Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

Society Religion & Philosophy
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In a hypothetical situation, a muslim man marries an extremely religious muslim woman. At some point in life, the man loses his faith altogether. The devastated religious wife tries her best to bring him back to Islam but he wouldn’t budge. Is this marriage valid anymore? If not then how does she get out of it. If yes, then can she force him into becoming a Muslim again?

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

Assuming the man has totally apostated from Islam,the marriage will not be Valid.She can take khula and get the court to award her a divorce.She can try to bring him back to islam,but if it doesnt work,then the marriage will be void.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

it wouldn't be valid anymore. and a muslim can't leave Islam .

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

^What if a man does?! I know you can't leave Islam but let's say someone does, then what's a wife to do?

@Apricot - Doesn't Khula need husband's consent to be valid? You are basically saying it's over and she doesn't need his permission since he is not muslim anymore.

Is there a ruling on this issue in Islam at all? or are you just saying what makes sense to you?

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

You are right.She does not need his permission,infact there is no need for Khula in this case.The marriage becomes atuomatically invalid. and yes i have islamic rulings for this case. Can show them if you want.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

I think Islamically she does not need a khula as marriage is no longer valid. But to fulfill legal requirements, she needs to file for a divorce.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

Yes, would you please show it?

Thanks!

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

What if the couple lives in an Islamic country? Even then she needs to file for a divorce?

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

She can separate from him immediately but Nikah must be registered somewhere so I think she has to file for divorce. Reason being that if she goes and marry someone, ex hubby can take nikah nama to the court saying that she is still his wife. She needs a court document to show that nikah is not valid anymore.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

OK here's another scenario, What if he wants to stay with her? Does he have any right Islamically/legally to keep her in this marriage?

How about this: they both want to stay together but wife being super religious pretends nothing is wrong continues to hope that he will come back to his religion one day. Is this okay? will there be any sin on her to continue living with a man that's not muslim anymore?

:D I personally have not come across a ruling for a situation like this, hence, I am asking all these questions here.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

Contradiction in terms .... she would not be very religious if she continued to live with an atheist.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

This.

If someone does not want to follow Islam, they can stop calling themselves Muslims. If they do want to carry on being Muslim, they will have to decide on what is more important to them. This is all from a religious perspective. So yeah, she wouldn't really be 'religious' if she chooses to live with an atheist.

Common sense also dictates that.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

if the man renounces Islam, he becomes murtad in Islamic terms and at this point the marriage is NULL and VOID. any relationship after this juncture will be Haraam...she would have to go to court and ask for divorce.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

Is he an atheist or is he just not practicing? Did he renounce Islam?

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

Thank you all!

What happens if we reverse the roles? Can a muslim husband keep an atheist wife?

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband


if she becaomes an atheist, yes! he has to divorce her. however, if she converts to Christianity or Judaism then he is allowed to continue to keep her as his wife.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

No, the same would apply to a Muslim man who has an atheist wife.

A verse in Surah Al Baqarah (Can't think of the verse number) states 'Do not marry unbelieving women until they believe' and I suppose that's a clear enough ruling.

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

Only if she allows him to have a second wife ..

Ok that was a joke

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

^LMAO!! :smiley:

Is it all hearsay or do you guys actually have a reference for both scenarios? :hoonh:

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Re: Religious muslim wife & Atheist husband

^ Peace Theorist

Just like before it is possible both ways ... A Muslim man can marry an atheist wife as a Muslim woman may marry an atheist man, but the marriage will not be a nikkah ... which is Islamically recognised.

A nikkah is a contractual agreement made in the presence of witnesses and a binding contract blessed with the Blessed Name of Allah (SWT) ... if an atheist man or woman bind themselves in such a contract surely they are saying that they promise to abide by the rules of matrimony before God. An atheist should have a real problem with this contract ... and the Muslim on the other side should fear breach of contract on the grounds that an atheist would have no reason to fear a God they did not believe in. It would be a meaningless piece of paper.

It is a type of rib'a to enter a contract on ambiguous grounds and rib'a is haram. The grounds of a nikkah contract would definitely be ambiguous if one person signed their name on a nikkah nama with the Name of Allah (SWT) when they do not even believe He Exists.