Question Summary:
Ruling Of Marriage After One Spouse Accepts Islām

Question Detail:

A friend of mine in inclined towards islam and wants to revert. He is married and at this point of time his wife is not ready to step into Islam but he is quite confident that she will soon embrace islam. I checked with few local hanafi scholars on possiility of my friend reverting before his wife. But they said both need to emabrace islam simultaneously if they want to stay as husband-wife, other wise the guy won't be able to stay with the girl as wife, if he alone reverts.
On the other hand when i checked with Imam of shafi madhab(Egyptian mosque), he said that the guy can revert now and stay as husband, as that would help girl to closely experience Islam.Later the girl can embrace islaam.
This issue is delaying his entry into islaam. I know for sure Allah gives hidaya but some how i feel that this delay should not loosen his decision of embracing islaam.Please advise

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
It is pleasing to hear about your friends desire to accept Islām. We ask Allāh Ta’ālā that He opens the doors of guidance for your friend. Amīn.
Indeed Islām is the greatest blessing one can possess. It is the key to success in this world and in the everlasting Hereafter. Once an individual is ready to accept Islām, there should be no delay in him accepting Islām. All other issues are of a secondary nature. If one accepts Islām, then he has attained the Visa for entrance into Jannah. May Allāh Ta’ālā forbid, if one passes away without accepting Islām, then he has lost the opportunity to attain the Visa for eternal success.
Regarding your friend’s spouse, if she is a Christian or a Jew, then his marriage with her will remain intact upon him accepting Islām. His accepting Islām will not have any effect on his marriage.[1] He should continue to set a good example for her in an effort to pave her way towards accepting Islām.
If she is not a Christian or Jew, the marriage does not terminate immediately upon his accepting Islām. If she accepts Islām before the passage of 3 menstrual cycles (or until delivery if she is pregnant), they may remain together as husband and wife. However, if she refuses to accept Islām before the passage of 3 menstrual cycles, then upon the passage of 3 menstrual cycles the marriage is automatically terminated.[2]
Nevertheless, if she accepts Islām at a later stage, then they are at free will to marry at that point and live together as husband and wife.
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Abdul Azīm bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
U.S.A.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.