Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Question:
I have had very strong feelings for a non-muslim for 22 years. Do I tell him I would like to marry him and about how I feel?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Allah Ta’ālā has prohibited Muslims from marrying anybody from any other faith. Muslims can only marry other Muslims. This is the rule.
“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.” [Surah Al Baqarah; 2:221] [1]
However, an exception to the rule has been made in another verse,
“Lawful unto you in marriage are chaste women who are believers and chaste women among the Ahlul Kitab (Jews & Christians).” [Surah Ma’idah; 5:5] [2]
The exception is limited only to men marrying Christian and Jewish. One of the reasons explained for tis exception is because any children which would be born from this marriage, it was safe to assume that the children would adopt the religion of the father (i.e., that the children would also be Muslims).
It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man. The only way around it would be if he accepts Islam then it would be permissible for you to marry him.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1]وَلَا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكَاتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ وَلَا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنُوا وَلَعَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ
[2] ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ حِلّ لَّكُمۡ وَطَعَامُكُمۡ حِلّ لَّهُمۡۖ وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ إِذَآ ءَاتَيۡتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحۡصِنِينَ غَيۡرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِيٓ أَخۡدَان وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلۡإِيمَٰنِ فَقَدۡ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ