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Permissible for a Sunni lady to marry a Shia?

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-0-Alyqum, I`m wondering does Islam allow intermarrige between different sects of Muslims? for example sunni and shia? Alhamdulillah I belong to a sunni sect of Islam and wondering if it is permissible for a sunni woman to marry a shia man who is a (Dawooi Bohra) having this contract between them that they`ll be following their own sects and will never interfere each other life when it comes to religious parctices. Also is it permissible for a sunni woman to marry a shia (Bohri) man having this contract at the time of nikkah that the children will be following sunnism? I`ll be looking forward for your reply. It is a very serious matter and I would like someone to help me immediately. i do not want to take a wrong decision. I really want to marry this guy but if it is not permissible from islamic point of view then I`m reday to leave everything just for the sake of Allah subhana tala. I`ve been trying to solve this problem but still not suceeded yet. I also have been trying to convince him to just read whatever is written in the Holy Quran with an open eyes but he is reluctant to do so. I think few parctices that Bohris do are shirk. like giving sajhda to their holy priest. I tried asking this guy about giving sajhda to their priest and he says they give sajhda to the "dawat of Islam" not to the priest. And since his priest is the one who has been guiding them they do it infront of him.I`m not quite satisfied with his answer. Please help me. I want to help this guy so much I don`t care if I get married to him or not in future, but since I respect him and care about him I want him to know what is the truth. I need a sincere Muslim person who has knowledge and someone who would help me. It would be really nice of you if u would please answer my question as soon as possible. I`ve emailed Dr. Akhtar Emok and he gave me u`r email adress. Please help me with this matter. Please its a sincere request from a sister. a sister. 

 

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Answer:

 

Permissible for a Sunni lady to marry a Shia?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question: I`m wondering does Islam allow intermarriage between different sects of Muslims? for example sunni and shia?

Every person who believes and worships Allah Subhanah Alone and does not associate any partners with Him; who believes in all the Messengers appointed by Allah; who believes in Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the Last and Final Messenger; who believes in all the Books revealed by Allah Subhanah; who believes in the Glorious Quran as the Final Message of our Merciful Lord; who believes in the angels; who believes in the concept of the Hereafter; and who believes in the Divine Decrees; and declares the testification of Islam: Laa Ilaaha Illalaah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah; is a believer and a muslim. Allah Subhanah has not made the believers Shias, or Sunnis, or Ismailis, or Shafeis, or Bohras, etc. These are names man has invented for himself! Every believer must be honored to be recognized by the name that Allah has chosen for him, and Allah has chosen to call the believers ‘muslims’ in the Glorious Quran.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 77-78:O you who have believed, do ‘rukooh’ (bow down) and do ‘sajdah’ (prostration), and worship your Lord Allah Alone, and do righteous deeds: it may be that you attain true success! Exert your utmost for the cause of Allah, as one should. He has chosen you for His service, and has not laid on you any hardship in your religion. Therefore, be steadfast in the religion of your father Abraham. Allah had named you ‘muslims’ before this, and has named you (muslims) in this Quran also, so that the Messenger may be a witness in regard to you, and you may be witnesses in regard to the rest of mankind.

 

It is not important whether one calls himself a Shia or a Sunni; what is important is that one believes and sincerely obeys and follows the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), and fears the advent of an Inevitable Day, when he will stand in the Just Court of Allah to give a full accounting of his deeds.

 

Whatever differences there might be between the believers, it is best to try and solve them with wisdom, patience, and in light of the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws). It does not behove a believer to fight or abuse or ridicule or revile his believing brother! No individual has a right to force his beliefs on another! One should always speak and declare the Truth from the Quran and Sunnah, and leave the decision of who is on the Right Path and who is astray for Allah Subhanah to decide on the Day of Judgement.

 

Allah has allowed a believing man to marry a non-mehram believing woman; thus a marriage between a Shia and Sunni is absolutely legal and permitted in Islam.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 5:Likewise you are permitted to marry believing chaste women, and chaste women from among the people of the Book (Jews and Christians), provided that you give them their due ‘mahr’ and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues.

 

Your Question: wondering if it is permissible for a sunni woman to marry a shia man who is a (Dawooi Bohra) having this contract between them that they`ll be following their own sects and will never interfere each other life when it comes to religious parctices. Also is it permissible for a sunni woman to marry a shia (Bohri) man having this contract at the time of nikkah that the children will be following sunnism?

One can very well make the contract that each partner in the marriage will follow his own beliefs, or that neither will interfere in each others religious practices, or that the children resulting from the marriage will follow one way of life! But the truth is that a marriage is not a business transaction, whereby if one breaks the written agreement, the transaction is invalid. A marriage in Islam is a life-long commitment, and to make this commitment work, one has to be careful in choosing his/her life partner who at least share a similar ideology and belief; otherwise chances are that the agreement might not work!

 

Your Question: I want to help this guy so much I don`t care if I get married to him or not in future, but since I respect him and care about him I want him to know what is the truth. I need a sincere Muslim person who has knowledge and someone who would help me. It would be really nice of you if u would please answer my question as soon as possible.

Dear Sister in Islam, the best way to make the person realize the Truth is that both of you first come to an agreement on the things that are common in your beliefs:

Both of you believe that Allah Subhanah is our Creator and the Lord of everything that exists.

Both of you agree on all the Noble Attributes of Allah… like He is the All Just, All Powerful, All Mighty, All Merciful, The Real King of the Day of Judgement, etc.

Both of you agree that Allah Subhanah appointed Prophet Mohamed (saws) as His Last Messenger (saws) unto mankind, and there is no Prophet after him.

Both of you agree that Allah Subhanah revealed the Holy Quran to Prophet Mohamed (saws), as a guidance to mankind.

Both of you agree and make the Quran as the ‘Furqaan’ or Criterion between the Truth and falsehood.

Both of you agree in the concept of the Hereafter; that is, the reward of Paradise and the punishment of the Hell Fire.

 

Once you have an agreement on the things that are common between your beliefs, you will realize that there are only a few differences, and that too most of them are not in the deen or religion of Islam; but in the incidents and the acts of the people related to the History of the Muslims! And if both of you agree to use the clear guidance and teachings of the Glorious Quran as the Criterion between Truth and falsehood; you can be sure that the Holy Quran will guide only to the Truth, and nothing makes the Truth evident from the falsehood like the Holy Quran!

 

Allah says in Chapter 2, Surah Baqarah aayat 185:"Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down: this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consists of CLEAR teachings which show the right way and are a Criterion of the Truth and falsehood."

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Bani Israel verse 81:And declare, “The Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. And falsehood is a thing that must by its nature, vanish!”

 

In our humble opinion, if you could get the person to agree to read and understand the Holy Quran, and use that as the only Criterion, it is expected that Allah Subhanah will guide both of you to the Truth of Islam! The Bohras generally are not allowed to understand the Glorious Quran by their priests, and that is the main reason for their practices of sajdah to human beings and graves, unconditional obedience to their ‘holy men’, etc. Once any Bohra (or for that matter any person) leaves aside his past prejudice and beliefs, reads and accepts the Quran as the Criterion between the Truth and falsehood, and begs Allah Subhanah to guide him to the Truth… it is expected that Allah will help them determine the Truth.

 

The reason any Bohra so faithfully practices his deen, is not because he has the knowledge from the Holy Quran; but simply because he was born into it and found his people and forefathers following a certain way of life! This is the same reason most people gave, when they denied the Message of all their Prophets that came to them with the guidance from Allah Subhanah in the days gone by!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 170-171:When it is said to them, “Follow the Commands that Allah has sent down”, they reply, “We will follow only what we found our forefathers practicing.” Well, will they go on following their forefathers even though they did not use common sense and did not find the Right Way! The mental condition of those who rejected the way of Allah may be likened to that of the cattle whom the shepherd calls but they hear nothing except the sound of shouts and cries. They are deaf, they are dumb, they are blind; therefore they do not understand anything.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqman verse 21:And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has sent down”, they say, “We shall only follow that upon which we found our forefathers.” What! Will they still be following them even if Shaitaan had been calling them to the raging Fire?

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah Zukhruf verse 22-25:Nay! But they say, “We found our forefathers on a way and we are only walking in their footsteps.” Even so, whenever before you We sent a warner to a habitation, its people of means said, “We have found our forefathers on a way and we are only following in their footsteps.” Every Prophet asked them, “Will you still go on following the same old way even if I guide you to a more right way than that you found your forefathers following?” They replied, “We disbelieve the religion with which you have been sent.” Consequently, We took vengeance on them. Just consider what was the end of those who denied.

 

If you sincerely want to help the brother understand Islam, then you must humbly and politely convince him to read the Holy Quran with understanding, even only once! And when any person, who has normal intelligence and common-sense, reads the Holy Quran without any prejudice and in search for the Truth; Allah Subhanah will, Insha Allah, guide them to the Truth of Islam.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 29:Proclaim, “This (Quran) is the Truth from your Lord: now whosoever wills may accept it, and whosoever wills may reject it.” (As for those who reject it) We have prepared for such workers of iniquity a fire whose flames have encircled them. There, if they as for water , they will be given a drink like the dregs of oil, which will burn their mouths! What an evil drink, and what an evil abode!

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 

 


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