« Muslim women cannot marry non-Muslims! » This idea, widely disseminated and accepted as an interpretation of verse 5 sura 5, surely contributes to social infertility in Muslim communities.

This interpretation is costly in terms of mental health for some Muslim women. There is, however, another commentary that gives both Muslims women and men the right to marry non-Muslims. The democratization of the Internet now makes it possible to access the various interpretations and commentaries in force on the subject.

In other words, women have resigned themselves when presumably the texts do not ask for it.

A ban built from an early age

 In a large majority of Muslim communities, the verse  is  interpreted as prohibiting women from marrying non-Muslims, unlike men.

Such an explanation in a Muslim-majority country may hold water and not be questioned. Nevertheless, it becomes problematic if one lives in a non-Muslim majority country.

Like many Muslim women, the supposed prohibition was taught to me at a very young age. I integrated it very quickly even if the reasons remained obscure. And in hindsight, I think they were also obscure for the ardent defenders of this interpretation.

 The explanation presented as irrefutable describes the woman  as lacking intellectual faculties, impressionable, likely to renounce her faith, so she had to marry directly a man of Muslim faith.

 It was understood that a Muslim man marrying a non-Muslim woman would lead her to convert to Islam.

In other words, it was nothing more than proselytism in disguise.These Actions and intentions go against the freedom of conscience enshired in the Qur’an.

Interreligious marriage : a solution to social infertility

The conversion solution is as quickly integrated as the prohibition to marry a non-Muslim. Shelina Zahra Janmohamed describes it perfectly with humor in her book Love in a headscarf[1]: « At the age of thirteen, I knew I was destined for John Travolta. One day he would come to my house in North London. He would fall madly in love with me and propose marriage. Then he would convert to Islam and become a pious Muslim. »

For many Muslim women, opportunities arise, suitors offer conversion to Islam. Only to make the task impossible in addition to explaining to young girls that they cannot marry a non-Muslim unless converted, they are sent an ambiguous message. Which one? Men who want to convert to marry a Muslim woman lack sincerity: their intention is to abuse them and then leave them.

Women then prefer to renounce a marriage with a man wishing to convert and marry them. Meanwhile, Muslims men are marrying non-Muslims women.

For Muslim women, this can be seen as a missed opportunity to become mothers when they wanted to.

Undoubtedly, a discussion is needed on the accessibility of interpretations of the verses of the Qur’an and their long-term consequences.

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Original Text Fabrique de l’infertilité sociale dans les communautés musulmanes

Translation by Discussions Essentielles and Deep L

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About the author

I am a French Muslim author with a passion for Islam. I studied Islam in a traditional and academic setting.  My interest in the subjects of childlessness began over 10 years ago.

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©photo credit – Pexel-Berkay Baçak

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[1] Shelina Zahra Janmohamed,  Love in a headscarf Muslim woman seeks the one,  Aurum Press, 2009