What do you think about a Muslim man marrying a Hindu woman?

[calypsodc]

Re: What do you think about a Muslim man marrying a Hindu woman?

@mdroshan

Thanks everyone for your useful comments.

Just to close of this thread - I did meet with him (my potential son-in-law) last weekend for dinner at a restaurant. He is a nice man and also a strong believer in Islam - attends mosque and prays when he can. He tried to explain that Allah was similar to brahman (the Hindu idea of a single God-head behind all existence). He also would like my daughter to convert to Islam (and his family will definitely insist on it - as it is, they are not very happy about this). My daughter does not practice anything right now, so she will probably agree if they insist on it. Though he is strong believer (just like I am in Hinduism), he is probably not that strict in practice - he did not check if the chicken was halal - it probably was not (is that common?).

mdroshan, if you do not have any reservations about your daughters choice and feel if that you can all be happy with your choices, then it is up to you. Life is short so make the most of it. I am closer to your daughter’s generation perhaps having been married for 5 years now. I also have friends who have married into other religions. Neither partner converted. Yes , one is a “hindu muslim couple”. They got married in a civil ceremony. They respect each other’s culture but neither is particularly religious. So they did not bother with conversion. They have a 4 year old who is taught the best of both religions. That marriage has been successful so far. In your case, one of the partners is religious. He claims that Allah = Brahman. So my question is if he really believes that then why not let the status quo stand? Why the need to convert? After all, everybody is praying to the same God. I see something fishy there. Isint that what is called “Love Jihad”? If your daughter does not convert, their marriage is not recognized in Islam and if she does, your family accumulates maha paap (great sin) esp you as a father for not having guided your daughter in Hinduism. So when religion is involved it is a very sensitive issue. More over you claim that your non religious daughter is ready to convert for him. Why is he not ready to convert for your daughter? After all with his belief that Allah = Brahman, he is not losing anything. This is a complicated scenario and please advise both the kids not to make any hasty decisions. Also think of this, you will not be able to pass on your beliefs and culture to your grandkids since their religion will be different from yours and it is forbidden for them to learn. So in a sense, your culture and religion ends with you. If these are not serious issues for you, then there is nothing to worry about. Else you and your daughter and son-in-law need to take some time and have a heart-to-heart, discuss future issues meet with his parents and family and take it slowly and let them marry when everybody is convinced that they can make a good match of it. Otherwise there will be a lot of heart ache on both sides. What ever happens, good luck to you and your family.