Idolatrous Women were also Released

On the one hand, where a special case was proposed for Muslim women, on the other on this occasion, special injunctions were also enacted in relation to idolatrous women; that if an idolatrous women be married to a Muslim, she be released from wedlock. Furthermore, the order was issued that in the future, no idolatrous woman can remain married to a Muslim man. These injunctions were also revealed by means of the Holy Qur’ān,1 and after the revelation of these verses, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar(ra) and various other companions, who until this time were still married to various idolatrous women, divorced their idolatrous wives and released them.2 In this context, it is also worthy of mention that Islām has not forbidden marriage to all non-Muslim women. Rather, it has only forbidden marriage to idolatrous women and has deemed marriage to women of the Ahl-e-Kitāb as lawful.3 The wisdom of these injunctions are as follows:

Firstly: The religion of an idolater is poles apart from Islām and there is no chain of commonality between the two. Furthermore, by marrying an idolatrous woman there is a risk that the children may remain devoid of the fundamentals of religion in their upbringing.

Secondly: An idolatrous person is not bound by any specific moral code, due to which relations can never be established on specific and firm grounds. On the other hand, however, it was also necessary to allow for the broadening of relations, and therefore, whilst prohibiting marriage to idolatrous women, permission to marry all other non-Muslim women was granted. Among the religions of this day and age, Christians, Jews and Hindus, etc., are included in the term Ahl-e-Kitāb, with whom a Muslim is permitted to marry. Albeit, a better part of the uncivilized nations of Africa, etc., are not from the Ahl-e-Kitāb and marriage to them is forbidden in all circumstances. Since a detailed discussion has already occurred on this topic, hence here the brief note provided should suffice.