بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
وَلَا تَنكِحُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكَـٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤۡمِنَّۚ وَلَأَمَةٌ۬ مُّؤۡمِنَةٌ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّن مُّشۡرِكَةٍ۬ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَتۡكُمۡۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤۡمِنُواْۚ وَلَعَبۡدٌ۬ مُّؤۡمِنٌ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّن مُّشۡرِكٍ۬ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَكُمۡۗ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ وَٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
“Do not marry the polytheist women, unless they come to believe (in Islam); a Muslim slave-girl is better than a polytheist woman, even though she may attract you; and do not give (your women) in marriage to polytheist men, unless they come to believe; a Muslim slave is better than a polytheist, even though he may attract you. They invite to the Fire when Allah invites, by His will, to Paradise, and to forgiveness. He makes His verses clear to the people, so that they may heed the advice.” (221)
Ruling: It is prohibited on a Muslim man or woman to marry a polytheist. If the man or woman turns to polytheism after they become married, the marriage will be rendered void. (Tafseer Uthmani V1 pg231)
Ruling: This verse is referring to polytheism in its true sense. So the people of the book are not included in this prohibition. If a women truly believes in the Christian, Jewish or even Sabian faiths, any faith that holds to a divinely revealed book, then a Muslim man may marry her. However, a Muslim women can never marry a non-Muslim, be he a polytheist or a Christian/Jew. (Tafseer Uthmani V1 pg231)
Ruling: The verse highlights that in simple terms the lowest of all Muslims, who can be a slave, is better than all the polytheists or mushrik’s, so marriage to them is better a million times over because at the end of the day, marriage to polytheist can eventually lead to your own polytheism and then doom in hell. (Tafseer Uthmani V1 pg231)
