Interfaith Marriage in Islam

As the title suggests, I have a discussion with one of my family members recently. It is initially a light conversation about the girl that I have a relationship with. Next, without realizing that I have disclosed her identity, it becomes a huge debate. It starts simply like this, “It will be great if both of you could make it to the aisle in the future,” my aunt says and she continues, “but make sure she converts to Islam”. In my mind at that time it is not something THAT serious, so I simply say “Oh, we don’t have to,” spontaneously. “What does it mean? It is not permissible (in Islam) if she doesn’t convert,” at this point, she realizes that her nephew had gone astray (God Forbids).

Every Muslim in Malaysia is subjected to the Malaysian Syariah Law and of course, the ruling is much (or perhaps, totally) more different than in the Saudi Arabia, adaptable to the local understanding of Islamic teachings, cultures, socioeconomics, and certain conditions. It is her right, for a female divorcee to request for a shelter from her husband for a certain period until she has ended her third menstrual cycle after the divorcement and it is permissible for them to live under one roof. But vast majority of Malaysian Muslims think this is ‘khalwat’ or proximity between a man and a woman which is impermissible in Islam, most of them are elderly people or people with less knowledge about Islam This topic is actually being taught at Islamic Studies in form 5 and also in tertiary education.

 The Quran 5:5 states that,

“Today, the good things have been made lawful to you, the food of those who have been given the book is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them; and the acknowledging independent women from the people of the book before you, when you have given them their wages, protected, chaste, and not seeking to take lovers. Whoever rejects the acknowledgment, then his work has fallen, and in the Hereafter he is of the losers.”(Quran, A Reformist Translation)

“This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honour, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.” (Pickthal)

From this verse, we can conclude that:

1. The food eaten by the People of the Book is lawful for Muslims, vice versa including their slaughter (shechita in Judaism);
2. Muslims are permitted to take chaste women from the People of the Book as wives (Muslims are required to give them their needs and treat them in good manners);
3. Whoever reject these lawful bounties or acknowledgement from the Almighty, they are people who have gone astray. And I would like to let you guys know that people who reject the Quranic verses directly or  indirectly are simply Munafiqqun.

In Islamic Countries it is permissible for a Muslim man to get married with a Jew or Christian. I tell my Arab friends that Malaysia doesn’t not permit it and they say “WHY!?”. To them Malaysian Muslims are weird.  Malaysian Muslims think that the People of the Book are no longer exist. I ask them why? “Because they have abrogated their original teachings and so on,” this is how they reply. But they can’t simply point out the abrogation and the distortion of the bible itself. The Bible has been codified hundred years ago before Quran (codex vaticanus was coded in 325AD and how about Jewish canon? Long time ago for sure) and First Nicene Council was held in 325AD . The trinity concept has been adapted by Christians ever since then. And what Quran says?

“Ingrates indeed are those who have said, “God is the Messiah the son of Mary.” Say “Who has any power against God if He had wanted to destroy the Messiah son of Mary and his mother and all who are on earth!” To God is sovereignty of heavens and earth and all that is in between; He creates what He pleases. God is capable of all things.” Quran 5:17 (Quran, A Reformist Translation)

“They indeed have disbelieved who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. Say: Who then can do aught against Allah, if He had willed to destroy the Messiah son of Mary, and his mother and everyone on earth? Allah's is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. He createth what He will. And Allah is Able to do all things.” Quran 5:17 (Pickthal)

We know that Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him, encountered Jews and Nasranis before. We know people of the book have been given scriptures, Taurat and Injil. We know that the Pentateuch or the 5 books of Moses are in the Old Testament (I don’t believe there are old and new testaments. I only believe there is Tanakh), and the gospels are the 3 earlier books in the New Testament beside of the Pauline epistles (take aside certain hot, debated issues on it). This verse concludes everything, and the trinity concept is present until today. So, what we should call these people? I don’t wish to elaborate more on this issue though.

I have found it very peculiar for Muslims to decide on certain matters without evaluating the Quran, Hadiths, and the previous scriptures before making a decision on certain issues, particularly in Malaysia. They say that Arabs are wrong, but they never realized that the Quran is in Arabic itself and how many Malaysian Muslims are very fluent with Classical and Modern Arabic? Even I have to use several translations just to get the clear message of the Quran as my Arabic is very limited.