Interfaith Marriage

However, according to Islamic marriage rules, a Muslim can marry only a Muslim, Jewish, or Christian. However, if the girl or boy is neither Muslim, Christian, or Jewish (as Hindu or Buddhist or Atheist) then he / she should convert to Islam to be able to marry the Muslim boy or girl.

Answer B (Another view)

Love and attraction has no bounds. Those who realize that the God is ONE and all humans are same can marry anyone from any society. Marriage is an understanding between two souls to live together in love.

Laws change country to country and if the law of your country allows you to marry without converting - you can marry and live in harmony.

A Christian is not allowed to marry a non-Christian.

However, if the Jewish adulteress had converted to Christianity, it would not matter that she was ethnically Jewish or that she had committed adultery. The Christian community would only care about what she was like as a Christian.

It might matter that she was divorced, as Christians have different opinions on the remarriage of divorcees. For example, a strict Catholic never allows it. In other churches, the relevant question might be whether there was any chance of reconciliation with her former husband. If, for example, he had already remarried, that would be taken as an indication that she was also free to remarry. Other pastors would be more interested in knowing whether she had learned from past mistakes, and would make a decision about whether or not to conduct the wedding on a case-by-case basis.

Hinduism is a very tolerant religion and marriage is never discriminated due to race, color or religion. Hinduism believes all religions lead to God so, one is never greater than the other.

According to Islamic marriage rules:

No, A Hindu girl can't marry a Muslim boy. Muslim boy can marry only a Muslim, Jewish, or Christian girl.

However, if the girl or boy is neither Muslim, Christian, or Jewish (and is Hindu or Buddhist or Atheist) then he / she should convert to Islam to be able to marry the Muslim boy or girl. Convert to Islam should be under free will and full choice,

Answer B (Another view):

Love and attraction has no bounds. Those who realize that the God is ONE and all humans are same can marry anyone from any society. Marriage is an understanding between two souls to live together in love.

Laws change country to country and if the law of your country allows you to marry without converting - you can marry and live in harmony.

The relationship would start out on a very rocky road and the chances of it getting REALLY ugly are 100%. If he doesn't live in his country and lives in the States you may stand a chance, but if his parents are in the States then that fear will eat away at your relationship.

I suggest if his parents live in the States, then have him introduce you to them. Start out slow and easy and they may just accept you. My Asian girlfriend married our best friend and her family was against it and wanted her to stay with her own race. Slowly her boyfriend won them over, they were married and have been married for 15 years. He couldn't have asked for better in-laws.

Remember ... slow and easy and meet those parents if you can.

Culture is Another Factor

According to Islamic tradition, people of the Christian and Jewish faiths are considered "People of the Book." Ultimately meaning that it is entirely permissible for a Muslim male to marry a Christian female. Theoretically speaking, your particular religious creed should not be a detrimental factor in your relationship.

What needs to be considered, however, is the native culture and nationality of the respective Muslim male. Not all Muslims are Arabs and most certainly not all Arabs are Muslim. Traditional Arab culture is molded by a highly patriarchal society, where the family, particularly the elder males, hold great influence on familial decisions of the younger generations. With that said, because his family is not aware of his premarital relationship, it is indicative of several possibilities: 1) Because it is not culturally permissible to "date" due to the traditional method of family arranged marriages and the taboo nature of premarital relationships in the Middle East, he quite possibly might feel angst about being scolded by his family and the community. However, it now appears to be less culturally frowned upon when boys engage in premarital relationships as compared to several decades past, a double standard if I may so add. 2) It would be best if things were made clear about your expectation of the relationship's future because it could mean he does not wish to marry at this point in time. 3) It could be none of the above or an amalgamation of issues. But consider this, because of the family's strong significance in Arab culture, if he truly wishes to marry or stay in a long relationship with you, then he would tell his family. Likewise, I find other ethnic groups smilarly have highly structured familial relations (subject to varying degress), such as South Asian (Pakistani and Indian), Afghani, and traditional East and Southeast Asian families.

I wish you good luck because just like in any other relationship, minus the obvious religious and cultural differences, obstacles will arise and it may or may not work out in the end.

P.S. I am a doctorate candidate studying cultural Anthropology with a specialization in the Middle East, and I wish to reassert that we are all of the human race. "Race" is a scientific term used for taxonomic purposes and should be recognized as that. The differences we speak of are cultural, not racial. There are no racial differences between African-Americans, Asians, or Caucasians. Cultural and physical, yes, but much deeper than that, definitely not. Help break down barriers by valuing people for their integrity and character and not by their supposed "race."

Yes, even in a Christian church, but the Muslim's family will most likely have a problem with this union. Christian family may as well, it all depends on the people.

Marriage in Islam is defined as a contract between the two partners and Allah (God in English and same God worshiped in Christianity and Judaism). Accordingly, it should be matching all terms and conditions specified by God in His holy book Quran and by prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Even civil marriage should be matching these conditions. The licit marriage per Islam teachings is valid only:

• A Muslim man and a Muslim, Christian, or a Jewish woman; and
• A Muslim woman and only a Muslim man.

Hence a Muslim woman is not allowed to get married licitly to a Christian man.

It is strictly forbidden for a Muslim woman to marry a Christian man if she knows that one day she will be in front of Her Creator and will be asked about her commitments to the Islam teachings and accordingly she will be either accepted in God's Paradise or be pushed in Hell fire.

Unlicit marriage in Islam is not different than fornication which is strictly forbidden in Islam and is a big sin.

Homosexuality is generally considered to be forbidden in the mainstreams of both Christianity and Islam so such a contract is unlikely to be religiously accepted. However from a secular or civil viewpoint, if the two men (one who happens to be a Christian and the other a Muslim) live in a country where same sex marriage is legal then they have only to go through the appropriate channels available to get married. For example, a civil partnership in the UK. If they live where it's illegal then the only option would be to move somewhere where it's legal, failing that you would have to accept that you won't get married.

In most Western countries, religious affiliation is immaterial to civil marriage, so if the country permitted civil marriage between two same-sex people, then a Christian man would have no more problem marrying a Muslim man than he would a Christian woman. In terms of religions, it once again depends on the specific church in question - many churches allow religious marriages of same-sex people (even if the state does not), and many allow inter-faith marriages.

Conceptually and realistically, there's no barrier to this happening other than the particular beliefs of the individuals and the legal status of same-sex marriage in a country.

Yes they can keep their original thoughts.

The holly Islam Book "Quran" maintains full respect to Christianity and full respect to Jesus (peace upon him) and calls for mutual respect between both religions.

Again, yes it is possible for a Christian or Jewish girl to get married with a Muslim man while both maintaining and practicing (at home and/or Church/Mosque) their own religions.

No he cannot. Only if she converts to Islam "The religion of Peace"

Quran says (English meaning translation):

".... The food of those who have received the Scripture (Christians and Jews) is lawful to you, and your food is lawful to them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful to you in marriage) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honor, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines..."

(Quran, chapter 5, verse 5)

Accordingly, Answer A is the correct answer. Yes, it is allowed for Muslim man to marry a Jewish or Christian woman without religion convert.

Answer C

From the Muslim point of view, it is acceptable for a Muslim man to marry a devout Christian woman (though not a woman who is only nominally Christian).

However, from the Christian point of view, such marriages are utterly forbidden. A Christian can only marry another Christian. The only way a devout Christian woman would agree to this marriage would be if the man converted to Christianity. If she agreed under any other circumstances, she would not be devout, and hence she would be forbidden to the Muslim man!

The Quran specifically says: A- for no Muslim to marry a polytheist.

Then B-the Quran makes a specific exception to this rule for only male Muslims.

This is explained in C. as the gender of the term to identify a female Christian only.

A.

Sura Al Baqarah/2:221 "And do not marry the polytheist women until they believe. A believing slave woman is better that a polytheist woman, even though the latter may please you. And do not marry your womenfolk to disbelieving men until they believe. A believing slave is better that a polytheist even though the latter may please you . .

B.

in Sura Al Ma'ida (5:6) grants a concession: "This day all innately good things are lawful for you…Lawful to you are the chaste women from among those who have been given the Book before you. . . ." (i.e. Jews and Christians).

C.

The law specifically mentions muhsanaat -- chaste females (from the People of the Book); it did not say muhsaneen -- chaste males.

• I would say you cannot. Jews do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Also, the New Testament in essence wiped out the old law in the Old Testament that Jews still follow. Kosher food for example.

• It's not really that hard. Celebrate both holidays and make sure that they are educated on both sides. I am Jewish, because my mother converted. We observed the Jewish holidays but we also celebrated Christmas at Grandma's house. Additionally, my wife is Catholic and I celebrate Christmas and Easter with her family while we celebrate r, Passover, Hanukkah and the sabbath with my family.When my sister got married, they had a beautiful wedding with a rabbi and a priest. Both religions traditions were observed with the exception of the horribly long service. However, some may feel that this ignores the fact that Jewish tradition is being compromised.

• If the father is Jewish and the mother is Christian then the kid isn't Jewish so you can raise him however you want but if his mother is Jewish he is considered to be Jewish in all terms of the matter and how you raise him is your concern but he is a full fledged Jew (according to the Jewish belief)
• well strictly speaking the 'only children born of a Jewish mother are Jewish' maxim is Orthodox dogma; the more liberal Jewish traditions are more inclusive, so that the definition of Jewishness is less slavishly tied to the matrilineal descent notion, more important is self-identifying as Jewish, although possibly joining a Synagogue, involving potentially a relatively straightforward conversion for such a mother, would be an important sign; so providing you're happy without the 'blessing' of the Orthodox branch, it's possible even so

• Raise the kid as a messianic Jew.

• Messianic Jew is not an answer as that is neither Judaism or Christianity. It is in no way a form of Judaism.

• The Bible is a Jewish book. Jesus was Jewish. I am married to a Jewish woman. We occasionally have Shabbat on Friday evenings and are going to raise our children to be messianic Jews. We are both born again Christians who recognise the Jewish/Biblical feasts. Most of the feasts recognise God's goodness/intervention on behalf of the Jewish people so why not celebrate the feasts. We are not obligated to celebrate them but we as a family choose to.

• It your personal choice. You can preserve some Jewish customs. But remember that not all Jewish traditions/customs are practiced today for e.g., under Mosaic law, murder was punishable by being stoned to death, ancient Jew pronounced God's name, many today do not. There many customs that originate with Jewish heritage it's really your choice. e.g., learning reading and speaking Hebrew, ('Adeni Yemenite Hebrew is the closest vocalization to Biblical Hebrew), circumcision, diet/cuisine, listening to Jewish music, and etc, finding common grounds is important celebrating Nisan 14 (memorial for Jesus) passover, and knowing prophetic parallels. Ask some other Christians about prophetic parallels, and other topics that interest you about Jewish culture The law served as a tutor.

• The child of a Jewish woman and a Christian man is Jewish, according to Judaism. If the parents prefer to educate the child about both faiths, that is great - but the child cannot BE both faiths, any more than they could be both Muslim AND Catholic, or both Hindu AND Protestant.

  If you are a Christian and your partner is Jewish, then all you need to do is make sure your kids are educated about Jewish history and beliefs. If you are a Christian and you're female, then your children are Christian - Judaism is a matrilinear faith and passes via the mother. So as here the mother isn't Jewish, nor are the children. So if your children are being raised as Christians, one thing you could do is explain to them that the 'old testament' is not a Jewish text but a Christian one, as it's the Church-edited and sadly often mistranslated version of the Jewish Tanakh.

• The fact is: Christian beliefs do violate Judaism. It is forbidden in Judaism to worship any human, or to describe G-d as taking human form. So worship of Jesus seriously violates Jewish belief. This cannot be avoided as you and your partner represent two entirely contradictory faiths. Perhaps the best you can do is to always let your children know that both religions have a lot to offer even though they do not agree! One thing that will confuse your children and which I suggest you avoid: don't blur the issue by falling into the trap of thinking that Messianic 'Judaism' is a way of blending both faiths: it isn't. The Messianic 'Jewish' movement is purely a Christian Evangelical movement and has nothing to do with Judaism. Nobody can be both Jewish and Christian. Messianics are Christian.So I would suggest raising your children to be 'true' Christians; honourable, fair, and with a respect for other religions.

• Start to study early church history. Learn about the pagan additions made to the Christian religion at the Council of Nicea. Learn about the fraud committed by the Roman Church. Since I began studying this I understand the teachings of Yeshua (Jesus is a greek name) better and appreciate the Jewish context of these teachings. My personal beliefs now have more in common with Judaism than most Christian denominations, but I call myself "Christian" because that is the cultural context of my Spiritual understanding.

• I would say that there are at least four areas of normative Christianity which are absolutely incompatible with Judaism:
• ** The dogma of the Trinity or that Jesus is equal to God. Although the Trinity concept is not found in the NT, it is the main creed recited by Christians today (known as the Nicene Creed). Judaism is very clear that God created all things, therefore can not be depicted or described using any thing of this world (e.g. as the number three, or as a man, or as anything in the earth, sky, or heavens). God transcends everything of this world.
  • The notion introduced by Saint Paul that the Torah Law is a curse which has become obsolete since Jesus' death. The Torah is very clear that the Law (Noachide Law for non-Jews, and Sinai Law for Jews) is a eternal covenant (i.e. "eternal" means that it shall still apply even when the Kingdom of God is ushered in by the Messiah).
  • The notion that Salvation can come thru a particular belief (in Saint Paul's case, that belief is the belief that Jesus is Messiah). The Torah is very clear that Salvation only comes by following the Commandments. And when we fall short of following the Commandments, then we make Atonement by Teshuva (a Repentant Return to doing the works of the Commandments) and not by performing a Sacrificial Ritual. The Torah is full of scripture stating that Returning to the Works of the Torah (especially Justice and Love) are preferable for Atonement, instead of Sacrificial Rituals. Why, Jesus himself understood this when he said "If you want to enter into life, follow the Commandments". He never said "I will have my human blood become a ritual sacrifice that can exempt people from following God's commandments".
  • That the Jewish people are collectively responsible for Messiah's death. It is historically known now that Jesus came into conflict with the 3 puppet rulers of the region (i.e. 1: Pilate, 2: the non-halachic high priest Joseph bar Qaiaphas, and 3: Herod Antipas) all of which were seriously questionable characters in the mind of the entire Jewish population itself.

Now, the next question would be whether YOU believe that Christianity without the above anathemas to Judaism can still be Christianity. It would certainly not be what we could call 'normative' Christianity (but may be more akin to what the original Jewish followers of Jesus thought before Saint Paul and Constantine came along).

• I don't think you can. It is a nice thought, but the kid has to be in one religion or the other. You can honnor his dad's Jewish heritage, but you cannot just hope he'll pick one of the two religions. In fact, I've got to think that it would be more confusing for a small child.

So until he bears witness that there is no God except Allah, the one and only one God, and that Muhammad is the His prophet and Messenger, and believe in the Islam five pillars then he is a Muslim, and it will be permissible for her to marry him.

A Muslim woman can only marry a Muslim because Allah says in the Quran:

"And give not (your daughters) in marriage to Al-Mushrikoon till they believe (in Allaah Alone) and verily, a believing slave is better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater), even though he pleases you. Those invite you to the Fire, but Allaah invites (you) to Paradise and forgiveness by His Leave, and makes His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to mankind that they may remember"[al-Baqarah 2:221]

Allah says in the Quran that a Muslim slave will be better because he will try to help his wife worship and obey Allah which will not be possible with a non-Muslim husband, it may be that he may encourage in a subtle manner to go astray from Islam and its practices. And Islam should prevail in the home of every Muslim.

So until he bears witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, then he is a Muslim, and it will be permissible for her to marry him.

The three conditions for a marriage is that her suitor must be a good and practicing Muslim and her guardian (her father) must agree (to ensure the suitor is true to his word) and the woman to be married must give her consent.

"Women impure are for men impure, and men impure for women impure and women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity: these are not affected by what people say: for them there is forgiveness, and a provision honorable." Surah an-Noor (24):26.

And Allaah knows best.

**Allah sent a Prophet to a group of people in every period of time. The first being Prophet Adam (pbuh) and others following him like Noah (Nuh), Abraham (Ibrahim), Jonah (Yunus) and Moses (Musa) peace be upon them. The last being Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who has been sent to all of us until the end of time. This is why Allah's Book, the Quran, and the sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) are still preserved. Allah sent Prophets to show their fellow humans how best to worship Him in an easy and practical way. He also gave us the choice to believe in Him by sending us a human Messenger. This life is simply a test with so many chances and signs for us to accept, surrender and believe.

EXTRA:

The most important factors for a woman in choosing a husband are his attitude/behavior and his commitment to religion. Wealth and lineage are secondary matters. The most important thing is that the potential husband should be religious and have a good attitude, because if a man has religious commitment and a good attitude, a woman has nothing to lose: if he keeps her (remains married to her), he will keep her on a reasonable basis, and if he divorces her, he will set her free on a reasonable basis. Moreover, a man who is religious and has a good attitude will be a blessing to her and her children, for they will learn good manners and religion from him. But if the prospective husband is not like that (is not religious), she should keep away from him, especially those who take the matter of prayer lightly or who are known to drink alcohol. We seek refuge with Allah.

As for those who do not pray at all, they are disbelieving and it is not permissible for them to marry believing women. It is important for the woman to focus on the matter of attitude and religious commitment. With regard to the matter of lineage, this is a bonus. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If there comes to you (to propose marriage to your daughter etc.) a man with whose religious commitment and attitude you are pleased, then marry (your daughter) to him."

But if you can manage to ensure compatibility (in terms of lineage and socio-economic status, etc.) as well, then this is better.

From the Fataawa of Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, from the book Fataawa al-Mar'ah http://islamqa.com/en/ref/6942

The Torah prohibits it because it is assimilation, leading to the disappearance of one's ancestry and heritage within a short span of time.In addition to the Torah's prohibition against intermarriage, there are very many cases in which the spouses use the religious difference as fuel to add to the flames once they're already fighting over other matters. Maintaining a marriage is hard enough without the interfering factor of different religious backgrounds.Also, there is the question of how to raise the children. A seemingly kumbaya-type peace-loving interfaith education very often turns out to be confusing to the children, who now have no complete identity. Statistics show that mixed-marriage children are less likely to practice any religion at all, than are their single-faith counterparts (even those of minimally-religious homes).

In actual practice, intermarriage amounts to assimilation, the product of which is descendants who may no longer see themselves as part of the religious heritage of either parent.

Answer 1

Islam doesn't call for any one to convert to Islam just to be able to marry a Muslim woman. He should be convinced in Islam teachings, Qur'an instructions and rules, and prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as prophet of Islam to whom god revealed the Quran. It is not licit for one to convert to Islam just to marry a Muslim woman.

Answer 2

Because it is the obligation of the husband to teach the wife about Islam, and if he is not a Muslim he can't very well do that.

Answer 3

Answer is incorrect. It is not the obligation of a man to teach a woman. That is not at all one of the reasons.

A non-Muslim man, firstly, may not respect the woman's practice of Islam, so he will hinder it. If Ramadan comes, as one example, the woman must fast. If her husband insists upon sexual relations, she has to then break the fast.

Also: children, we believe, will usually follow the religion of their father. men are dominant, usually. So children of a Muslim woman who is married to a non-Muslim man will probably not be raised as Muslims.

Answer 4

The reason for this is to keep Islam continuing into the future. According to Islam, in addition to being a belief system, Islam passes (almost like genetics) from father to child. If the father is non-Muslim, the child will be non-Muslim, and this would be calamitous for Muslims because Muslim women would be giving birth to non-Muslim children.

So, it is logic if husband is Muslim to accept for his Christian or Jewish wife to practice her ritual worships, social activities, and clothing according to her Christian or Jewish religion. However, if the husband is Christian or Jewish he may not accept his Muslim wife to practice her ritual worships, social activities, and clothing according to her Islam religion.

That is why a Muslim man can marry a Christian or Jewish girl/woman while a Muslim girl can not marry a Christian or Jewish man.

Some others have the view point that any person of any faith can marry anyone they want and that love conquers all, even religion. However, this is true only if you are not committed to a religion with God or not believing in God at all. If you are committed with God through any religion, what so ever, you have to fulfill this commitment. This is in analogy to one committed with an employer through a work contract (despite the difference between commitment in contract with God, the Creator, and commitment in contract with an employer, creature). Does falling in love with someone entitle you not to go for work or not to fulfill your work commitment? The same answer applies to your commitment with God when you fall in love and thinking of marriage. On the other hand, of course you have full right and full choice to select either to fulfill religion commitment or to abandon the religion you committed to and throw it behind. However, choice is responsibility. You should be aware that your choice defines the consequences that you get in front of God on the Resurrection Day. Either one goes to God Paradise or one be Pushed in Hell fire.