He claims to be a Muslim but he does not practise Islam at all; however, he is prepared to learn – can she marry him?

Question 8435

can i marry a man who does not know any aspect of islam. his parents are muslim but they never bothered to teach him religion,they kept islam upto them but he himself is a very humble person and i have experienced that if myself or any body else will try to explain him the teachings of islam,he will galdly hear it and inshallah he will also let those teachings to enter his life. i have strong believe in religion i am not very religious but i try my best to follow islam.i love him very much and i believe that after marring him i can easily bring him on the right path on which i am inshallah.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

We put the following question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen:

There is a Muslim woman who has received a proposal of marriage from a man who claims to be a Muslim but he does not practise Islam at all –because he is ignorant about it. But he says that he is prepared to learn and practise. Can she marry him or not?

His answer:

If he bears witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, then he is a Muslim, and it is permissible for her to marry him. And Allaah knows best.

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He claims to be a Muslim but he does not practise Islam at all; however, he is prepared to learn – can she marry him?

Question 8435

Answer