A sham marriage, with no intention to make it a real and permanent marriage as required by Islamic law, is forbidden. According to Islam marriage is a firm pledge, described in the Qur’an in such terms: ‘How can you take it away when each of you has been privy with the other, and they have received from you a most solemn pledge?’ (4: 21) The prohibition is even stronger if the marriage contract is between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man, entered into to enable her to get certain benefits.
