To marry Muslim women to non-Muslims

Fatwa no. 18063 All praise be to Allah Alone, and may peace and blessings be upon the Last of the Prophets. To continue: (Part No. 18; Page No. 278) The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has read the letter sent by His Excellency Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim World League to His Eminence the Grand Mufty bearing the number (78 / 7442) dated 22/5/1416 A.H. referred to the Committee by the General Secretariat of Senior Scholars' Association no. (2592) dated 30/5/1416 A.H., the letter of His Excellency states:"It is my pleasure to inform Your Eminence that the Muslim World League has received a letter at its office in Paris reporting that Shaykh Dalil Abu Bakr, head of Paris Masjid (mosque) delivered statements to the Télérama French Magazine, issue (2370) on 14/6/1995 whereby he declared that the Jews and Christians are not Kafirs (disbelievers) and that they are following the Straight Path. He also permitted a Muslim woman to marry a Jew or a Christian and supported his view with the claim that the Qur'an did not speak about the prohibition of such marriages and that the prohibition has been forged by Muslim Fuqaha' (jurists) on account of regarding the Jews and Christians as Kafirs."The letter also stated: Two years ago Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Egypt published an article about Dalil in which he was described as being one of the Muslim scholars in France. Attaching much importance to him made him issue Fatwas without knowledge.Due to the seriousness of the situation as this gives the go ahead for Muslim women to fall into the traps of the Jews and Christians, and in fulfillment of the Muslim League's desire (Part No. 18; Page No. 279) to enlighten Muslim women about matters related to their religion and warn them against the evil consequences of marrying Jewish or Christian husbands,the Muslim World League hopes that Your Eminence will kindly issue a secondary Fatwa regarding this serious issue in the light of which the League will take the necessary procedures.

After a close study of the inquiry, the Committee gave the following reply: Muslim scholars have unanimously agreed that it is unlawful for a Muslim woman to marry a Kafir, whether he is a pagan, a Jew or a Christian. This unanimous agreement is based on decisive textual evidence found in the Qur'an on the prohibition of such marriages. Allah (Exalted be He) says: And do not marry Al-Mushrikât (idolatresses, etc.) till they believe (worship Allâh Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress), even though she pleases you. And give not (your daughters) in marriage to Al-Mushrikûn till they believe (in Allâh Alone) and verily, a believing slave is better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater), even though he pleases you. Allah (Exalted be He) also says: They are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them. No true Mu'min (believer) would issue such a false Fatwa whereby he refuses to declare the Jews and Christians as Kafirs ...Etc, (Part No. 18; Page No. 280) Being skeptical about the Kufr (disbelief) of the Jews and Christians renders one a Kafir, because such a person will be denying Allah's Words in this regard. Allah (Glorified be He) says: Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikûn, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence. This and other similar Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) definitely indicate the Kufr of the People of the Book, namely the Jews and Christians. Three major sins have been contained in the above-mentioned Fatwa: 1- Belying Allah's Words about the Jews and Christians. 2- Violating Ijma` (consensus of scholars) of Muslims which is based on decisive evidence derived from the Qur'an. 3- Unjustifiably accusing the Muslim Fuqaha' of inventing rulings of their own accord. These are held as slanderous accusations in the Sight of Allah (Exalted be He), the most grave of which is belying His Words. We ask Allah (Exalted be He) to grant us security from this. Accordingly, the Fatwa issued by that man has to be falsified as it contains words of Kufr. The man who issued that Fatwa has to be declared as an erring person who should be advised, perhaps Allah (Exalted be He) will guide him back to the Straight Path. (Part No. 18; Page No. 281) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.