Fatwa No : 82537
The Marriage of a Sunni Girl to a Shia Man

The Marriage of a Sunni Girl to a Shia Man

What do the esteemed Muftis say regarding the following matter: A boy belonging to the Shia sect (who identifies himself as being from the Rizvi family) is intending to marry a girl from the Sunni sect. What is the ruling of such a marriage in Islam? What is the status of this kind of marriage in Islamic law? And what responsibilities fall upon the girl and her parents in such a situation? Kindly provide a detailed answer with evidence from the Qur’an and Hadith. It is important to note that the marriage has not yet taken place only the proposal has been agreed. Your guidance in this matter will be greatly appreciated.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

There are various sects among the Shia, and each sect has different beliefs. Therefore, when declaring a Shia as a disbeliever (kafir), detail and distinction are necessary. A Shia who holds beliefs such as: Considering Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to be God, Believing in distortion (tahrif) of the Qur’an, Holding the belief that Angel Jibreel (peace be upon him) made a mistake in delivering revelation, Believing in the false accusation made against Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), Denying the companionship (sahabiyyat) of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), Or holds any other such belief that clearly contradicts the Qur’an and constitutes open disbelief —Then without a doubt, such a person is a disbeliever (kafir), and marital relations or any kind of marriage with such Shia individuals is not permissible. Now, since there are many sects among the Rawafidh (extreme Shia), and each sect is judged according to its own beliefs—and especially given that Taqiyyah (concealing one’s true beliefs) is a religious practice among them—distinguishing between them becomes very difficult. Therefore, if the boy in question holds such beliefs, then it is not permissible for a Sunni-believing girl to marry him. In such a case, it is obligatory for the girl’s parents to avoid this marriage.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

ففی حاشية ابن عابدين: نعم لا شك في تكفير من قذف السيدة عائشة - رضي الله تعالى عنها - أو أنكر صحبة الصديق، أو اعتقد الألوهية في علي أو أن جبريل غلط في الوحي، أو نحو ذلك من الكفر الصريح المخالف للقرآن، ولكن لو تاب تقبل توبته اھ (4/ 237)-
و في حاشية ابن عابدين: (قوله يا رافضي) قال في البحر: ولا يخفى أن قوله يا رافضي بمنزلة يا كافر أو يا مبتدع فيعزر؛ لأن الرافضي كافر إن كان يسب الشيخين مبتدع إن فضل عليا عليهما من غير سب كما في الخلاصة. اهـ. (4/ 70)-