Marrying a Christian woman and not having children...
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Question
I am Muslim from Egypt immigrated to u.s.a. in 1990. The only woman that I feel comfortable marrying is Christian. Because I know I will have no control or whatsoever over my future kids using drugs, drinking alcohol, having sex or mistreating me like the rest of the American kids, knowing that their peers and TV influence on them will be greater than my influence on them. That's why I decided I will not have children. What does the Islamic religion would think of that?Answer
Assalamu alaykum
Firstly. your statement, "The only woman that I feel comfortable marrying is
Christian" is a bit vague. If you mean she is the only women you have some form
of relationship with and thus feel comfortable about marrying her, then know
that although it is technically permissible to marry Christians and Jews (as
long as they profess to believe and are not atheist [covered in a very recent
post]) it is still prohibitively disliked. The reason for this is simple in
that we are discouraged from forming intimate relationships with disbelievers
and transgressing people.
It would be superior for you to wait and not rush into marriage with this women.
Rather pray to Allah and He will avail you with a pious God fearing Muslim wife
who you can also feel comfortable having children with. Although at present,
it may seem more convenient and safer for you to you to abstain from having
children due to fears of them becoming corrupt, however, this decision may well
be seriously regretted in later life when a person naturally longs for offsprings
and successors. Many a people cry woefully in later life for making such a decision
in their earlier days.
To answer your questions, it would be permissible to abstain from having children
due to fear of corruption and fitna. However, remember that the decision of
marrying this women and thus not having children is in your hands.
It is related in a hadith that a man was in love with an affluent but barren
women of high genealogy , honor and rank. he wished to marry her, The Messenger
of Allah (upon him be peace) did not permit him to marry her. When he sought
permission the third time, he replied, "Marry a women who may give birth to
many children and may show much love, for I will proud of your higher number
over other nations on the day of Judgment" (Abu Dawud, Nasai from Bringing up
Children in Islam 10).
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
Abdurrahman Mangera
This answer was published by SunniPath and is preserved as written. Rulings can depend on circumstances; for your own situation, consult a qualified scholar.
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