The Official Website of Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi

1 the marriage between a Muslim and a disbeliever is not permitted because everyone is prone to change based on the religion of their spouse. Besides, their children will also be in danger in terms of their religious beliefs. Permanent or temporary marriage of a Muslim man with a Buddhist woman, a follower of deviant schools of thought, and generally women who are not of the ahl al-kitāb is not permitted. Therefore, if they want to marry a woman, they must first make sure whether she is a Muslim or of the ahl al-kitāb and also that she is not already married. It is also impermissible for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man. There are several reasons for this ruling. One is that the man gains a kind of upper hand or dominance over the woman and this goes against this noble verse of the Quran. And never has Allah granted the disbelievers a way to prevail over the believers. Also, the family, particularly the parents, plays a significant role in the upbringing of the children and their future character. It must be known that marriage with women known for prostitution is not permissible. It is noteworthy that it is not enough for a non-Muslim woman who wants to marry a Muslim man to only accept to marry him and refuse to read the marriage formula. Yes, if it is explained to her that there are two kinds of marriage in Islam, one is the temporary marriage for which the woman receives a gift from her husband and the other is the permanent marriage and then she agrees to have a representative recite the marriage formula on her behalf, their marriage will be valid.