Can a Twelver Shia Man Marry a Sunni Woman?
Question: Assalamu alaikum Sheikh, I was previously in a haram relationship with a Sunni Hanafi girl, but we ended it to focus on our deen and school. We hope Allah SWT reunites us through halal marriage in the future, inshaAllah. I am a Twelver Shia, and my concern is whether her Sunni father would Islamically be allowed to accept me for marriage despite our differences. For context, I was raised never to curse or disrespect the Sahaba, I respect Sunni beliefs, and I pray all five daily prayers separately rather than combining them. From a Sunni perspective, would our marriage be permissible, or would my being Shia prevent her father from accepting me? JazakAllahu khair, Sheikh.
Summary:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to marry off a woman under his guardianship to a man who holds beliefs of disbelief that take him outside Islam, whether he identifies as a Twelver Shia or belongs to another group. This is because Allah, the Exalted, says: “And do not marry your women to polytheistic men until they believe.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:221] However, merely identifying with the Twelver Shia madhhab is not sufficient on its own to declare a particular individual a disbeliever. Rather, his beliefs must be known, the conditions of takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever) must be fulfilled, and its impediments must be absent. Refraining from cursing the Companions رضي الله عنهم or performing the five daily prayers at their prescribed times is not sufficient to establish the correctness of a man's beliefs. Rather, his beliefs must be examined, particularly regarding Tawhid, the Quran, the Companions, and the Imamate. If a man abandons the beliefs of the Rafidah that contradict the Quran and Sunnah, adopts the Aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, and his Islam is sound and his religious practice upright, then his previous sectarian affiliation does not prevent him from marrying a Sunni woman. As for zina (fornication or adultery), according to the stronger scholarly opinion, it is not permissible to marry a woman who has committed zina and has not repented, nor is it permissible for a man who has committed zina and has not repented to marry, until sincere repentance has taken place. However, whoever repents from zina is not prevented from marrying because of that previous sin.
Answer:
Firstly: The Main Beliefs of the Twelver Rafidah That Contradict Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah
Among the beliefs found within the Twelver Imami madhhab which Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah oppose are the following:
1. Exaggeration concerning the Imams: Believing that the twelve Imams are infallible and protected from errors and sins, and attributing to them a religious status for which there is no evidence in the Quran or authentic Sunnah.
2. Supplicating to other than Allah and seeking assistance from the dead: This includes supplicating to Ali or al-Husayn رضي الله عنهما and asking them to fulfill needs or remove hardships in matters that none can accomplish except Allah. This constitutes major shirk.
3. Attacking the Companions رضي الله عنهم: This includes attacking Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman رضي الله عنهم, and accusing many of the Companions of apostasy or deviation after the death of the Prophet ﷺ.
4. Claiming that the Imamate is a fundamental principle of the religion: Believing that the twelve Imams were specifically appointed by Allah and that belief in their Imamate is obligatory upon all Muslims.
5. Believing in the infallibility of the Imams and the obligation of absolute obedience to them: Treating their statements as infallible religious authorities, unlike Ahl al-Sunnah, who do not affirm infallibility for anyone after the Prophet ﷺ.
6. Al-Raj'ah (the return): This is the belief that certain individuals will return to worldly life before the Day of Resurrection, according to the details mentioned in their books.
7. The belief that the Quran has been altered: This belief has appeared in some of their sources and in statements of some of their scholars. However, it is not a belief that can correctly be attributed to all Twelver Shia, as many of their scholars explicitly state that the Quran in our possession is preserved and has not been altered.
8. Mut'ah (temporary marriage): Permitting temporary marriage, whereas Ahl al-Sunnah believe that it is prohibited based on authentic religious texts.
9. Taqiyyah (concealment of beliefs): Extensively employing taqiyyah in certain matters of Aqeedah and sectarian beliefs, unlike the Shariah concession granted in cases of coercion and similar circumstances, which is subject to specific conditions.
These beliefs are not all of the same level. Some constitute major shirk, some may constitute disbelief depending on the particular belief, and others constitute religious innovations or differences in jurisprudence. It is not correct to judge every Twelver Shia individual as holding all these beliefs.
Secondly: The Ruling on a Sunni Woman Marrying a Twelver Shia Man
From the Qur'an:
- [Surah al-Baqarah 2:221]
“And do not marry your women to polytheistic men until they believe.”
- [Surah al-Mumtahanah 60:10]
“Then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful wives for them, nor are they lawful husbands for them.”
Therefore, if a man holds beliefs of shirk, such as supplicating to the dead and seeking their assistance in matters that none can accomplish except Allah, it is not permissible to marry him to a Muslim woman as long as he continues to hold those beliefs.
Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz رحمه الله was asked about marriage between Ahl al-Sunnah and the Shia. He warned against marrying those who hold beliefs involving exaggeration and shirk concerning Ahl al-Bayt, and explained the importance of verifying a person's beliefs and adherence to the Sunnah. As for this particular questioner, we cannot judge his beliefs merely because he identifies himself as a Twelver Shia. Rather, he should be asked about his beliefs concerning the aforementioned matters, and the truth should be explained to him with its evidences. Thirdly: The Ruling on Marrying Someone Who Has Committed Zina
From the Qur'an:
- [Surah al-Nur 24:3]
“The fornicator does not marry except a fornicatress or a polytheist woman, and the fornicatress is not married except by a fornicator or a polytheist man, and that has been forbidden to the believers.”
The stronger scholarly opinion is that it is not permissible to marry a man or woman who has committed zina until they sincerely repent to Allah. A man's mere transition from Shiism to the madhhab of Ahl al-Sunnah does not constitute repentance from zina. Rather, he must repent specifically from zina if he has committed it. However, it should be noted that the questioner mentioned a haram relationship but did not explicitly state that zina had occurred. Not every haram relationship constitutes zina in the jurisprudential sense. Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله explained that marriage is permissible after both parties have repented from zina.
Fourthly: Advising the Questioner With Wisdom and Good Instruction. I advise the questioner to strive to recognize and follow the truth, to read the Noble Quran and the authentic Sunnah according to the understanding of the Companions رضي الله عنهم, to study the Aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, and to become familiar with their methodology regarding the Tawhid of Allah, honoring the Prophet ﷺ, and loving all his family and Companions.
From the Qur'an:
- [Surah al-Nahl 16:125]
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.”
From the Sunnah:
- Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).Sahl bin Sa'd al-Sa'idi رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said to Ali رضي الله عنه:
“By Allah, if Allah guides even one man through you, that is better for you than having red camels.”
I advise you, dear brother who has asked this question, to make seeking the truth and following the Quran and Sunnah according to the understanding of the Salaf of this Ummah your ultimate objective. Reflect upon the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah and their evidences, and ask Allah, the Exalted, to guide you to the truth and keep you firm upon it. Your transition to the madhhab of Ahl al-Sunnah should not be merely for the sake of marriage, because Aqeedah is part of the religion through which you worship Allah, the Exalted. It must therefore be founded upon knowledge, certainty, and sincerity, rather than worldly interests. I also advise you to consult trustworthy scholars and discuss these matters with them using wisdom and good instruction, away from partisanship and argumentation. The objective is to reach and follow the truth, not merely to win an argument. Conclusion: It is not permissible to marry a Muslim woman to a man who holds beliefs of the Rafidah that take a person outside Islam. Merely refraining from cursing the Companions or performing the prayers is not sufficient to establish the correctness of his beliefs. If he abandons false beliefs, adopts the Aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, and his Islam is sound, then there is no obstacle to his marriage to a Sunni woman on account of his previous sectarian affiliation, provided that the remaining conditions of marriage are fulfilled. If either party has committed zina, then according to the stronger scholarly opinion, marriage is not permissible until that person sincerely repents. However, a mere haram relationship is not judged to be zina without establishing that zina actually occurred. Finally, I offer you this advice, O Shia questioner: Make seeking the truth and following the Quran and Sunnah according to the understanding of the Salaf of this Ummah your ultimate objective. Reflect upon the Aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah and its evidences, and do not let your transition to the madhhab of Ahl al-Sunnah be merely for the sake of marriage. Aqeedah is part of the religion through which you worship Allah, the Exalted, and it should be based upon knowledge, certainty, and sincerity, not worldly interests. I advise you to consult trustworthy scholars and ask Allah, the Exalted, to guide you to the straight path. The purpose of giving advice is to guide a person to the truth, not merely to defeat him in an argument or insult him.
And Allah knows best.
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