Please let me give you answer according to my knowledge and belief. I can go in detail and give arguments to support my answers, but I am leaving that here, as in past I have already given answers to these (or similar) questions with reasonable arguments on this forum.
Nikah will stay intact and would not get nullified.
If someone is married to atheist, agnostic or polytheist (weather the person has changed after marriage or was like that before marriage) and do not want to continue in marriage than that person has to initiate Talaq or Khula to get the marriage dissolved.
Muslim men are allowed to marry virtuous women from people of the book. As far as Islam is concerned, someone who believes that Isa (AS) is son of God cannot be considered as believing women, hence one should avoid marry such women. In present day of permissive western society, it is difficult to say that virtuous women exists, and thus they should be avoided.
Note: It is not that a Muslim (men or women) cannot marry a non-Muslim or unbeliever (men or women), but is it that a Muslims should not marry an unbeliever (men or women). If a Muslim would marry an unbeliever than marriage would be valid, but it would be sin.
I think after answer of above two questions, this question becomes irrelevant.
how can something be valid yet a sin at the same time? that is a little confusing when you say that if a Muslim marries an unbeliever it’s valid but a sin
As far as I know, it’s not the case when it comes to nikkah, but on the other hand, talaq given at times when it’s not supposed to (during woman’s period, multiple in a sitting) is still binding.
Sorry, my mistake. I meant to say that: If a Muslim marries an unbeliever intentionally (one knew at the time of marriage that the person is unbeliever), still that marriage would be valid, but for that Muslim, the marriage would be sin.
As far as Muslim marries an unbeliever unintentionally (one did not knew at time of marriage that person is unbeliever) than also marriage would be valid, and for that Muslim, the marriage would not be sin.
I am sorry if it confuses you, but I do not think there is anything here to get confused.
For instance: A tells B (or parents of B) that he/she is millionaire (or told any lies to impress B or parent of B) and then ask B for marriage. B agrees perceiving what A told is true, and Nikah happens. That Nikah would be valid, still for A, that Nikah (as it happened due to deception) would be sin. B cannot say that since A deceived for marriage to occur, Nikah is invalid. If B wants to, B can dissolve the Nikah by going for Khula (or divorce if B is a man).
Marriage is contract between 2 individuals and Islam honours such contract. Anyhow, if such contract is unlawful than it is sin (though contract stay valid). Anyhow, there are some relationships where marriage contract is forbidden due to sacred relationship (marriage cannot happen as relationship is sacred), and in these situation Nikah cannot happen (Nikah is invalid from start).
Actually, from what I know and understand, in Islam we have 3 conditions. Lawful, unlawful and forbidden due to sacred relationship.
What is lawful, we are supposed to do as normal way of life. If we do not do, than there is no sin.
What is unlawful, we are supposed to avoid. If we do not avoid (we commit to it) than legally it would happen (it would be valid), still we would be committing sin.
What is made sacred (hurmat is declared, or marriage made unconditionally forbidden), we are barred from doing. If we try to do than also it would not be legally valid.
Marriage to believers are lawful
Marriage to unbelievers are unlawful
Marriage to close (sacred) blood relatives are forbidden (hurmat of relationship is declared hence marriage made forbidden)
BUT - as redvelvet mentioned, if Christians are ahle kitab, yet they also believe Christ is the son of God, and therefore, has Godlike characteristsics, that’s shirk, how are we allowed to marry a Christian ?
I am going to quote you few Ayahs from Quran (with approximate date of revelation). Read them, ponder, and question to your answer would be clear.
Ayah 5 (Maidah) revealed around late 6 H and early 7 H. In Ayah 5.5, Allah allowed Muslims to marry people of the book.
Quran (5:5): … This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).
Surah 2 (Bakrah) revealed before Surah 5. Here, Allah told Muslims not to marry unbelievers.
Quran (2:221): … Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise.
Ayah 60 (Al Mumtahinnah) revealed around 7 H and 8 H (Surah 60 revealed after surah 5). Here also, Allah tells Muslims that it is unlawful for Muslims to marry unbelievers.
Quran (60:10): … O you who believe! when believing women come to you flying, then examine them; Allah knows best their faith; then if you find them to be believing women, do not send them back to the unbelievers, neither are these (women) lawful for them, nor are those (men) lawful for them, and give them what they have spent; and no blame attaches to you in marrying them when you give them their dowries; and hold not to the ties of marriage of unbelieving women, and ask for what you have spent, and let them ask for what they have spent. That is Allah’s judgment; He judges between you, and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
So, it is clear that Allah told Muslims that it is not allowed to marry unbelieving women. That was true before Ayah 5.5 and after ayah 5.5. Hence that condition never changed after ayah 5.5 got revealed allowing Muslims to marry women from Ahle-Kitab.
Now let see, those who believe on trinity, that is, most present day Christians and a large section of Christians at the time of Prophet (SAW), are unbelievers or not … as if they are unbelievers than one cannot marry them.
Quran at various places classified Christians who believe on trinity or believe that Isa (AS) is son of God, as unbelievers. Anyhow, let me quote an ayah after Ayah 5:5 was revealed, from same surah (surah 5), so that it becomes obvious that Ayah 5:5 did not changed this classification.
Quran (5:72): … Certainly they disbelieve (do kufr) who say: Surely Allah, He is the Messiah, son of Marium; and the Messiah said: O Children of Israel! Serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Surely whoever associates (others) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden to him the garden, and his abode is the fire; and there shall be no helpers for the unjust.
Quran (5:73): … Certainly they disbelieve (do kufr) who say: Surely Allah is the third (person) of the three; and there is no god but the one Allah, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve.
So, it is obvious that Islam do not allow Muslim to marry unbelievers and it is also clear that Christians who believe that Isa (AS) is son of God are unbelievers.
Question arises, what Allah means when Allah allowed Muslims to marry Ahle-Kitab.
Answer is clear, that is, Allah allowed Muslims to marry Ahle-Kitab who are believers … who do not believe on trinity, or do not believe that Isa (AS) is son of God. These people in Christianity are called Unitarians, and they were in abundance at the time of Prophet (SAW). Even today there are many Christians belonging to Unitarian beliefs and have good virtue, whom Muslims can marry.
I have been checking the translations and Tafsirs (without forming an opinion, just for research)
The translation of the translation of Alahazrat (known as Kanzul Iman) Al-Quran with Kanzul Iman Translation
verse 5;5 SURAH AL-MAIDA-5 Madina. 16 Sections. 120 Verses. Ayyah 3-5
**
[Maidah 5:5] This day the pure things are made lawful for you; and the food of the People given the Book(s) is lawful for you - and your food is lawful for them - and likewise are the virtuous Muslim women and the virtuous women from the people who received the Book(s) before you when you give them their bridal money - marrying them, not committing adultery nor as mistresses; and whoever turns a disbeliever after being a Muslim, all his deeds are wasted and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.
**The Quran translation here and the translation used by Brother Saleem does not state the virtuous women to be believers, rather the women from people of the book are an exception (…(Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time…)
wa**almuhsanatu mina almuminati - and chaste women from the Believers
wa**almuhsanatu mina allatheena ootoo alkitaba - ****and chaste women from those who were given the Book
It says: That animals slaughtered by the People of the Book and their women are lawful for the Muslims on condition that they are from the People of the Book. However, the present day Europeans in general display tendency of an atheist and thus have rejected Allah. Hence neither are their slaughtered animals lawful and are their women lawful for marriage to Muslims. In fact, now Nasara and Yahud in general do not even slaughter animals. Thus, it is forbidden for a Muslim woman to marry a person of the Book [end of quote]
I cant see the need of the inclusion of the last line above which i’ll put down to my own lack of wisdom but never the less, it says it is now forbidden to eat their slaughtered animals [something that we comply with] and marriage to their women is unlawful [something that we comply with].
So there is a clear indication of changes to the christian and jewish doctrines over time. And we know no care is given over the slaughtering methods employed at present (this point will be of interest to @Thornewood9 )
I have an interest in learning about the shirk aspect in the doctrine of the women from the people of the Book to whom marriage was initially allowed. The above does not categorically answer that question but it brings the subject of changes to doctrine into the picture - so like we do not eat their slaughter, we should equally question their present doctrine on Tawheed with regards to marriage to their women - this is what i have learnt from the above study
So what was their doctrine with regards to Tawheed at the time of RasoolAllah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Ahlihi wa Sallam?
Was the exception [of marrying their women] given with inclusion of shirk in their aqeedah? Or was it specific to certain types of women from the people of the book, who did not have shirk in their aqeedah? Was it a blanket allowance over all chaste women of the people of the book, or women who took care to follow the revelation given to them even with huge errors such as shirk?
Sa1eem pretty much said the same as me (apart from point 1) and quoted Qur’an and gave explanations on the verses. Ask Sa1eem where they got the meaning from.
Point 1 being that Nikkah is annulled when the other half becomes an apostate? If so I agree with you. That is my understanding too
I’ll see if i can think of some questions to ask Saleem, but its not the same as the question posed to you - which was simply to tell me where you saw reference to such a debate
Verse 2:221
Mentions the prohibition of marriage to Mushrikin [unbelievers]
Tafsir Noor ul Irfan says:
…It should be remembered by polytheist woman is meant all non-believing women who do not belong to Ahle-Kitab…Marriage with women belonging to the Ahle Kitab is permissible, but with all other non-believers it is totally forbidden. Even marriage to a Muslim woman who becomes a Christian is forbidden as she is now an apostate, not one belonging to Ahle-Kitaab…
525 In this verse the word Mushrik indicates a non-believer as the marriage of a believing woman to a non-believer is totally forbidden. Likewise the verse: “Allah forgives not that anyone be associated with him” (S4:V116).
Shirk (idolatory) is used to indicate paganism. Thus, one who rejects the Prophethood of our Holy Prophet [SallAllahu Alaihi wa Ahlihi wa Sallam] is an infidel, even though he believes in the oneness of Allah.
…
527. From this entire verse a few issues have emerged.
…
2 If a polytheist woman becomes a follower of Ahle-Kitaab, a Muslim male may marry her because marriage to a women from Ahle Kitaab is permissible.
…
4 Companionship of the non-believers is not lawful for a Muslim as they will invite him towards hell
[end of selected quotations from the tafsir]
Tafsir of verse 60:10:
just the relevant parts, imo:
…Under no circumstance can marriage take place between a believer and a polytheist, whether the man is a believer and the woman a polytheist, or vice versa
…
41 “if your wives go away as apostates, or that they had never come from Makkah at all, give them a divorce, do not keeo them under custody of your marriage.” From this verse we learn that Nikkah does not become invalid on the wife becoming an apostate, because here, the husbands have been told to keep them, but do not remain in their marriage i.e. give them a divorce
42. Thus if your wives becomes apostates and go to Makkah Muazzamah, then give them a divorce…
[end of quotes]
point accepted, when the wife apostates - the nikkah is not annulled automatically. At least what i said was wrong:
verse 5:72
The word for disbelievers here is Kafara
Again from Tafsir Noor Ul Irfan :
72. Surely, those are infidels who say: “Messiah, son of Maryam is Allah” 214, while Messiah had said: “O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord 215, and your Lord”. Undoubtedly, whoso associates someone with Allah 216, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him and his abode is Hell 217. And there is no helper of the unjust 218.
214 The Yacoobiya and Malikaniya sects among the Nasara called Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace) as God. These people believed in the transmigration of Divine Spirit ie. they believed in the divinity of Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace). They believed that divine spirit had penetrated Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace) as fragrance and colour had penetrated the flower. Similarly, the Nusiriyya among the Shias too believe in Hazrat Ali (Mat Allah be pleased with him) as God.
215. By this is meant this nonsensical prattle of these Nasara is contrary to the teachings of Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace) because he always referred to himself as the servant of Allah, while they are calling him God.
216. From this is understood to attach children to Allah Almighty is polytheism, and those Nasara who hold such beliefs are polytheists. Inspite of this they are still called People of the Book because they believe in Injeel. Those polytheists who believe in the angels as the daughters of Allah are called by this name because they did not believe in any of the revealed Books. From this we learn that belief in a prophet can sometimes lessen ones infidelity and polytheism or sometimes accentuate it like the apostate sects of Islam.
217. Thus gives a hint that no infidel will reside in Araaf (a place between heaven and hell). Also Araaf will not be a permanent place but a temporary one. Those for whom paradise is forbidden will be in Hell, not in Araaf.
218. From this one learns that Allah Almighty has appointed helpers for the believers, because being without helpers is a punishment for the infidels, from which the believers are safe.
[end of tafsir for the verse]
Verse 5:73
73. Indeed, those are infidels who say: "Allah is a third of the three gods "] 219 and there is no god but the God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, they shall face a painful punishment and will die as infidels 220.
It is the belief of the Christian sects Marcosin and Nastooriya that Allah is divided into three. Father, son and the holy spirit. Their trinity consists of God the father, Hazrat Isa on whom be peace) the son and Hazrat Jibraeel as the holy spirit. This is the meaning of trinity.#
By this is meant that though all of them are infidels those who remain infidels until death are deserving of this punishment because verification is based on one’s time of death. Hence it is important that one should repent quickly. For this reason repentance is the subject of the discussion that follows.
Round up:
Ahle Kitab is a category for non Muslims
Anyone who rejects Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu Alaihi wa Ahlihi wa Sallam is a non believer [infidel]
Present day europeans may not even qualify as Ahle Kitab
Marriage to women of Ahle Kitab is permissible, but with all other non believers it is forbidden
ex Muslims do not qualify as Ahle Kitab
It is not not allowed to marry polytheist or unbelieving woman
It permissible to marry a polytheist who became Ahle Kitab
Christians had/have polytheist beliefs, they are called Ahle Kitab despite this
they have a chance to repent
As Salam Alaikum
Brother, the Ahle Kitab is a category for disbelievers, and they disbelieve [kafara] further when they associate partners with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and we are not allowed to marry them, but marry their women which is an exception. This exception is despite their disbelief of associating Partners with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and covers the whole Ahle Kitab not just a sect from among them
The Quran says marry Believing Women [Muslims] and exception given in the Quran is for chaste women of Ahle Kitab, not a particular sect of them
The similarity for this is that Muslims are allowed marital relations with what the right hand possess [pagan] to whom official marriage is not allowed, but with Ahle Kitaab women it is
point accepted, when the wife apostates - the nikkah is not annulled automatically. At least what i said was wrong: