajj with the ability to perform it, or mocks it, he is a disbeliever according to all Muslims. Likewise, if he denies the prohibition of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) and says: "Zina is lawful," or "Intoxicants are lawful," and he is like him in not being ignorant of it, or if he knew and was informed, then he persisted in denying the prohibition of zina, or denied the prohibition of intoxicants, he becomes a disbeliever, we ask Allah for well-being.
The conclusion is that whoever denies what Allah has made obligatory, which is known to everyone, such as prayer and fasting and the like, or denies the prohibition of what Allah has prohibited, which is known to all scholars and known by explicit texts, such as zina and intoxicants, then this person is a disbeliever according to all scholars, we ask Allah for well-being. And like that is the one who abandons prayer, even if he does not deny its obligation; he is a disbeliever according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. This is because the matter of prayer is great; it is not of the same kind as other obligations, but rather it is the greatest of the obligations and the most important after the two testimonies. So abandoning it and being lax with it is not of the same kind as other things, but rather the one who does that is a disbeliever—we ask Allah for well-being—whether a man or a woman. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good. Tell us, if you please, about the ruling on marrying a Christian woman?
The Shaykh : It is permissible for a Muslim to marry a Christian or Jewish woman if she is chaste, not known for fornication or zina. Allah, Exalted is He, 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, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers
الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ وَلا مُتَّخِذِي أَخْدَانٍThe presenter : O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.