Marriage of a Muslim with a Christian or Jewish woman. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims explained the restriction of marriages with people of other faiths

In the modern world, marriages between people of different religious faiths are no longer surprising, borders are being erased, globalization is advancing by leaps and bounds. If sometimes questions arise like: is it possible for a Muslim to marry a Christian, life makes its own adjustments, people find a common language or solve the problem in some other way.

To get the correct answers to questions on this matter, you need to turn to the primary sources, the Bible and the Koran, only they can give true believers the right instructions.

There are often situations when a follower of Islam falls in love with a Christian girl. The young man is lost and does not know what to do with his feelings. What should he do? Is marriage possible between a Muslim and a Christian?

Mahrams, who are they?

Today among Muslims there is the following problem - the problem of seclusion between men and women with whom Shariah has prohibited seclusion. There are also many who ask about the permissibility of marrying this or that person.

Therefore, I would like to clarify: who is a mahram for a man and a woman? A Mahram is someone who does not have the right to marry a woman; he is a man from among his closest relatives - such as father, son, brother, uncle, etc.

The ban on marrying certain women is divided into temporary and permanent bans.

Who can't a Muslim marry?

According to Mufti Ravil Gainutdin , a Muslim cannot marry polytheists or atheists, but creating a family with Christians or Jews is allowed. But at the same time, the groom’s parents should pay attention to their son’s religious beliefs. “If he is weak in this regard and there is a danger that he or his children will leave the bosom of Islam, then such a marriage should not be allowed,” says the mufti.

The Muslim Spiritual Directorate emphasizes that the marriage of a Muslim woman to someone who does not consider himself a member of the Muslim community is also unacceptable, regardless of what views and beliefs he holds.

Marriage in Islam

Marriage has an important place in the life of Muslims.
Marriage is not just a formality, which we often consider a stamp in a passport to be. Marriage is a sacrament that every adult who professes Islam must know. Therefore, Muslims treat marriage with great respect. However, the Koran does not prohibit having multiple wives. However, the spouse must pay equal attention and provide for them. Islam also obliges the couple to undergo the ceremony in a mosque. It is called “an-nikah” and has nothing to do with state registration. A Muslim can only marry a representative of his faith, and marriage with a Christian and a Jewish woman is also possible.

The wife is obliged to honor and obey her husband. Only a man can be the head of the family. Although the Koran obliges the husband to respect his wife. Islam also forces a woman to go out only wearing a hijab, to lower her eyes when talking to men, and not to enter someone else's house without her husband's permission.

I took a ladder, pine cones and made New Year's decor. My neighbors liked my idea

10 funny principles for every zodiac sign. Everyone recognizes themselves

Dad can: 5 most important tasks for men after the birth of a baby

Permanent ban

Women whom a man is never allowed to marry:

Reasons for the permanent ban.

There are three reasons for a permanent ban:

Due to BLOOD relationship,
Due to marriage
Due to breastfeeding.

Women are Mahrams due to kinship.

There are seven Mahramok women due to kinship:

Mother, grandmother ( mother , father's mother), great-grandmother, etc.,
Daughter, granddaughter (son's daughter, daughter's daughter), great-granddaughter, etc.,
Sister, or half-sister (from the father’s side, or from the mother’s side),
Niece (daughter of a sibling or half-brother (from the father’s or mother’s side),
Niece (daughter of a sister, or half-sister on the father’s or mother’s side),
Father's sister (aunt), also father's aunt (paternal side) and mother's aunt (paternal side),
Mother's sister (aunt), also mother's aunt (maternal side) and father's aunt (maternal side).

A verse of the Holy Quran was revealed about the prohibition of all these women:

The meaning of which: “And it is forbidden for you to marry your mothers (this includes their mothers (i.e. grandmothers), daughters (this also includes children’s daughters), sisters (from the mother and father’s side), aunts from the father’s side (i.e. i.e. sisters of your fathers and grandfathers), maternal aunts (i.e. sisters of your mothers and grandmothers), brother’s daughters and sister’s daughters (this includes their children) (see Tafsirul jalalaini, Koran - Surah An-nisa , 23)".

If you marry the above women, then their marriage is considered invalid and forbidden. And if a person is convinced that marriage with one of them is permissible, then he becomes a kafir.

A woman is prohibited from marrying her father, father's father (grandfather), mother's father (grandfather), etc. Also prohibited for marriage are her son, son’s son (grandson), daughter’s son (grandson), etc. A brother is also forbidden for her, whether he is his own brother or a stepbrother (from the mother’s side or from the father’s side). Also forbidden to her are the sons of her sisters and brothers (nephews and nieces), and her father’s (uncle’s) brothers, mother’s (uncle’s) brothers, father’s (father’s) uncle and mother’s (father’s) uncle, mother’s (mother’s) uncle are also forbidden to her. ) father and uncle (maternal) mother.

Mahramki women due to milk feeding.

Seven types of women are prohibited due to breastfeeding. Of these, two are mentioned in the Holy Quran, and according to the hadiths and sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.), the remaining five are added. And this:

Milk mother, her mother, etc.
A milk sister is considered to be the one who was fed by your mother, or you were fed by her mother, or you (you and she) were fed by the same woman.

When she was fed by your mother, she becomes your mahramka and for all your brothers, but her sister is allowed to you (is not a mahramka), because she did not feed from your mother.

When you fed from her mother, you become a mahram for her and all her sisters, but she and her sister are not mahram for your brothers, because they did not feed from your mother; and your brothers were not fed by their mother.

The following verse of the Holy Qur'an was revealed that thanks to feeding mahramki, a mother and her daughter become wet nurses:

وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمُ اللَّاتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ مِنَ ا لرَّضَاعَة (سورة النساء 23)

The meaning of which is: “And your mothers who fed you (before the end of two years five times, as the hadith explains) and your sisters from feeding” (see Tafsirul Jalalayn, Koran - Sura An-nisa, 23).

Foster brother's daughter
Sister's daughter
Milk aunt on your father's side (this is the one who fed with your father),
Milk aunt on your mother's side (this is the one who fed with your mother),
Milk daughter (this is the one who was fed by your wife and you will be a milk father for her).

Also, for women, the following become mahrams: her dairy father, son, brother, uncle - both from the mother’s side and from the father’s side.

Women with whom nikah is strictly prohibited

In order for a marriage to be counted as correct, a man must choose a partner with whom the relationship will not be considered prohibited (haram). Here it is worth considering that among the “forbidden” there are two types of women:

1) under eternal ban;

2) prohibited only for a certain period of time.

The first category is due to three main reasons:

Firstly, family relations . In Islamic law this is called nasab . This is why nikah is prohibited with:

mother and relatives higher up the chain (grandmothers on both sides, great-grandmothers, and so on);

daughter and lower in this chain (granddaughter and so on);

daughter of a son and below in this chain;

sisters and below in this chain (daughters of sisters);

sisters on mother's and father's sides (aunts);

brother's daughter.

This restriction is stated in Surah An-Nisa of the Holy Quran:

“You are prohibited from entering into nikah with your mother, daughters, sisters, paternal and maternal aunts, daughters of brothers, sisters, your milk mothers (who breastfed you), your milk sisters, mothers of your wives, girls who you patronize if you had intimacy with their mothers. Moreover, it is forbidden for you to take two sisters as wives..." (4:23)

Secondly, women who have become haraam due to marriage . This includes:

mother of wife and above;

wife's daughter from another marriage;

stepdaughter's daughters;

son's wife;

father's other wives.

Thirdly, women from the breast mother's side . Let us remember that during the time of the Final Messenger of the Almighty (s.g.v.), there was a widespread practice when children were given to other women to breastfeed. If a child has fed on the milk of another woman, then he is prohibited from marriage:

the same forbidden women, as in the case of kinship, but on the side of the milk mother;

the same women who were forbidden after marriage, but also on the side of the milk mother.

According to the Hanafi madhhab, a woman is considered a milk mother if the child has been fed from her breast at least once. Within the framework of the Shafi'i theological and legal school, this happens only after the 5th time, in the Hanbali madhhab - after the third. In order for a woman to be recognized as a milk mother, the testimony of two men, or one man and two women, is also required.

Women with whom marriage is prohibited forever also include those with whom there was a nikah (talaq) break in the “ligan” . This type of divorce comes down to the following situation. If one of the spouses accuses the other of committing adultery, then they both go to the judge (kazy). Then the husband (or wife) says: “I swear by Allah Almighty, my wife (my husband) committed adultery.” He (or she) pronounces this phrase 4 times, after which he says: “If my words are not true, then may Allah curse me.” Next, the defendant takes the floor. He (or she) also pronounces the phrase 4 times: “I swear by Allah Almighty that I am not an adulterer.” Then the defendant ends his speech with these words: “If I am telling a lie, then may Allah Almighty curse me.” After this, the judge says “Amen” and fixes the talaq-ligan, as a result of which the ex-husband and wife become forbidden to each other forever.

Women whose nikah is only temporarily prohibited

These women are only taboo for a specific reason. Naturally, after this reason ceases to exist, marriage with them becomes halal.

1. Disbelief of a woman/man. The Holy Quran says:

“Do not marry polytheists until they become believers... Do not marry Muslim women to pagans, unless they become Muslims...” (2:221)

2. Prohibition due to three talaqs. If a man pronounces the words of divorce (talaq) three times, the already ex-wife becomes permitted after marrying another and subsequently breaking off the marriage with him. This is stated in the same Surah Al-Baqarah:

“If a man divorces his wife for the third time, he will not be able to marry her until she is married to someone else. If a divorce occurs between them, then there is no sin in the fact that the woman then returns to the one who declared her a divorce three times...” (2:230)

3. Prohibition due to the fact that the woman is married to another man .

4. Marriage with five or more women at the same time:

“...take two, three, four women as wives...” (4:3)

5. You cannot marry two sisters at the same time:

“You are forbidden to marry two sisters...” (4:23)

6. Marriage to a slave , when a man already has a spouse from among free women.

Consequences

Mixed marriages between representatives of different religious faiths can sometimes lead to certain not very pleasant consequences:

the emergence of disagreements and conflicts due to inconsistencies between cultures, perceptions of reality, and approaches to raising children;
misunderstanding and condemnation from others. Moreover, not only neighbors or acquaintances, but also distant relatives, and sometimes even the closest people can reproach;
if a husband and wife lived in different countries before marriage, then one of them will have to move and, therefore, go through all the difficulties of immigration;
A person who moves to another country may also encounter difficulties in solving legal problems, health issues, and so on.

But in any case, such marriages also have positive sides. Interfaith unions teach tolerance, understanding of other traditions and cultures, and also contribute to the normalization of relations between countries and ethnic groups.

Is it possible for a Christian woman to marry a Muslim?

A Christian woman can marry a Muslim, but she will live unmarried, which means she will be in sin.

The Christian faith does not recognize such marriage, considering it cohabitation. If she is ready to take this step, then she takes responsibility for her destiny and turns away from her Creator.

The Bible calls such marriages a “great evil” and a “sin before God” that cannot be washed away in a lifetime. The guilt will “grow to the skies”, the act will be considered “lawlessness that exceeds the head.”

The Holy Book of all Christians does not approve of marriages with people of other faiths; this is clear from the sayings of the Old Testament: “take wives and marry only from your own people.” The New Testament is also opposed and through the mouth of Paul (the apostle) it says that “to marry only in the Lord,” and a Muslim does not walk under our God.

The book of Father Daniel, where he reflects on such marriages, will help you study this topic in detail.

Islam and atheism

If marriage with a Jewish or Christian woman is still considered acceptable, then a relationship between a Muslim and an atheist is extremely undesirable from the point of view of Islam. The fact is that both Christianity and Judaism instruct a woman to be modest, submissive and remain innocent until marriage. An atheist herself is free to choose her own way of life, principles and values. Naturally, most women live as they please, and a person guided only by his own convictions does not fit into any religious canons. Accordingly, a woman who does not profess any religion is not at all required to maintain chastity before marriage, and for an unmarried Muslim woman, the loss of virginity is a shame for the entire family.

In what cases are alliances between Muslims and people of other faiths possible?

Marriage between a Muslim and a woman of another faith is possible in Russia if she respects Islam and does not interfere with raising children in its tradition. According to the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ulema of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the Russian Federation, Mufti of Moscow Ildar Alyautdinov , according to the adopted document, on the territory of the Russian Federation a Muslim can only marry a Muslim woman, with the exception of some cases if the local mufti considers such a marriage possible. “For example, if a woman is close to Islam, she respects its canons and will not prevent her husband from raising children in the traditions of Islam,” Alyautdinov said.

The document stipulates that if a girl recognizes the existence of One God , accepts Jesus and Muhammad as God's messengers and expresses her readiness to follow the instructions of the Holy Quran, then she has the right to marry a Muslim.

Marriage in Christianity

Our faith provides for equal marriage. The spouses bear mutual responsibility for its preservation. It is advisable for the couple to get married in a church, but you can get by with registration at the registry office. Spouses should be each other's only ones. Any sexual relationship is a grave sin.

Christianity also provides for the leadership of the man in the family, but his decisions must be discussed with his wife.

As you can see, the view of marriage between a man and a woman is very different in both religions. Therefore, you should carefully consider your decision and not rush into marriage with a Muslim.

Is it possible for a Muslim to marry a Russian?

Are you asking yourself this question? Is it possible for Muslims to marry Russian girls? So for you the word Russian is synonymous with the word Christian. This is good, but this has not been the case for 100 years. Most Russian people are atheists and lead a depraved lifestyle. If you are a Muslim who is looking for an answer to your question, then you do not know your faith well, because even I, an ordinary Christian, know that according to the laws of the Koran, a Muslim can marry people of the Scripture, and these are precisely Christians. But a Muslim cannot marry an atheist, even if she is Russian or Arab. “Today you are permitted good food. The food of the People of the Book is also lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them, and also chaste women from among those who believe and chaste women from among those who were given the Book before you are lawful, if you pay them a dowry, desiring to maintain chastity, not promiscuity and not taking them as friends” Quran. (Meal 5:5)

Book by Father Daniil (Daniil Sysoev) “Marriage with a Muslim”

The author of the book communicates with the reader in simple and understandable language. The topics he raises are relevant today, as there is a constant mixing of cultures and religions.

His reflections help to understand how the Orthodox Church views mixed marriages. For some this will be just information, but for others it will be a useful lesson.

What to do if you are already in an alliance with a non-religious person? How to divorce? Or how to behave in an unusual environment? Answers to these questions may be useful to young people. Maybe someone will begin to look at their relationships with people from a different angle.

The examples given in the book will make you think about what I would do or would do if I found myself in such a situation. Those who are interested in learning about the sacraments of Wedding or Baptism will also find their topic; they are described in accessible language.

Is it possible for a Muslim to marry a Christian (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant)?

As mentioned above, a Muslim can marry. But under no circumstances should a Christian woman marry a Muslim. It is a sin. Therefore, if you are in a relationship with a Muslim, do not marry until he believes in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. You will need to talk a lot and tell him about your faith, about ancient prophecies, about inconsistencies in the Koran, about the fact that in the Koran there are famous Jewish tales written before the Koran, which are revered there as sacred scripture. And in the end, you will have to draw your friend's attention to the fruits of faith that the Qur'an produces and which Christ produces. Answer yourself honestly to the question where is love and where is anger, where is pride and where is humility, where is honesty and where is hypocrisy. Often Muslims themselves are not satisfied with the life they live according to their human traditions, and this solution is Jesus Christ and his teaching.

Parenting

You should prepare for the possibility that a question will arise in the future regarding the child’s religion. And it’s better to discuss it before conceiving the baby. Priests note that parishioners often consult with them about the child’s religion. After all, they very often cannot come to an agreement with their husband.

Priest Peter Guryanov notes that not a single Muslim would want to raise his child in someone else's faith. Peter says that even if he initially agrees to his wife’s persuasion, as the child grows up, he will still raise him as a Muslim. The priest learned this simple truth from numerous confessions.

The Dangers of Marrying in Non-Islamic Countries

There are scholars who express the opinion that interfaith marriages in a non-Islamic state are haram - this opinion is mainly favored by theological scholars and representatives of the Hanafi madhhab. This opinion is due to the fact that Muslims in such countries represent a minority, and in these conditions the personal religious status of a believer may remain unregulated. The point is that a Muslim should have the right to live in accordance with the canons of the Islamic religion, freely perform his religious needs, perform the obligatory five-time prayer, and also regulate his entire life in accordance with Sharia, especially regarding issues of marriage and family , raising children, issues of property inheritance. There are a number of states in which there are anti-Islamic nationalist sentiments that are widely propagated in the media. Such sentiments can give rise to reluctance in the wife of a Muslim, who is a representative of another religious denomination, to raise children common with her Muslim husband in the Islamic tradition, but to raise them in the traditions of the religion of which she is a representative, so that the child grows up as a Christian. Since this state of affairs categorically does not correspond to the norms of Sharia and may entail a weakening of the national-cultural Islamic foundations of the family, spiritual and religious foundations, which presuppose that a woman in marriage should be a teacher of children and a keeper of the home.

What does an interfaith union look like from the outside?

The attitude towards interfaith marriages in society is quite ambiguous. On the one hand, it is clear that the union is concluded out of love, since young people sometimes have to overcome the condemnation of the older generation (and it undoubtedly exists), adapt to each other, change habits and traditions.

The older generation often has a negative attitude towards such marriages, since grandparents understand that sometimes even the strongest love is broken by everyday problems, especially if this is aggravated by cultural and religious disputes.

But that part of society that is tolerant of such marriages, on the contrary, is sure that since deciding on an alliance with a representative of another faith is not always easy, young people are ready for difficulties, and love will simply pass additional tests and become even stronger.

The meaning of marriage to a Christian

When considering the question of whether a Muslim can marry a Christian, one should pay attention to the fact that the Almighty has included certain wisdom and benefits in this permissibility: a Muslim who has taken the path of truth gets the opportunity, through marriage, to make efforts and help his neighbors hear the word of the Almighty and carry out the commandments of Allah in practice, in your daily life. Even in a Muslim family, this may not always be successful, since raising children in faith and respect, love and obedience to Allah is a painstaking and responsible task. And if the family is interfaith, then the task becomes doubly difficult to implement.

A Muslim who wants to marry a Christian or Jewish woman, captivated by her beauty, must make every effort after the wedding to ensure that Islamic values are understood and accepted by her, and if he does not do this, he jeopardizes his well-being and the well-being of his children in the earthly and heavenly world.

We must not lose sight of the fact that such marriages, although canonically permitted, must presuppose the preservation of the status of the husband in this family in accordance with the canons of the Islamic religion, as well as the fact that it is advisable for the wife in such a marriage to accept the Islamic faith, and children should be raised in the spirit of religiosity and Muslim morality, which prescribe the commandments of the Sunnah and the Holy Book of the Koran. Such families in their daily lives must adhere to the rules of Sharia and faith in the One God, Allah.

Unpleasant Subtleties

Muslim men are temperamental and peremptory, which causes trepidation in many women. However, it is worth considering that love for a representative of the Islamic religion requires incredible wisdom and even sacrifice from a woman. A Muslim is not used to listening to his wife’s opinion, refraining from having affairs on the side (and in the future he may be tempted to cheat on her). He will also inevitably try to set her on the right path, forcing her to accept Islam.

I attended an interesting training and learned that it is better to shop alone

This year we decided not to buy a Christmas tree: I’ll make it myself from what we have in the house

'Grease': Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta reprise the film's iconic looks

Conflicts based on misunderstanding of each other will inevitably arise. Views on everyday and financial subtleties differ due to differences in cultures, so it will be important to find a compromise. The bad thing is that Muslims, accustomed to submission from a woman, are not always ready to seek it.

It is also impossible to refuse physical intimacy to your husband. And phrases like “my head hurts” are unlikely to satisfy him. The Koran even allows one to beat one's wife if she deserves it. The use of contraception is also prohibited.

It is especially difficult for those women who left for their husband’s homeland after the wedding. There, surrounded by foreign customs, they have difficulty getting used to their new life. But it is even more difficult to resist a husband who often demands strict submission.

Conditions of marriage

Before getting married, a Muslim must enlist the support of his parents in deciding to marry a Christian, since very often the parents of the future husband may oppose such a marriage. If such a situation arises in the family, then a Muslim man will not go against the opinion of his parents.

If a marriage is between a Muslim and a Christian, then the newlyweds should not get married - in such cases it is enough if they register their marriage in the registry office and perform the ritual in accordance with Muslim traditions.

Many Christian women are not ready to change their faith when they get married. There is no compulsion in the religion of Islam, but if the wife’s heart tells her that accepting her husband’s religion in a year or several years will be correct, then she needs to follow the dictates of her heart. If this does not happen, then, as a sign of respect for her husband and his faith, she needs to organize the life of the family and its spiritual life in accordance with the requirements that Islam puts forward for this.

According to the fatwa of some of the scholars on the permissibility of performing nikah between a Muslim and a woman of the Book, in order for a Muslim to marry a Christian, there are several conditions:

A woman who is a Christian or a Jew must have ancestors of original Christians or Jews, that is, it is permissible for a Muslim to marry a Christian if her ancestors accepted their faith after the distortion, but before this religion was abolished by the sending of the next prophet.
If the woman’s ancestors accepted Christianity after the religion was abolished by the sending of the next prophet, or it is not possible to establish that the woman’s ancestors accepted the religion before or after the distortion, then marrying such a woman is prohibited.

According to al-Subki, if a woman claims that her ancestors accepted the religion before the distortion, then her words can be the only proof of this, and they should be taken on faith.

According to the fatwa, a Muslim is prohibited from marrying a Christian or Jewish woman if during this period the People of the Book are at war with the Muslims, but he can marry a woman from the People of the Book if the Muslim cannot find a wife among Muslim women. Nikah with a Christian woman may even be desirable if there is hope that this woman may convert to Islam. Such a case happened with one of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ Uthman ibn Affan: he married a woman of the Book, and after that his wife accepted Islam and was particularly pious. This is where Imam al-Kaffal noted the wisdom of permissibility of marriage for a Muslim with a Christian or Jewish woman, because a woman should be expected to lean towards the religion of her husband rather than towards the religion of her parents.

Marriage between a Muslim and a Christian

As for women, the unanimous opinion of theologians is that a Muslim girl or woman should not be given in marriage to a non-Muslim. Since the husband has velayat - protection over a woman, he is the head of the family, then according to the norms of Sharia there cannot be velayat - protection of an open, permitted non-Muslim over a Muslim woman. Those. This is considered an etiological mistake, nonsense. Since this should not happen, we do not give Muslim women in marriage; any such marriage will be considered invalid.

Even if they find some grandfather or agree with some person that he will read the nikah, what will he read? Prayers are read, and nikah is the conclusion of an agreement that such and such enter into a marriage union, the guardian father gives her from his protection to the protection of her husband. And according to the norms of Islam, the husband is the very first person for his wife. If for a husband the very first person is the mother according to the hadith of the prophet (PBUH), then for the wife the first person is the husband, and her husband does not believe in God, for example, or her husband does not believe in prophecy or her husband is an atheist, for example , this shouldn't happen.

Therefore, this nikah will be invalid , even if by mistake or with bribery, with gifts, some imam reads it in quotation marks, then such a nikah will be theologically invalid and will contradict both the Koran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH).