Converting to Islam for Marriage

18th century Chinese brass incense burner with the Islamic shahadah (testimony of faith) engraved

An 18th century Chinese brass incense burner with the Islamic shahadah (testimony of faith) engraved. Priceless objects of Chinese Islamic art were lost by the thousands to the Communist Cultural Revolution and the "Great Leap Forward".

At Zawaj.com and IslamicAnswers.com we often get questions from readers about the issue of someone converting to Islam in order to marry a Muslim. Here is some advice on this issue by a group of Islamic researchers associated with IslamOnline.net’s Ask the Scholar feature:

Date: 11/Jun/2007

Name of Counsellor: A Group of Islamic Researchers

Topic: Converting to Islam for Marriage

Name of Questioner: Farid from United Kingdom

Question: Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. Can a person convert to Islam for the purpose of marriage and he might think of growing into the faith later if he’s convinced? Jazakum Allahu khayran.

Answer:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

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, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

A person must never embrace Islam solely for the purpose of getting married to a Muslim. Islam does not sanction such conversions. However, if anyone says the Shahadah, then we accept his or her conversion even though his or her intention might be impure.

In his response to your question, Sheikh Muhammad Nur Abdullah, president of ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) and member of the Fiqh Council of North America, states the following:

First of all, a person cannot put a condition for his or her conversion, i.e., that he or she is embracing Islam just to get married to so-and-so. This is not accepted when stipulated and clearly stated. However, if anyone says the Shahadah, then we accept his or her conversion even though his or her intention might be impure, as we are supposed to deal with people based on what they show us and Allah takes care of their real intentions that they hide inside themselves.

Even if someone converted and he or she was not fully convinced in the beginning, but later on we explained Islam and helped him or her to become a better Muslim and the person showed better behavior and faith, then it is accepted. We know that when Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) converted, he in anger said to Abu Jahl, “How can you hit him (Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) when I am following his religion!” [He said so when he had not yet declared his Islam and he was angry because his cousin Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was hit by Abu Jahl]. Then after that he thought about Islam and he later became one of the best Muslims in history.

Therefore, we should not question people’s faith in Allah. Rather, we deal with them as they say and behave, and if they hide insincere intention, then it is Allah Who will take care of them.

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Converting to Islam

5 Comments

  1. ” we are supposed to deal with people based on what they show us and Allah takes care of their real intentions that they hide inside themselves. ” Since when does a conversion get questioned? Only Allah knows the hearts of those who seek him out.

  2. i am with strict relation to muslim morrocon woman. can i ask her to cover her face before maried her

    • Certainly you can ask her, but it’s up to her to agree or not. If she does not agree, you cannot force her.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  3. What if the individual tells you that they would only be a fake muslim but will say the shahadah for you to marry them. Is it still a halal marriage?

    • No, this marriage would not be halal, and this shahadah would not be valid. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Actions are according to intentions.” So the shahadah must be sincere. The intention must be pure.

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

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