Question Summary:
Would it not be the true Islamic way that should a Muslim fall in love with a non-Muslim and desires to marry the non-Muslim, marry the person and via the Muslim person’s lifestyle the non-Muslim converts to Islam. I believe that converting to Islam for the sake of marriage is a sin

Question Detail:

Salaam.
In the name of Allah...
It is educated that; Durring the life time of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) Islam was not purely defined as we have in todays time, the wives Prophet Mohammed married were not muslim, besides the last wife, they only became Muslims after marriage and or durring marriage to Prophet Mohammed. My question is, why do the Muslims of today preach for non-Muslims to convert to Islam should they want to marry a Muslim, should they not live by the example that Prohet Mohammed lived via the signs and messages from Allah? Would it not be the true Islamic way that should a Muslim fall in love with a non-Muslim and desires to marry the non-Muslim, marry the person and via the Muslim person's lifestyle the non-Muslim converts to Islam. I believe that converting to Islam for the sake of marriage is a sin

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
 
During the era of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), the divine laws of Islam were laid down gradually and Islam had been perfected during this era. Muslims practiced on this pristine way of life beyond our imagination. It is a wrong notion to say that Islam was not purely defined as in today’s time. If we compare the people of the past with us, this wrong notion holds no weight.
The marriages of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) were indeed unique. Most of the wives were Muslims and those who were not Muslims had accepted the religion of Islam prior to marriage. He was inspired through divine revelation as to who should be married and under what circumstances. This is the true Islamic way as opposed to the method of falling in love, having an illicit relationship then carrying out the obligation of marriage.
وَلَا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكَاتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ وَلَا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنُوا وَلَعَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ أُولَئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَاللَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيُبَيِّنُ آَيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ (221)
 
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. [2:221]
 
It is a divine command of the Almighty, addressing the Muslims not to marry non-Muslims. We, the servants of Allah, the Almighty are bound to follow divine revelations. Under the commentary of this verse, the reason given for this is that the non-Muslim spouse will have a negative effect on the Muslim spouse and there exists a great possibility of the Muslim spouse emotionally tilting towards disbelief. Consequently, they too will end up in Hell.                                                                                                                                        (Ma’ariful Qur’an)
 
The marital relations may influence both parties equally. Therefore, if there is an apprehension that a Muslim spouse will be influenced by his/her counterpart in the matter of faith, there is also a counter possibility that the non Muslim spouse will be influenced by his/her Muslim spouse, whereupon he/she will embrace Islam. Both possibilities being equally open, the marital relations between Muslims and non-Muslims should not have been prohibited.
 
However, the wisdom behind this prohibition is that where the danger of harm and the hope of a benefit are equally applicable, then the reasonable attitude will be to pay more attention to preventing harm than to seeking benefit. Based on this principle, the hope of the non-Muslim spouse accepting Islam is ignored, and the apprehension of the Muslim spouse being influenced by some un-Islamic conduct and behaviour will be considered.
 
The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said that a Muslim should seek to marry a woman who fully observes Islamic faith and conduct so that she becomes for him a source of strength in their joint pursuit of their faith and their progeny may have the opportunity to grow up under their care as practising Muslims. When marriage with a non-practising Muslim was not looked at with favour, how would it become favourable in the case of some non-Muslim woman?
 
It is for this reason that Sayyiduna Umar Al Faruq (Radiallahu Anhu) had stopped these marriages in Iraq and Syria when he found out that such marriages were causing corruption in Muslim families, both religiously and politically. This proved to be of great benefit to the Muslim world at large. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has set out a perfect example and we ought to follow the path shown to us, as this will lead us directly into paradise.
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalamu Alaikum
Ml. Ebrahim Desai,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah