He’s Muslim, I’m Christian, is Our Marriage Valid?
Hi, I've been married to my husband who's muslim for nearly three years now. At the time we got married in a registry office, with two male muslim witnesses and one female christian witness. As far as my husband knew, interfaith marriages are allowed.
Later while browsing the internet he confirmed that on some islamic sites it states that a muslim man can marry a christian girl in a registry office, but some other sites clearly denies it. So now we are confused has we don't want to do anthing that goes against Islam.
We've been looking through your website and found some of the answers, but we're still not sure yet about the marriage validity in Islam. I didnt have my father or a guardian at the marriage, the reason being my parents dont agree with me being with a muslim man. But my other family members who are happy with my decision weren't present at the marriage.
Because of our uncertainty at the validity of our marriage its putting a strain on our relationship. My husband is confused about whether we are allowed to sleep in the same bed and have a sexual relationship. He is practising his religion and also helping me study Islam because I want to convert. So given the circumstances is our marriage valid under the light of QURAN and SUNNAH?
- Gem
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Hi Gem.
I pray that you have resolved this issue but I have just found your post so I will do my best to answer it. (Sorry it got misfiled I think.) For your marriage to be valid it has to be an Islamic nikah, with two male witnesses present or 4 female. A civil ceremony is also allowed but on its own it is not valid. A nikah is needed for marriage to be valid Islamically. To the best of my knowledge a woman who is virgin needs a guardian (known as wali) for the marriage to be valid. Ideally her father but if he is not able then any good trustworthy Muslim man. This is for her protection. As the Prophet SAW said: There is no marriage without a wali.
It is true that a Muslim man can also marry a Christian woman, but it is not recommended as is may cause conflict and problems later on. It is better for a man to marry a good Muslim woman so both can get close to Allah together. However there is no prohibition Islamically on him marrying a Christian woman.
I hope you have sorted this predicament, but if not I am afraid we are not qualified to assess whether your marriage is valid or not. I strongly advise you to contact a scholar who will be qualified and who can look at your case in detail to determine whether or not you are married islamically.
I pray that God guides you to this beautiful religion of Islam sister.
Ameen
Sara
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Sara,
4 female witnesses? Is that right? Isnt it either 2males,or 1 male and 2 females? I dont think just 4 females are allowed.
And that too,(2women and 1 male)- I think is only according to Hanafi Jurisprudence. The rest all agree you need two males.
A Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim, however a Muslim man can marry a Christian woman. Muslims (men) are not only allowed to marry Christians but Jews as well because we are all amongst those who believe God sent a revelation. There is nothing wrong about being a Muslim, Muslims also believe in Jesus(pbuh)they also believe that he is the messiah and a mighty messenger. In Islam a huge sin is to associate something with God. A Muslim has to also Respect Jesus (pbuh) by saying peace be upon him. All you have to do is believe in1 God and that Muhammad (pbuh) is a messenger of God to be a Muslim.
Regarding your question,
Here is what the Quran says whether a man can marry a Muslim woman.(people of the book means Christians as well as Jews, since we all believe God sent the Torah, psalms and Gospel as well.
“This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).” (Qur'an 5:5).
I hope this info helped inshiallah everything goes good in your life and may God’s blessings be upon you, I will pray for you that everything goes good in your marrige
Sulay99,
I dont have any objections with your post. Just wanted to clarify a matter which may cause confusion. You correctly say :
“This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them.
If someone with insufficient knowledge just reads this,they will question why we only eat 'HALAL' then and why we do not eat meat from non-muslim butchers and swine etc.The laws are found in the 2 verses preceding the 1 quoted by Sulay and are as follows:
Maa'idah(5),verse 3+4: Forbidden to you (as food) are: Al Maitah(dead animals-cattle,beast not slaughtered),blood,the flesh of swine,and that on which Allah Ta'aala's name has not been read while slaughtering and that which has been killed by strangling,or by a violent blow, or a headlong fall,or by the goring of horns- and that which has been partly eaten by a wild animal-unless you are able to slaughter it(before its death) and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah ." Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
Sorry I made an error I meant to say Christian women
Here is what the Quran says whether a man can marry a Christian women.(people of the book means Christians as well as Jews, since we all believe God sent the Torah, psalms and Gospel as well.
“This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).” (Qur'an 5:5).
I hope this info helped inshiallah everything goes good in your life and may God’s blessings be upon you, I will pray for you that everything goes good in your marrige
@ laiqaa and sule. . . . . Yes its true that d people of d scriptures is translated as jews and christians. . . But u see, muslims do not believe d present torah and bible to be sent down by God. The present bible and torah have been currupted and distorted historically (quran2:79) and even d christians know this.. .. What muslims beleive to be d word of God is d original torah and d commandment that moses preached during his life time and not d present torah that was written decades or centuries after his demise (Reading d last chapter of deutronomy, d chapter describes d death and burial of moses himself.. Of which moses cannot speak of his death whilst still alive, someone else was narrating d death and burial of moses) .. . . . . . Similarly what muslims believe to be d gospel of jesus was d gospel he preached during his life time not all these reports that were written decades after his demise.. So some shiek said when d quran5:5 speaks of marrying d people of d scriptures, it was refering to d earlier jews and christians during muhammad (SAW) life time that follow d original scriptures and do not associate anyone with Allah., while some shieks are of d opinion of face value translation of d quran 5:5 to mean all jews and christians. . . Allahu a'alam
Allahu A'lam. Thats right.
Alsalam mu Alaikum
I am very happy that you have seen the wonderful of Islam & inshallah all your sins will be forgiven.
About your marriage i will try to say to u how muslim man and a woman get nikah marriage.
First of all a wali must be around as prophet(s.a.w) said(there is no marriage without guidance(wali)
The person that has the power or choice of getting a boy and a girl married is called(wali)guidance
1.The first wali of a boy or a girl is their father.If the father is not present ,then the grand-father becomes their wali,if he is not present then the great grand-father if none of them are present ,then the blood-brother becomes their wali if he is not present then the step-brother,i.e brothers from one father.thereafter, the nephew there after nephews son, and thereafter the nephews grand-son.if none of them are present then the blood uncle becomes their wali.if he is not present then the step uncle i.e the step-brother of their father thereafter the son of the blood-uncle and thereafter his grand-son.thereafter the son of the step-uncle and thereafter of none of them are present the fathers uncle becomes their wali and thereafter his children if the fathers uncle is not present then his children and grand- children if they are not present then the grand-fathers uncle becomes their wali thereafter his children,his grand-children and great grand children.
If none of them are present then the mother becomes their wali.thereafter the paternal grand-mother,then the maternal grand-mother and then the maternal grand-father.thereafter, the blood sister and then the step sister i.e, sisters from one father.and thereafter, the step brother and the step sister who is from one mother and thereafter,the paternal aunt,then the maternal uncle and then maternal aunt.
2.An immature person cannot become a wali of anyone.A Kafir non-believer can never be a wali for any muslim,nor can a lunatic be a wali for anyone.
Hope i have given some informations about wali and there is no marriage without wali so if your parents disagree your marriage then you to tell anyone from your family members to be your wali.and try to contact a scholar or a Muffti.and wish u a good luck in your life may Allah bless u.
i totally aree with saja you just folllow what she says
may Allah bless you sister