Marrying a Communist Woman
If a Muslim man wants to marry a communist woman. Is it a lawful to do so? Communism is a creed of disbelief so it is unlawful for him to marry an unbeliever. This article explains the reason behind the prohibition.
Marrying a Communist Woman
Similar Questions
· Marriage to a Marxist woman.
The Issue
A Muslim man wishes to marry a woman who believes in Communism. Is it a lawful to do so?
Ruling
It is not permissible for a Muslim to marry a Communist woman because Communism is a creed of disbelief and hence a Communist woman is an unbeliever. A Muslim may not marry an unbeliever
as God says
Do not marry women who associate partners with God unless they embrace the true faith
2: 221
This question was discussed by the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League in its first session held on 17 Sha[ban 1398 AH, 1978. Having reviewed the question, the Council adopted a decision that makes the ruling clear concerning Communism, explaining that it is a deviant belief that makes a person unbeliever.
The Islamic Fiqh Council refers in its decision to the objections raised by a number of Islamic societies in Singapore to the charter of women’s rights, which allows Muslim men and women to marry non-Muslims, and what ensued after that. The decision, which was unanimously approved, states:
Firstly, all scholars are in agreement that a marriage between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim is strictly forbidden, as this is the clear import of religious texts.
God says
Do not give your women in marriage to men who associate partners with God unless they embrace the true faith. Any believing bondman is certainly better than an idolater, even though the latter may well please you. These invite to the fire; whereas God invites to paradise and to the achievement of forgiveness by His leave.
2: 221
He also says
Believers! When believing women come to you as migrants, test them. God knows best their faith. If you ascertain that they are believers, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are no longer lawful [as wives] for the unbelievers, and these are no longer lawful to them. Nonetheless, hand back to the unbelievers the dowries they have paid them.
60: 10
Repetition in the verse is clearly noted: ‘They (i.e. the believing women) are no longer lawful [as wives] for the unbelievers, and these are no longer lawful to them.’ This repetition stresses the prohibition very emphatically, so as to totally sever a relationship between a believing woman and an unbeliever. This clear prohibition is followed by the divine order ‘Nonetheless, hand back to the unbelievers the dowries they have paid them.’ Thus the unbeliever husband is refunded what he paid for his marriage when his wife has embraced Islam so as not to combine the loss of his marital relation with a financial loss. This verse makes clear that when an unbelieving woman becomes a Muslim, she is no longer lawful to her unbelieving husband and their marriage is automatically dissolved .how can anyone imagine that a marriage between a Muslim woman and an unbeliever may be initiated? Indeed, God has made clear that when an unbelieving woman, married to an unbeliever, embraces Islam she may marry a Muslim man after her waiting period is over. This is clearly stated in
the same verse
It is no offence for you to marry them after giving them their dowries.
60: 10
Secondly, it is not lawful for a Muslim man to marry an unbeliever.
as God says
Do not marry women who associate partners with God unless they embrace the true faith. Any believing bondwoman is certainly better than an idolatress, even though the latter may well please you.
2: 221
Do not hold on to marriage ties with unbelieving women
60: 10
When this verse was revealed, 'Umar divorced his two wives who were unbelievers.
Ibn Qudamah said: ‘All unbeliever women other than the followers of divine religions are forbidden for a Muslim man to marry, while he may marry virtuous women from among the followers of divine religions.’
Scholars agree on this, although al-Shaykhiyyah scholars consider such a marriage forbidden.
It is better for a Muslim not to marry a follower of another divine religion when a free Muslim woman is available.
Ibn Taymiyyah said that marrying from among them is reprehensible when free Muslim women are available. He adds that this is the view of most scholars. They base their view on the fact that
'Umar told those who married women belonging to other divine religions to divorce them. They did, except Hudhayfah who did not wish to divorce his wife, though he later did.
When a Muslim marries a follower of another divine religion he may incline to her, and when she gives him children love between them is bound to be even stronger.
A number of contemporary scholars say that marriage to an atheist woman is invalid. They add: the clearest example is a Communist woman who believes in materialism.
One scholar explains: ‘I am referring here to a woman who persists with her Communist philosophy. Some Muslims, men and women, may adopt the materialist creed without going deep into it so as to fully understand what it entails. They may be under a false impression when they listen to its advocates presenting it as merely concerned with economic reform and not encroaching on religion and faith. Such people need to be made aware so that they will not retain false impressions. They should be given the right arguments so that they can clearly see the difference between faith and unfaith, light and darkness. Whoever insists on Communism after all this is an unbeliever. All rulings applicable to unbelievers will then apply to him or her.’
Sources
· The Muslim World League website: www.themwl.org.
· Home page for the website Islam Online: www.Islamonline.net.
· Islam Question and Answer: www.islamQA.info.
· Home page for IslamWeb.net website: www.islamweb.net.