From: ahmed@dsg.cs.tcd.ie
Subject: Re: Interpretations of the Quran
Originator: zeeshan@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Zeeshan Hasan -Moderator)
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:45:20 GMT
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In soc.religion.islam,  as5h+@andrew.cmu.edu (Azleena Salleh) wrote:


>On 09-Dec-92 in Interpretations of the Quran 
> ahmed@dsg.cs.tcd.ie writes:
>>I think if you read the Quran you will find that it is forbidden for a
>>muslim woman to marry a non-muslim. Not only that but you will find also
>>that a muslim woman should not continue, in marriage relationship, with
>>a non-muslim man. 

>I think as it says in the commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali that this is
>so because in traditional practise the woman's cultural and religious
>status is usually lost when she marries, that is, she usually takes on
>that of her husband's.  Perhaps someone knowledgeable can comment as to
>whether that this rule is still applicable in cases where the woman can
>keep her own Islamic identity?  

>wassalam,
>-azleena

Since you have read the verses which I might have meant, and read the
commentary by Abdullah yousuf Ali, then I will just quote these tow 
verses and answer your question.


2:221. "And do not marry the polytheist women until they believe, and 
certainly a believing maid is better than a polytheist woman, 
even though she should please you; 

and do not give (believing women) in marriage to polytheist men until 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
they believe, 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and certainly a believing slave is better than a polytheist man, even 
though he should please you; these invite to the fire, and Allah 
invites to the garden and to forgiveness by His will, and makes clear 
His communications to men, that they may be mindful. "


A polytheist is the one who considers gods other than Allah. 

In this verse there are two injunctions,  and three facts.

2- The first injunction forbids fo men to marry polytheist women
( who consider gods other than Allah )

2- THe second does the same, but for women.

The facts are that:
1- A believing slave woman is better than a polytheist woman, even
though she should please you.

2- A Muslim slave is better than a polytheist, even though
he should please you. 

In other words it is not the material aspects that should be
considered.

3- These (polytheists) invite to the fire, and Allah invites to the 
garden and to forgiveness by His will.

SO considering the injunction as applied to Muslim women; marriage
cannot happen between a Muslim woman and a polytheist man, under any
circumstances. Allah didn't make it acceptable (lawful) under any
circumstances. 

The commentary of Abdullah Yousuf Ali is no more than a commentary of a
man ,who wants to explain in his own way, to a certain class of people,
how to comprehend and accept the injunction. However his explanation
could be correct and could be nonsense, and in either case it can not
be used as an extension to the Quran.

This is the problem of many Muslims, they do not look at the Quran as
something divine and absolute. They try to extend the Quran by
their own logic. 
WHy pork is forbidden ? because of 1-, 2-, 3-, ...
Did Allah say that ?  What about if your logic failed and all your
points have been proven rediculus, does that violate the Quranic
injunction ?  Of course No.

So the two injunctions, above, are valid at any time, and in every
circumstances, and the three facts should be considered at any time when
establishing emotional and social relationships. Even among Muslims
Islam should be the main criteria to be considered when comparing
between muslims, there are many Hadeeth to instruct Muslims how to chose
friends and spouses, adherence to Islam is the main point that should be 
considered.


Another verse:

 60:10. "O you who believe! when believing women come to you 
 flying, then examine them; Allah knows best their faith; 

 then if you find them to be believing women, do not send 
 them back to the unbelievers, 

 neither are these (women) lawful for them (unbelievers), nor are 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 those (men) lawful for them (beleiving women), 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 and give them what they have spent; and no blame attaches to you 
 in marrying them when you give them their dowries; and hold 
 not to the ties of marriage of unbelieving women, and ask 
 for what you have spent, and let them ask for what they have 
 spent. That is Allah's judgment; He judges between you, and 
 Allah is Knowing, Wise. "

The underlined part, clearly forbids any marriage association
between Muslim women and non-muslim men. This applies at any time and
without giving reasons. This verse in fact forbids the marriage
association even if the marriage already exists. For example if a 
non-muslim woman is already married to a non-muslim man, and then the 
woman became a muslim, that existing marriage is no more valid, 
and a separation should be sought. 


In suraht Al-Ma'ida (the table), however, an excemption was made for the 
chaste women from the people of the book. These chaste women can be 
married by Muslim men.   There was no excemption made for the Muslim 
women to marry men from the people of the book.  

I hope this gives the required answer.

Wassalamu ala manittaba'al huda.

Ahmed I. El-Habbash,
Department of Computer Science, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.