Fatwa ID: 08473

Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

Question:

What would be the correct ruling for a Muslim who during his non practising phase of Islam due to lack of knowledge was not certain if Islam is the only true religion. Like I explained at time of marriage he was a Muslim only in name as he inherited the faith from his parents he was uncertain about truth of Islam as he believed all religions claim to be true ones it is more appropriate to investigate to come to a conclusion. Motivated by this thought process he studied major religions until he got convinced that only can be a true faith of God.

So what will be the ruling in that part of life when he was uncertain about truth of Islam and during that phase also got married. Will he be deemed to be a Muslim and his nikah considered valid?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

In Islamic law, the validity of a person’s faith is judged based on their outward status unless clear evidence shows otherwise.

In Hanafi Fiqh, a Muslim remains within the fold of Islam unless they explicitly and clearly commit an act of disbelief (kufr) or deny a fundamental belief such as the Oneness of Allah, the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, or the Qur’an.

Merely doubting or being uncertain internally without openly rejecting Islam  does not remove a person from Islam. As long as someone continues to outwardly identify as Muslim (by name, association, and basic practice), he is considered Muslim according to Islamic law (Sharī‘ah) and all Islamic rulings (like the validity of marriage, inheritance, burial rites) continue to apply to him.

According to Hanafi Fiqh, the individual remained a Muslim throughout his phase of doubt because he did not openly reject Islam. His internal uncertainty does not invalidate his Islam. Therefore, his Nikāh performed during that period is valid and does not need to be repeated. Now that he has attained certainty in faith, he should thank Allah for His guidance without worrying about past doubts.

References:

لَا يُخْرِجُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ الْإِيمَانِ إلَّا جُحُودُ مَا أَدْخَلَهُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ مَا تَيَقَّنَ أَنَّهُ رِدَّةٌ يُحْكَمُ بِهَا وَمَا يَشُكُّ أَنَّهُ رِدَّةٌ لَا يُحْكَمُ بِهَا إذْ الْإِسْلَامُ الثَّابِتُ لَا يَزُولُ بِالشَّكِّ

Radd Al Muhtar Vol 4 Pg 224 Maktaba Shamila

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham