Interfaith Marriage in Islam

In response to 2 fatwas:

On Marrying a non-Muslim Male
On Christian Men Marrying Muslim Women

            The fatwas concerning a Muslim woman marrying a non-Muslim man remind me of the reading involving women in Islam. The original interpretations regarding this issue were all given from the male perspective in a male-dominated society at the time they were given. If you take that context into consideration, it is of no surprise that men would be allowed to marry a non-Muslim Christian or Jew, but not the other way around.

            New religions have to compete against the others in the area. Islam was believed to have been sent to correct the corruption of the Jewish and Christian beliefs and replace the polytheistic beliefs of the pagans. In a male dominated society, it would have been crucial for the children to belong to this new religion and not have the chance of losing them to the others. Ideology grows and spreads with the children the easiest, as they can be indoctrinated from their very first day. They grow up learning from the parent and most often follow in the parent’s choice of faith. As such, a man in ancient Arabia and ancient Islam would have been able to guide his children’s choices, as the culture was already such that his wife was subservient to him. But, if the father in the family was not Muslim, then his children would likely become non-Muslims.

            I can see why Khaled Abou El Fadl had trouble answering the letter sent about the Muslim woman who was married to a Christian man that was allowing his wife to raise the children Muslim. That letter dealt with the context of western society in a time when women often have an equal footing in the family. The intent of the previous fatwas, and of the jurisprudence from the four schools of thought was to protect the growth of Islam. Here El Fadl was dealing with a situation where the growth of Islam was not at risk, but he was still somewhat unwilling to break from the contest of old. I agree with his final statement that the woman mentioned in the letter should pray and ask for guidance and follow her conscience and that God is merciful.

           

Written on 3/13/12 for my Modern Muslim Thought class

To Jihad or Not to Jihad…

            After reading Jihad and the Modern World by Sherman Jackson, I am left feeling even more secure in my position that Islam is a religion of peace. Now I can even make my argument better, by using Jackson’s. I was always under the assumption that the radical Islamic groups were less tactful in building their arguments about Jihad and that they instead preyed on individuals searching for something to belong to; individuals with animosity already growing in their hearts from some possible wrongs done to them, their friend, or their family from wars or other “Western” encroachment. As Jackson points out, some of those that might be considered by some as radical, are well respected for their interpretations, and have valid arguments (in many cases), like Sayyid Qutb of the Muslim Brotherhood.

            Qutb suggested that Muslims are to be in a continual state of aggressive Jihad against non-believers, Jews and Christians to be specific, because of historic hostility. He uses the Qur’anic verse 9:29 to substantiate this view, and suggests that the ninth chapter is the final and thus prevailing view of the non-believers and how Muslim should regard them. Jackson points out that not only is another chapter (the fifth) considered by many scholars to be the final one, but that this chapter sets a standard toward the Jews and Christians that is much different than in the ninth, for example, 5:82: “You will find those who are most closely drawn to the Believers in love to be those who say, ‘We are Christians’”. Jackson also refutes Qutb’s idea that peace efforts must be entirely Muslim by showing how the Prophet Mohammed waged peace with pagans in the “Forbidden Months” alliance.

            As a whole, I like how Jackson shows how Shari’a law is meant to be dynamic and set in historical and customary context. I will certainly be placing this article in my repertoire for my future interfaith work. 

Written on 2/6/12 for my Modern Muslim Thought class