Marrying a Jewish or Christian Woman in Accordance With the Islamic Law

Question :

I am studying in France and I wish to marry a French Christian girl; what are the conditions for this marriage? And how should the dowry be paid? And is the marriage valid without it? Likewise, I would like to know the differences between secular marriage and Islamic marriage. I am from Morocco and I live in France and have nothing but my student grant.

Answer:

It is permissible for the Muslim to marry a woman from among the People of the Book, whether Jewish or Christian, according to the Words of Allah, Most High:

"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."

And marriage to a Jewish or Christian woman must be completed in accordance with the Islamic Law, because the Muslim must live in accordance with what the Islamic Law has made incumbent upon him and marriage without a contract is not valid, because Allah, Most Glorified, Most High has made its permissibility conditional upon the payment of wealth; He Most High says, after mentioning those things forbidden in marriage:

"All others are lawful, provided you seek (them in marriage) with Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) from your property, desiring chastity, not committing illegal sexual intercourse.

As for the request of the questioner to know the difference between secular marriage and Islamic marriage, the difference between them is that the Islamic marriage is one which conforms to the Islamic Law, by having its conditions fulfilled and by the absence of those things which make it impermissible. As for secular marriage, it is based upon the agreement of the secularists and it is not permissible for the Muslim to make a contract with a woman except in accordance with the Islamic marriage, because the Muslim is obliged to follow the Islamic Law. So, if he marries in accordance with secular marriage, and the Islamic legal conditions are not fulfilled therein, and those things which make it impermissible are not avoided, then the marriage is invalid and this marriage does not make the woman permissible to him and the rulings of lawful Islamic marriage do not follow from it.

Source:
Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 5 Pages 295-296-297