WHAT HAPPENS TO A MARRIAGE IF ONE OF THE COUPLE CONVERTS TO ISLAM?

[JerusalemBull]

Traditional Islamic jurisprudence says that Muslims should only marry each other. The only exception to this is that Muslim men are allowed to marry women who are Ahl al-Kitab (People of Scripture), usually limited to Jews and Christians. Traditionally, Muslim women were not allowed to marry non-Muslim men. But what happens to a non-Muslim couple who are married, and later one or both of them convert to Islam? Here are some fatwas on the issue, that slightly differ from each othe؟

 

[mangalavara]

But what happens to a non-Muslim couple who are married, and later one or both of them convert to Islam? Here are some fatwas on the issue, that slightly differ from each othe؟

I don’t know. One time, I read about the experience of a woman who was drawn to Islam, came to believe in it, and was ready to take šahādah. When it was time, she and her husband visited a mosque for her formal conversion. Wearing a headscarf and ready to recite her testimony in Arabic, she was told that she cannot convert. If she converted, she would have been the wife of an unbeliever, which would have been a sin in her case. I imagine that if she did convert, there would have been a lot of pressure on her husband to convert.

 

[JustGeorge]

I don’t know. One time, I read about the experience of a woman who was drawn to Islam, came to believe in it, and was ready to take šahādah. When it was time, she and her husband visited a mosque for her formal conversion. Wearing a headscarf and ready to recite her testimony in Arabic, she was told that she cannot convert. If she converted, she would have been the wife of an unbeliever, which would have been a sin in her case. I imagine that if she did convert, there would have been a lot of pressure on her husband to convert.

What did she do after that?

 

[mangalavara]

What did she do after that?

From what I recall, she became anti-Islamic.

 

[JerusalemBull]

I still have this problem and look to talk

 

[Betho_br]

Traditional Islamic jurisprudence says that Muslims should only marry each other. The only exception to this is that Muslim men are allowed to marry women who are Ahl al-Kitab (People of Scripture), usually limited to Jews and Christians. Traditionally, Muslim women were not allowed to marry non-Muslim men. But what happens to a non-Muslim couple who are married, and later one or both of them convert to Islam? Here are some fatwas on the issue, that slightly differ from each othe؟

In Islam, the conversion of non-believers can affect the marital status in different ways. If both spouses convert to Islam, the marriage is consolidated. If only one of the spouses converts to Islam, the marriage can be dissolved without the need for divorce. If the wife converts to Islam, the husband retains the preferential right to take her back during the 'idda period. If the husband converts to Islam and the wife belongs to the People of the Book (Jews or Christians), the marriage is maintained. If the wife is Zoroastrian (majus) and converts to Islam after the husband, they will remain married.

 

[JustGeorge]

In Islam, the conversion of non-believers can affect the marital status in different ways. If both spouses convert to Islam, the marriage is consolidated. If only one of the spouses converts to Islam, the marriage can be dissolved without the need for divorce. If the wife converts to Islam, the husband retains the preferential right to take her back during the 'idda period. If the husband converts to Islam and the wife belongs to the People of the Book (Jews or Christians), the marriage is maintained. If the wife is Zoroastrian (majus) and converts to Islam after the husband, they will remain married.

What's the 'idda period? Take her back where?

 

[Betho_br]

What's the 'idda period? Take her back where?

'Idda is the canonical waiting period for a woman after the dissolution of marriage.

العدة

 

[JerusalemBull]

I appreciate your feedback ,however, we are arab couples and thigns are more sophisticated, will love to have your support and constant feedback as well?

 

[Pawpatrol]

If the woman converts to Islam and the man is not a Muslim, their marriage is suspended for the duration of the waiting period. If the husband converts during that period, their marriage remains valid.

 

[JustGeorge]

If the woman converts to Islam and the man is not a Muslim, their marriage is suspended for the duration of the waiting period. If the husband converts during that period, their marriage remains valid.

Suspended... as in, they're not considered married until he does?

 

[Pawpatrol]

Suspended... as in, they're not considered married until he does?

Not really. The waiting period signifies that they are married (and that unless the man converts, the marriage is ending). Suspended as in they are not allowed to be intimate etc. If he remains a non-Muslim it would count as adultery/fornication.

 

[JerusalemBull]

I thin that does it apply in our Arab version of Islam here

 

[Subduction Zone]

I thin that does it apply in our Arab version of Islam here

What country you live in could make a big difference, along with that how liberal or conservative the mosques are in your country. In the US churches do not have a lot of say of who is married or not. They may kick people out of their mosque if they are conservative, but I have a feeling that we would have some rather liberal mosques here as well. In some countries the standards of the mosques are the law so it is going to be very hard for people to answer your questions accurately without knowing where you live.

 

[JerusalemBull]

We are Arab lives in Jerusalem.totally different.

 

[Subduction Zone]

We are Arab lives in Jerusalem.totally different.

I have no idea then. Good luck to the both of you. Hopefully we have some members that live there and can answer your questions. If you had asked about the US I could probably have dug up the info since the government is not a problem. For other countries I know nothing and would very likely cause more harm than good with a suggestion.

 

[JerusalemBull]

Do you think that the muslim marriage of wife to her muslim Bull, could be from muslim law point of view valid despite it included sex with marriage i mean a big sin?could i go the the muslim court and win?help needed?

 

[Pawpatrol]

I thin that does it apply in our Arab version of Islam here

There is no "Arab version of Islam".

 

[Pawpatrol]

What country you live in could make a big difference

If one is only looking to please the society or the people then it might make a difference, but if one is interested in pleasing their Lord then it makes no difference whatsoever. E.g. a "fake imam" can pop out of anywhere and declare that such and such a gay couple is Islamically married, but that so-called marriage is not valid and it will never be — not even if the whole world believed it was.

 

[Pawpatrol]

Do you think that the muslim marriage of wife to her muslim Bull, could be from muslim law point of view valid despite it included sex with marriage i mean a big sin?could i go the the muslim court and win?help needed?

If you're asking whether one can get married after fornicating with one's spouse-to-be, then, yes. Would it be advisable to get married? That's a whole different discussion.