She wants to embrace Islam but cannot leave her non-Muslim husband

1-9-2013 | IslamWeb

Question:

A nonmuslim wants to revert but has been advised to first seperate from her husband who doesnot wants to revert , can she revert without divorcing him. He is not ready to revert but future allah knows. If the life is in danger can she declare shahadah and yet stay with the husband and have no physical contact. Which is a greater sin to die as non muslim or stay with a non muslim husband with muslim faith. What is the the solution in life threatening situations if the husband is not willing but a female wants to become a muslim. Is it must to divorce a husband before declaring shahadah or stay with the non muslim husband and hope allah to give him the hidayah or because the husband is not ready to become a muslim and she cannot seperate she should commit a biger sin of dying a kaafir which is the lesser evil sin crime or take the easy way out of becoming a muslim and continue to stay with him without physical relation and also in case if sex does happen in this situation what is the status of such marriage. If it is matter of life if life is at risk what to do for the sincere intention of becoming a muslim..The advice seperation is must before entering the fold of islam is making life difficult. She wants to be a muslim but cannot take seperation due to family issues.

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

It is incumbent upon that woman to hasten to embrace Islam and not wait for separation from her husband or the like. There is no doubt that remaining in marriage with her non-Muslim husband is really less harmful than dying as a non-Muslim, may Allaah guard us against that.

However, she should invite her husband to Islam. If he embraces Islam before her waiting period ends, then their marriage is still valid as it is. But if he does not embrace Islam until her waiting period ends, then the marriage is cancelled and it is not permissible for her to allow him to have intercourse with her. For more benefit, kindly refer to Fatwa 81394.

Allaah Knows best.

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