I have an question to ask. I am a Catholic girl who is in love with a Muslim guy. He is a very open minded person. He is a very loving & caring person. I really love him very much, in fact we love each other a lot. Now, here is my question. Can I marry him by just solemnizing our marriage the Muslim way without me converting to a Muslim nor he converting to Catholicism? After which we would register our marriage at the ROM.

We will both remain as what we are and lead life the normal life. I don't see why I must give up my religion in order to marry him   when he is not giving is up. 

In actual fact my boyfriend doesn't insist that I should convert to marry him but the family does. So I told him that I think we should decide for ourselves. Please help find a solution, thanks. 

Answer

Yes, you can marry without changing your religion, because the holy Qur'an expressly and specifically permits the marriage of a Muslim man to a woman of the Ahl-e-Kitab (people of the Scriptures). The Ahl-e-Kitab is interpreted to mean people of the Jewish or Christian faith. After marriage, it is binding upon the Muslim husband to permit his Christian or Jewish wife to practise her own religion without any hindrance from him whatsoever. On the other hand, the holy Qur'an expressly forbids a Muslim woman from marriage to a non-Muslim man (even if he belongs to the people of Scriptures -- e.g. Christians or Jews).

Generally speaking, the son's parents often prefer to have a Muslim daughter-in-law, mainly for cultural and social considerations -- but not because of religious requirements. This is similar to the practise of parents encouraging their children to marry people with similar racial, linquistic, and social status (such as wealth, nobility, profession, beauty, skin colour and so on). What really matters however, is the good moral character and compatibility of the couple.

Two adults who are able to make their own decisions may do so freely when it comes to choosing a marriage partner, and if they can, they might also try to accommodate the parent's wishes if possible. If it is not possible, then that is too bad. Marriage in Islam is a civil contract made between two consenting parties out of their own free will.

In Canada, a person who is authorized to solemnize  marriage under Canadian law, can also perform the Nikah (Muslim Marriage ceremony) at the same time and register with the Registrar of Marriages. Check the law for your own
country for this purpose. Muslim marriage (Nikah) is required in accordance with the Muslim law and it is a legal requirement even if the bride is Christian or Jewish.

This is a very good site, keep up the good work!!!! Both my husband and I are Muslim. We have been married for 9 years.  We would both like to have children very much but we have fertility problems. We have been trying for 8 years now. I can't think about anything except becoming a mother.  Everyone around me is having a baby. I get so jealous. So we are thinking of going through in vitro fertilization. So my question is: does ISLAM permit this in vitro fertilization? Thank you every much.

Answer

Yes, generally speaking, it is my view that your type of problem has to be treated like a medical problem. So with this approach, any solution aimed at resolving medical/health problems is lawfully permissible and is even recommended and advisable in Islam. 

From my understanding of the technical procedures involved, there is nothing unlawful with in vitro fertilization except that you must use the wife's eggs and the husband's sperm. Click here to see an article which discusses this as well as other fertility issues on our website. Here is another article on our website which discusses Infertility and the Qur'an. 

An incidental legal problem that arises from this relates to the procedure for acquiring the husband's sperm for this purpose. If his sperm is to be acquired through masturbation, which is unlawful under normal circumstances, it becomes lawful in these special circumstances, namely for the purpose of solving medical/health problems. In this regard, please see this article for more information on the subject. 

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P.S.   I wonder whether it has occurred to you to try to get help from the Holy Qur'an. Some knowledgeable people could suggest a particular appropriate verse from the Qur'an as a chant or for recitation in certain ways in order to obtain cures for physical diseases. The Holy Qur'an is very explicit in saying that it contains shifa' (cures) for diseases. I would say that 'shifa' is such a broad general word that it covers not only spiritual diseases, but also physical diseases. If you have not tried this, then why not consider that alternative as well. 

I have read through the website and I find that it is very interesting; in the way that I can understand more about
Muslims and Islam. I do have Muslim friends and I would like to know if it is allowed for a Muslim man to marry a Chinese girl? Or shall I say that marriage between a Muslim and a non-Muslim is allowed or not? Is it that a Syed must marry to Sharifah? What about the second wife ( must she also be a Sharifah )? I hope you can help me with this. Sorry for the inconvience! Thank you! 

Answer

According to the Islamic Law, a Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man even if he is a Christian or a Jew.
However, as you perhaps already know, a Muslim man can marry a non-Muslim Christian or Jewish woman. 

As to your second question it is not necessary, as far as the law is concerned, for a Syed Muslim male to marry a Sharifah
female. By "Sharifah" I assume you mean a woman belonging to the direct line of descendants of the holy Prophet, p.b.u.h.
because that's what the word 'Syed' connotes in the case of male descendants.