Islam and Human Rights — Page 148
Isl am and Hum an R ights 148 such defiance would arouse public opinion against them or would subject them to annoyance or unpleasantness. They are more anxious to stand well with men than to win the pleasure of their Maker. Their case is like that of those concerning whom it has been said: “Of a truth, they have greater fear of you in their hearts than of Allah. That is because they are a people who lack true understanding” (59:14). But those who believe sincerely place spiritual values above everything else. For them it would be a very grave matter to submit these to an obvious hazard. In the case of marriage, a divergence between the parties on the ques tion of religious allegiance might well constitute such a hazard, not so much on account of lack of tolerence or respect for each other’s beliefs and practices could be presumed to have been settled and taken care of that his or her dearly loved and cherished life-partner should consummate the spiritual union between them by accepting and adhering to the same set of values in which he or she sincerely belives. The stronger the bond of affection between them, the keener would this takes the view that the wife is likely, in consequence, to be faced with greater difficulty than the husband. In the case of a non-Muslim woman contemplating marriage with a Muslim, it would be for