Professor of Islamic Thought and Philosophy at Al-Azhar University Amena Nosair has sparked a fierce debate among social media users after stating that nothing in Islam prevents a Muslim woman from marrying a non-Muslim man.
During an interview with Al-Hadath Al-Youm satellite channel, Nosair said that “there is no text in Islamic Sharia (law) that prevents a Muslim woman from marrying a follower of other Abrahamic religions (Christianity or Judaism).”
She explained that Christians and Jews believe in the same god and are not idolatrous worshipers, but practice a different religion.
Nosair added: “In such a case, he [the husband] does the same as a Muslim man when he marries a Christian or a Jew, he does not force her [the wife] to change her religion, does not prevent her from her mosque, does not deprive her of her Quran and does not prevent her from performing her prayers.”
When asked what religion would the children of such a marriage follow, Nosair responded that the children should follow the father’s religious beliefs.
She went on to say that this is the reason such marriages are not permitted, as they decrease the number of Muslims in the world.
