The Holy Quran 2:221 — Surah Al-Baqarah

Arabic text

وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُّؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Translation

(O Muslims) Do not marry Mushrik (Kaafir) women until they have Imaan (until they become Muslims). A Mu'min (believing) slave woman is undoubtedly better (to marry) than a (free) Mushrik (non-believing) woman even though she (the Mushrik woman) may be pleasing to you. And (O Muslims) do not give your (Muslim) women in marriage to Mushrik (Kaafir) men until they have Imaan (until these men accept Islaam). A Mu'min slave is better than a (free) Mushrik man even though he (the Mushrik) may be pleasing to you. They (the Kaafiroon and Mushrikeen) invite towards the Fire (of Jahannam), while Allaah (through His Prophets) invites towards Jannah and forgiveness by His order (Muslims should therefore obey Allaah's orders and refrain from marrying non-Muslims because their speech and actions cause a Muslim to lose the dislike he has for kufr and shirk). He (Allaah) makes His revelation clear to mankind so that they take heed (accept His advice).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The ruling on marriage with mushrik (idolatrous) women: previously marriage was permitted in both cases, between a Muslim man and a disbelieving woman and the reverse. By this verse that was abrogated: if a man or a woman is an idolater, his or her marriage with a Muslim is not valid; or if after marriage one of them becomes an idolater, the prior marriage…

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