Advanced search
Visit
11647
Last Updated: 2012/04/19
Summary of question
What are the ruling and conditions for marrying a non-Muslim woman?
question
What are the ruling and conditions for marrying a non-Muslim woman? Does a non-Muslim virgin girl need permission from her parents to get married?
Concise answer

Non-Muslims are of two types: 1. People of the Book  2. Not People of the Book. According to the view of all Shia jurists, a Muslim man cannot get married (neither temporarily nor permanently) to a non-Muslim woman who is not of the People of the Book.

In this regard, Imam Khumayni says: “… The Muslim man cannot get permanently married to non-Muslim women who aren't of the People of the Book, and as per obligatory precaution, also cannot get permanently married to non-Muslim women who are of the People of the Book.”[1]

Of course, Imam Khumayni (rah) has said in this issue (the issue of permanent marriage with non-Muslim women who are of the People of the Book) that it is an obligatory precaution, which means those who follow him can refer to the verdict of another jurist who says such a marriage is permissible and follow him instead.[2]

Temporary marriage with non-Muslim women who are of the People of the Book is permissible according to the verdict of all contemporary jurists.[3]

As to whether or not it is necessary for a non-Muslim virgin girl who is of the People of the Book to get permission  from her father before contracting temporary marriage, it depends on their religion and whether or not the father’s permission is a condition therein.[4] [5]

 


[1] See: Tawdih al-Masa’il  (annotated by Imam Khumayni), vol. 2, p. 468, issue 2397.

[2] Ayatullah Nouri Hamedani: Rather, it is even permissible to get permanently married to them according to the stronger view, nonetheless, such a marriage should be refrained from if one can get married to Muslim. Ayatullahs Golpaygani and Saafi: The validity of getting permanently married to a non-Muslim woman who is of the People of the Book isn't devoid of strength [it is permissible], yet if one can get married to a Muslim woman, then it [marrying a non-Muslim woman who is of the People of the Book] will be very makruh; as a matter of fact, precaution should not be abandoned here. Ayatullah Zanjani: The Muslim man cannot get married to the Magi or a non-Muslim who is not of the People of the Book, neither permanently nor temporarily, and apparently, permanent or temporary marriage with Jewish or Christian women isn't void, but it is makruh and against recommended precaution, especially if the marriage is permanent. See: Tawdih al-Masa’il of the maraji’ (annotated), vol. 3, p. 468.

[3] Ibid, for information on the verdicts of past jurists, see: Al-Fiqh ala al-Madhaahib al-Khamsah, Muhammad Jawad Mughniyah, vol. 2, pp 47-49.

[4] Tahrir al-Wasilah, vol. 2, p. 285, issue 2.

[5] For further information, see: Marrying Christians, Question 826.

 

Question translations in other languages
Comments
Number of comments 0
Please enter the value
Example : Yourname@YourDomane.ext
Please enter the value
Please enter the value

Thematic Category

Random questions

  • Does committing some sins like suicide automatically entail entering Hell?
    7539 Theoretical 2010/09/04
    Some sins, due to their quality, leave no opportunity to repent and will lead their committers to the irreversible path of Hell, the same way falling from heights without employing a parachute or landing equipment will lead to the disintegration of the body or the same way falling ...
  • What are the conditions of divorce?
    9254 Laws and Jurisprudence 2012/01/11
    If you were interested in living with your husband, you should have made every effort to save the marriage. In fact, you could have done something to draw your in-laws' attention and make your husband love you. If you think you made every necessary effort, you should never think that ...
  • Whose saying is this: "Death is sweater to me than honey."
    7973 تاريخ کلام 2011/01/10
    This saying is widely ascribed to Qasim son of Imam Hasan Mujtaba (a.s.). It is said that when his beloved uncle, Imam Hussein (a.s.) asked him "My child, my nephew, tell me, how do you regard death and what do you think about getting killed?" He promptly answered: ...
  • What is Islam's viewpoint regarding reincarnation?
    14897 Traditional 2010/01/21
    A few centuries back in India a theory known as "reincarnation" was developed concerning the consecutive return of souls to this world after death. During the ages this theory was gradually taken into serious consideration by people all around the world and even became, for some, a part ...
  • Please explain the features the Quran mentions for an Imam.
    10893 Traditional 2012/01/17
    There are two types of Imamate (leadership of a society) mentioned in the Quran; First: “The Imams of light” who are the pious and righteous leaders and second: “The Imams of fire” who are the heads of Kufr (disbelief) and deviation. Many features have been mentioned ...
  • Was Hazrat Adam (P.B.U.H.) Black?
    35391 Exegesis 2006/11/25
                There are several interpretations in the Quran on the creation of man, which show that the creation of man had several stages, which were as follows:[1]  
  • Who was Salah al-Din Ayyubi? How did he become the champion of the wars against crusaders? What was his origin? Why and how did he destroy the Fatimid government?
    15602 تاريخ بزرگان 2015/08/04
    Salah al-Din Yusuf bin Ayyub who later became known as Salah al-Din Ayyubi, better known in the Western world as Saladin, is one of the most famous Muslim rulers and commanders in the Islamic middle centuries (or in the 12th century of the English calendar). He achieved ...
  • where did secularism or the belief in the separation of religious and civil affairs emerge from?
    7848 Modern 2008/11/19
    During the renascence Christian believers came to the realization that their religion, with all the shortcomings it had, could not meet the modern social and political needs; therefore, secularism took shape.Secularism can be considered as the legitimate child of western civilization since Christianity, having gotten distracted and intermingled with ...
  • What is sex change?
    8421 Laws and Jurisprudence 2012/08/23
    Although dictionaries do not provide a definition for "sex change", it means any change and transformation in a male, female or genderless in such a way that the current state is different from the previous one. Medically speaking, sex change is different from "genetic modification" ...
  • What kind of a book is "Mikyalul Makarim"?
    6926 شخصیت های شیعی 2014/01/20
    The book "Mikyalul Makarim fi Fawaed al-Dua Lil-Qaem" as the title of the book reads, has been authored regarding Mahdi, the Imam of Time (atf). This is one of the books written in Arabic in the fourth hegira century.[1] The book Mikyalul Makarim consists ...

Popular