Atheist married couple...one reverts and the other does not?

[ramatheson]

My wife and I are atheists, and I am close to reverting. My wife is interested in Islam, but I am much further along. I have been re-evaluating my conception of God and am close to believing again, but my wife is not. What does Islam say about a man who reverts, but whose wife remains a non-believer. Again, the marriage took place before the man reverted.

Thanks in advance.

[جوري]

someone please reply to this young man..

[Hamza Asadullah]

My wife and I are atheists, and I am close to reverting. My wife is interested in Islam, but I am much further along. I have been re-evaluating my conception of God and am close to believing again, but my wife is not. What does Islam say about a man who reverts, but whose wife remains a non-believer. Again, the marriage took place before the man reverted.

Thanks in advance.

Hello there Rametheson i apologise for the delay in replying to your question. God has given you an inclination to come towards the truth and that is why you are being drawn towards it. As long as you believe in the oneness of God and that the final messenger of God is Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) then you should not delay in proclaiming the shahada as our life is uncertain and death can come upon us at any moment.

In regards to your issue then according to Sheikh Talal Al-Azeem from Damascus:

If a married man converts to Islam, and he is married to a non Muslim woman who is not marriageable for a Muslim man (eg. she were a polytheist, atheist, etc.), then if they were residing in a non-Muslim country, then there would be a grace period, namely the length of a regular post-marital waiting period (‘idda) [three menstrual cycles for a woman who has menstrual cycles, or three months for those who don’t] in which they could not continue their marital relations during the grace period, and they would be legally separated at the end of the grace period; in a Muslim country, the woman would be offered Islam by the judge, who would then rule accordingly. The separation would not be considered a divorce, since it was caused by the woman’s refusing to become Muslim; thus, if she were to convert and they were to remarry in the future, the man would still possess three divorces. [Radd al-Muhtar, 2/389-390].

If the woman were from the People of the Book, however, their marriage would stand, as “what is permissible to initiate, is permissible to continue and uphold”; i.e. since a Muslim man is permitted to marry women who are from the People of the Book, if a non-Muslim man converts to Islam, and his wife is from the People of the Book, their marriage stands. [Radd al-Muhtar, 2/390].

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.a...ID=176&CATE=11

Therefore after your conversion to Islam your wife has around 3 months in order to accept Islam until you are legally seperated in the eyes of God. This does not mean that you cannot re-marry her in the future in the Islamic way if she were to convert but after your conversion you cannot keep marital relations with her and once the grace perioud is over then it is not permissable for you to live with her.

The grace perioud would actually be very beneficial for her as it would give her sufficient time to study Islam and clarify any questions she has regarding it. You can also try and get hold of learned Muslim women to help her with any questions she may have or you can ask us and we will try our best to help her.

Have full faith in God for whatever is best for you will happen. Out of so many countless people God is giving you guidance to the truth so grab it and accept it for not all are so lucky and God gives guidance to whoever he wants to give it to.

..Allah guides whom He wills (2:272)

If you have any questions at all then please do not hesitate to ask.

And God knows best in all matters.