Islam and Human Rights — Page 149
Article 16 149 her, in consultation with her parents, guardian or other adviser, to decide whether she should or should not place herself in that position. If she should be willing, it is lawful for the Muslim to marry her. “This day all good things have been made lawful for you. It is lawful for you to invite the People of the Book to eat with you and it is lawful for them to invite you to eat with them. Lawful for you are chaste believing women and chaste women from among those who were given the Book before you, when you give them their dow ers, contracting valid marriage and not committing forni cation nor taking secret paramours. Whoever rejects the faith, his work has doubtless come to nought, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers” (5:6). From the point of view of Islam, if the wife, in such a case, became a Muslim, the change would be most beneficial for both and for the children, both here and Hereafter. In the case of a Muslim woman, permission to marry a non-Muslim, even one believing in a revealed religion other than Islam, i. e. “from among those who are given the Book before you”, has not been accorded. It would be better and wiser for her not to place herself in a position which would involve for her the risk of rejecting the faith and thus being among the losers in the Hereafter. The children of such a union, were it permitted, would