Inter-Faith Marriage is not Encouraged!
EC Exclusive
By Muddassir Ahmad Qasmi
The author is Assistant Editor of Eastern Crescent, Columnist of Daily Inquilab and Director of Al-Ghazali International School(GIS), Araria.
It is a matter of great concern for Indian Muslims that a good number of their daughters are apostatizing and marrying non-Muslims. Now, it is not negligible because such news is coming from almost every corner of the country.
When we look for the reasons for the rapid growth of this disease in the Muslim society, we find two basic reasons. The real and important reason is the detachment of Muslim girls from religious education and the lack of training about Islamic values. The second reason, which has fueled the fire, is the organized conspiracy of the enemies of Islam, in which, they urge their young boys to marry Muslim girls by trapping them into their love-trap. There are a number of proofs of this conspiracy on YouTube.
In fact, Muslims’ own negligence has played a key role in this disaster rather than the conspiracy of others. If Muslims educate and train their daughters properly, they would not take the wrong path, nor would it be easy for the enemies to trap them in their nets.
It is also important to examine the other side of the coin and reach at a right conclusion. To explain it in detail, some Muslim boys are also marrying girls of other religions. I, the author, am hundred percent sure that no Muslim youth is ever asked for this action by any Muslim organization or individuals. In spite of it, the sad thing is that it has been spread among the non- muslims of the country that Muslims incite their youth to do this work and they term it ‘Love Jihad’, which has no basis in Islam.
The main reason for the deterioration of Muslim youths is the same as of Muslim girls’ i.e. distance from Islamic education, training and values. Let’s go through and understand Islamic stand about inter-faith marriage i.e. the marriage of one religion’s followers to another. Allah Almighty says: “Do not marry the polytheist women, unless they come to believe (in Islam); a Muslim slave-girl is better than a polytheist woman, even though she may attract you; and do not give (your women) in marriage to polytheist men, unless they come to believe; a Muslim slave is better than a polytheist, even though he may attract you. They invite to the Fire when Allah invites, by His will, to Paradise, and to forgiveness. He makes His verses clear to the people, so that they may heed the advice. (Translation by Mufti Taqi Usmani, Al-Baqarah: 221)
By pondering upon the objectives of this verse, many important things come to light. The first thing is that the most suitable match for a Muslim man in marriage is a Muslim woman. Yes! If a woman is inspired by the beauties of Islam and accepts Islam with all her heart and soul, then there is nothing wrong in marrying her. If a woman accepts Islam only for getting married, then it is not encouraged because it is not for the sake of Islam. The Qur’an clearly warns: “There is no room for coercion in religion, .” (Al-Baqarah: 256)
In the last part of the above vers Muslim woman’s love marriage to non-muslim man is prohibited in clear words and it is also made clear that non-Muslim men call Muslim women to destruction. Even after such clear instructions, if Muslim girls are marrying non-Muslims, it is a big blow for Muslims and a matter of serious consideration. Muslims should present this Islamic point to the world that accepting Islam for the sake of Allah is a different thing and accepting Islam only for marriage is a completely different thing. If someone accepts Islam from the heart without force, then it is considered Islam and it is appreciated because it is the path of real success. The law of the country also allows that anyone can adopt the religion of their choice. In brief, there are a few questions for Muslims: Hasn’t Islam told Muslims how to properly educate and train a girl child? Hasn’t Islam taught Muslims to apply special changes in children’s clothing and living conditions at different stages of age? Of course, the answers to these questions are nothing but ‘Yes’, then why are the parents and the authorities of the Muslim society practically mute spectators!
