Marriage of a Muslim with a non-Muslim
This section is a general introduction to the rulings of a fiqhi topic. |
The marriage of a Muslim with a non-Muslim is a jurisprudential issue with a long-standing history in both Shi'a and Sunni Islamic legal discussions, and it is divided into various subtopics. According to the fatwas of all Shi'a and Sunni jurists, it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man—whether he is a follower of a revealed religion (People of the Book), a dhimmi (non-Muslim under Islamic rule), or whether the marriage is permanent or temporary.
Additionally, it is forbidden for a Muslim man to marry a non-believing woman who does not believe in God.
Shi'a jurists have differing opinions regarding the marriage of a Muslim man with a woman from the People of the Book. According to the majority view among them, a permanent marriage between a Muslim man and a woman from the People of the Book is not permissible; however, a temporary marriage is allowed. Sunni jurists, on the other hand, consider a permanent marriage between a Muslim man and a woman from the People of the Book to be permissible.
Importance
The marriage of a Muslim with a non-Muslim is a jurisprudential issue discussed in both Shi'a and Sunni Islamic law.[1] This issue is itself divided into several branches, such as:
- Marriage of a Muslim woman with a non-Muslim man,
- Permanent marriage of a Muslim man with a non-Muslim woman,
- Temporary marriage of a Muslim man with a non-Muslim woman.
Marriage of a Muslim Woman with a Non-Muslim Man
In both Shi'a and Sunni jurisprudence, there is consensus that it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man, even if he is from the People of the Book.[2]
In this ruling, no distinction is made between a dhimmi (non-Muslim under Islamic protection), a harbi (non-Muslim at war with Muslims), an apostate, or whether the marriage is temporary or permanent.[3]
Marriage of a Muslim Man with a Woman from the People of the Book
All Sunni schools of thought permit a Muslim man to marry women from the People of the Book.[4] However, Shi'ajurists differentiate between permanent and temporary marriage. They generally consider temporary marriage with a woman of the People of the Book to be permissible, but permanent marriage to be prohibited.[5] Scholars such as al-Muhaqqiq al-Hilli and Fayd Kashani have regarded this view as the prevalent opinion among the Imamiyya.[6] Ibn Sa'id al-Hilli stated that this view is a consensus among Shi'ajurists.[7]
It has been reported, however, that among earlier jurists (before Muhaqqiq Hilli), the predominant view was that marriage with women of the People of the Book was entirely forbidden.[8] Among those who held this opinion were Shaykh Mufid,[9] Shaykh Tusi,[10] Sayyid Murtada,[11] and al-Tabrisi.[12][13]
On the other hand, jurists such as al-Shaykh al-Saduq,[14] al-Shahid al-Thani,[15] Fayd Kashani,[16] and Sahib al-Jawahir[17] have considered even permanent marriage to be permissible.[18] Sahib al-Jawahir also reports that al-Shaykh al-Tusi, in his Mabsut, considered temporary marriage with women of the People of the Book to be a matter of consensus among all Shi'ascholars.[19]
Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya, a Shi'acleric from Lebanon, wrote that in the present era (14th century AH), a large number of Imamiyya jurists consider permanent marriage with women of the People of the Book to be permissible, and Ja'fari courts in Lebanon perform such marriages.[20]
Marriage of a Muslim Man with a Zoroastrian Woman
There is disagreement regarding marriage with Zoroastrian women.[21] It has been said that a group of jurists permitted temporary marriage with them.[22] Al-Shaykh al-Saduq, however, considered all such marriages to be forbidden.[23] But al-Muhaqqiq al-Hilli regarded them as akin to the People of the Book and permitted temporary marriage with them.[24]
Ruling on a Muslim Man Marrying a Non-People of the Book Woman
In Shi'a jurisprudence, it is not permissible for a Muslim man to marry a non-believer woman who does not believe in God and the Afterlife.[25] This ruling makes no distinction between a permanent marriage and a temporary one.[26] Jurists have claimed consensus (ijma') on this matter.[27]
Additionally, jurists also consider marriage with followers of the Baha'i sect to be impermissible.[28]
Notes
- ↑ Al-Mughniyya, Al-Fiqh 'ala al-madhahib al-khamsa, 1402 AH, p. 314; Ibn Sa'id al-Hilli, al-Jami' li'l-Shara'i', 1405 AH, p. 432; Sayyid al-Murtada, al-Masa'il al-nasiriyyat, 1417 AH, p. 327.
- ↑ Al-Mughniyya, al-Fiqh 'ala l-Madhahib al-khamsa, 1402 AH, p. 314; Ibn Sa'id al-Hilli, al-Jami' li l-shara'i' , 1405 AH, p. 432; Sayyid al-Murtada, al-Masa'il al-nasiriyyat, 1417 AH, p. 327.
- ↑ Azimzadeh Ardebili, “Causes and Legal Grounds for the Prohibition of Marriage with Non-Muslims,” Fiqh and Family Law (Nedaye Sadeq), No. 52, 2010, p. 34.
- ↑ Al-Mughniyya, Al-Fiqh ‘ala al-Madhahib al-Khamsa, 1402 AH, p. 314; Borji, “Marriage with Women of the People of the Book,” p. 122.
- ↑ Halabi, Al-Kafi fi al-Fiqh, 1403 AH, p. 299; Shahid Awwal, Al-Lum‘a al-Dimashqiyya, Dar al-Fikr, p. 166; Shaykh Tusi, Al-Nihaya, Beirut, 1400 AH, p. 457.
- ↑ Muhaqqiq Hilli, Sharā’iʿ al-Islām, 1409 AH, vol. 2, p. 520; Fayz Kashani, Mafātīḥ al-Sharā’iʿ, Qom, Islamic Heritage Foundation, 1401 AH, vol. 2, p. 249.
- ↑ Ibn Sa‘id Hilli, Al-Jāmiʿ li’l-Sharā’iʿ, 1405 AH, p. 432.
- ↑ Borji, “Marriage with Women of the People of the Book,” p. 120.
- ↑ Shaykh Mufid, Al-Muqni‘a, 1413 AH, p. 500.
- ↑ Shaykh Tusi, Al-Mabsut, Tehran, 2008, vol. 4, p. 209.
- ↑ Sayyid Murtada, Al-Intisār, Qom, p. 279.
- ↑ Tabrisi, Al-Mu’talif min al-Mukhtalif bayn A’immat al-Salaf, 1410 AH, vol. 2, p. 144.
- ↑ Baba’i, “A Study on Marriage with Women of the People of the Book,” p. 14.
- ↑ Shaykh Saduq, Al-Muqniʿ, 1415 AH, p. 308.
- ↑ Shahid Thani, Masālik al-Afhām, Islamic Knowledge Institute, vol. 7, p. 360.
- ↑ Fayz Kashani, Mafātīḥ al-Sharā’iʿ, 1401 AH, vol. 2, p. 249.
- ↑ Najafi, Jawāhir al-Kalām, 1983, vol. 30, p. 31.
- ↑ Baba’i, “A Study on Marriage with Women of the People of the Book,” p. 15.
- ↑ Najafi, Jawāhir al-Kalām, 1983, vol. 30, p. 39.
- ↑ Al-Mughniyya, Al-Fiqh ‘ala al-Madhahib al-Khamsa, 1402 AH, p. 315.
- ↑ Borji, “Marriage with Women of the People of the Book,” p. 145.
- ↑ Kalantari, “Jurisprudence and Marriage with Nonbelievers,” Fiqh, Nos. 7 and 8, Spring and Summer 1996, p. 247.
- ↑ Shaykh Saduq, Al-Muqniʿ, 1415 AH, p. 308.
- ↑ Muhaqqiq Hilli, Sharā’iʿ al-Islām, 1409 AH, vol. 2, p. 520.
- ↑ Mughniyya, Al-Fiqh 'ala al-Madhahib al-Khamsa, 1402 AH, p. 314; Mutahhari, Collected Works, 2011 CE, vol. 27, p. 221.
- ↑ Mohammad Hosseinzadeh, “Permanent Marriage with People of the Book in Islamic Jurisprudence and Iranian Civil Law,” p. 150.
- ↑ Hurr al-‘Āmilī, Nihāyat al-Marām, Qom, vol. 1, p. 189; Fayḍ Kāshānī, Mafātīḥ al-sharā’iʿ, 1401 AH, vol. 2, p. 248; Shahīd al-Awwal, al-Lumʿa al-dimashqiyya, Dār al-Fikr, p. 166; Muḥaqqiq al-Ḥillī, Sharā’iʿ al-islām, 1409 AH, vol. 2, p. 520.
- ↑ Gulpaygānī, Majmaʿ al-masāʾil, 1409 AH, vol. 4, p. 295; Khomeini, Istiftāʾāt, 1993, vol. 3, p. 128.
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