FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
AL-KAFI #332 : SUAMI MASUK ISLAM, ISTERI KEKAL AGAMA ASAL
What is the status of a marriage when the husband converts to Islam but the wife remains in her original religion, and may they keep living together as husband and wife?
Short answer
When a husband embraces Islam while his wife is a non-Muslim or a Person of the Book, the status of the marriage is held in suspension until the waiting period (iddah) ends.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
When a husband embraces Islam while his wife is a non-Muslim or a Person of the Book, the status of the marriage is held in suspension until the waiting period (iddah) ends. If the wife converts to Islam during the iddah, the marriage stays intact and they may continue as spouses. If the iddah ends and she has not embraced Islam, the marriage is annulled (fasakh). In the case asked about, the two are no longer a lawful married couple.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Sekiranya si isteri masuk Islam semasa tempoh iddah, maka pernikahan mereka tidak terbubar dan boleh meneruskan kehidupan sebagai suami isteri.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #332 : SUAMI MASUK ISLAM, ISTERI KEKAL AGAMA ASAL”, 15 July 2016. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/1305-al-kafi-332-suami-masuk-islam-isteri-kekal-agama-asal. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/husband-converts-wife-remains-original-religion/