In Islam, Muslims whether men or women are not allowed to marry none-Muslims. in the Qur’an Baqara, 221, Allah says “Do not marry the women who associate partners with God until they believe…Nor marry (your believing women) to the men who associate partners with God until they believe.” This verse prohibits Muslims for both man and woman to marry none-Muslims. However, there is one exception from the general rule with regards to marrying none-Muslims. In the Quran, Surah Maida verse 5 Allah says, “This day (all) pure, wholesome things have been made lawful for you… And (lawful for you in marriage) are chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Book before, provided that you give them their bridal-due, taking them in honest wedlock, and not in debauchery, nor as secret love-companions.” This verse permits only Muslim men to marry women from People of Book (Christians and Jews) but it does not mention Muslim women if they can marry men from People of Book. Muslim scholars unanimously agreed on the ruling that it is not permissible for Muslim women to marry none-Muslim men. The verse does not give any effective cause with regards to why Muslim men are allowed to marry women from People of Book, but why Muslim women are not mentioned in this permission. However, Scholars argued that usually women act/adopt/like the religion of man, thus, if a Muslim woman marries a none-Muslim man she may lose her faith. The man may impose his religion upon the woman or he may restrict her religious freedom. These are only arguments used by scholars but not mentioned in the Qur’an as an effective cause for the ruling. Thus, today some scholars argue that as long as Muslim woman have religious freedom they can marry men from People of Book. But this is not accepted by majority of scholars.
