Can I marry an unchaste Christian woman that is a webcam model?

Question

I've met a Russian Christian woman. She is a webcam model. She is in love with me, as I her, and I was wondering what the validity of a potential marriage is. She isn't chaste, and I was wondering if this is a problem. How am I able to marry this woman?

Answer 1

Yes it is a problem.

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Allah says in the Qu'ran:

“Made lawful to you this day are At‑Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful) foods, which Allaah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits)]. The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. (Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends”

[al-Maa'idah 5:4]

What is meant by chaste is refraining from Zina.

Ibn Katheer said:

This is the view of the majority, which the most correct opinion, so as to avoid the combination of her being a non-Muslim with her being unchaste, which would mean that she is totally corrupt and thus her husband will get, as the Arabic proverb says, “Bad goods and cheated on the weight.” The apparent meaning of the aayah is that what is meant is those who are chaste and refrain from zina.

Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/55

The above verse states that you can only marry a Christian or Jew that is chaste.

You can only marry her if she fulfills these conditions and is serious about it:

They are:

• being chaste
• refraining from Zina
• the wali(guardian) of the Christian woman is a Muslim

The third condition of the wali being a Muslim is indicated by this verse:

“And never will Allaah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers”

[al-Nisa’ 4:141]

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However, marrying People of the Book can lead to trouble.

From Islam Q&A:

• He may have to be courteous to this wife of his at the expense of his religion, especially if she is “very committed” to her own religion. This may mean that she will hang up crosses and go to the church, and the children will not be safe in this environment.

• She is not going to wash properly after finishing her period, or tell him not to have intercourse with her when she is menstruating; she is going to make him do something that is wrong according to sharee’ah and cause him physical harm.

• He is going to be put in an embarrassing situation because of her careless attitude concerning dress and her mixing with men and speaking to them.

• The states and governments of these women of the Book will be on their side and will give them custody of the children if differences arise and divorce takes place. This will cause these children to be lost and to fall into kufr. Such cases are too well known to need mentioning here and too many to count.

One of the poets said:

“Marriage to a Christian is an abhorrent action which leads to the kufr of the children for sure.

Whoever accepts for a child of his to be a kaafir is himself a kaafir, even if he claims to be a Muslim.

A man may become a kaafir, following his wife, and enter the Fire of Hell forever.

You must look for one who is religiously committed, if you want a sound marriage.

Forget about the people of kufr and beware of marrying them, for that will lead to a lot of evil.

The children of such a marriage will not be guided; they will swell the ranks of evildoers.

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To summarise, you can only marry this woman if the 3 conditions above are fullfilled.

And Allah knows best.

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Source: Islam Q&A