Converting to Islam for a Woman

Well my brother if you think giving this verse 60:10 is all that is needed to follow, I would say no. Its not only learning but "transforming" is a gradual process. Isn't it?

Secondly, the Verse 60:10, starts with the assumption of "When believing women come to you as emigrants...." which is not the case being discussed here. Isn't it? The point that you have highlighted from the portion of this verse ".......then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers  ...........", doesn't apply here, since no one (the hypothetical person in our question) has yet not left the home willingly as opposed to what the underlined text of the above verse is mentioning about.

Indeed Allah knows the best. 

On the more, if we happen to go into the exegesis of this verse, we would find its true meaning. Hopefully, someone shall go into that as well. Inshallah.

Assalmau alaikum Sister firewall,

firewall wrote: umm ziba wrote: I do not believe there are any verses in the Qur'an that address the situation of women in non-Muslim countries who are already married and then convert to Islam. assalamu'alaikum umm ziba. thanks for welcoming my input. i hope i say something worthy. & dont' be shy to correct me, if required. i do think during Prophet Muhammad days, there must be women facing the same situation. so it's not a new modern cases. & i read in the Quran: O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them, Allah knows best as to their Faith, then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them. But give the disbelievers that (amount of money) which they have spent [as their Mahr[]] to them. And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their Mahr to them. Likewise hold not the disbelieving women as wives, and ask for (the return of) that which you have spent (as Mahr) and let them (the disbelievers, etc.) ask back for that which they have spent. That is the Judgement of All�h. He judges between you. And All�h is All-Knowing, All-Wise. [Quran, 60:10]

It is my understanding that this verse from the Qur'an was addressing a specific incident and is talking about women emmigrating to the Muslims from elsewhere (as reflected in this chapter introduction from www.witness-pioneer.org):

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Name

In verse 10 of this Surah it has been enjoined that the women who emigrate to dar al-Islam (the Islamic State) and claim to be Muslims, should be examined hence the title Al-Mumtahinah. The word is pronounced both as mumtahinah and as mumtahanah, the meaning according to the first pronunciation being "the Surah which examines", and according to the second, "the woman who is examined."

Period of Revelation

The Surah deals with two incidents, the time of the occurrence of which is well known historically. The first relates to Hadrat Hatib bin Abz Balta'a, who, a little before the conquest of Makkah, had sent a secret letter to the Quraish chiefs informing them of the Holy Prophet's intention to attack them. The second relates to the Muslim women, who had started emigrating from Makkah to Madinah, after the conclusion of the Truce of Hudaibiyah, and the problem arose whether they also were to be returned to the disbelievers, like the Muslim men, according to the conditions of the Truce. The mention of these two things absolutely determines that this Surah came down during the interval between the Truce of Hudaibiyah and the Conquest of Makkah. Besides, there is a third thing also that has been mentioned at the end of the Surah to the effect; What should the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) make the women to pledge when they come to take the oath of allegiance before him as believers?About this part also the guess is that this too was sent down some time before the conquest of Makkah, for after this conquest a large number of the Quraish women, like their men, were going to enter Islam simultaneously and had to be administered the oath of allegiance collectively

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Sister firewall, I am certainly not trying to correct you - we are all unique and look at things with our own perspective.  It is only that I find the "so called Islamic injunction" that Muslim women cannot stay married to their husbands if the woman converts, to be not based in actual fact, but rather in tradition.  Of course, this is only my own opinion. 

With out mass media, communications systems, etc. I would find it doubtful that any one woman, living far from Muslim lands (which were quite small at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an) would have heard of Islam at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and decided to convert while married.  This seems a reasonable assumption that already married women, not living in Arabia at the time of the Prophet (pbuh), would not have heard of Islam, let alone converted to it.

I like to believe that Islam is a simple religion, easy to follow, that does not cause hardships to it's followers.  I like to believe that Allah the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful is truly that indeed.  May Allah guide us all to the straight way.

Peace, ummziba.

Assalamu alaikum Sister firewall,

You are actually saying what most Muslims agree with and certainly what any fatwa I have read says on the subject. 

But, I guess, dear, I will have to agree to disagree.  Please don't let my ramblings sway you from what may be the right way.  It is just this matter of reason and logic that bothers me.

Let me make an example.  A man and a woman are married in a Christian church.  They are married in "the sight of God" in a church sactioned wedding, legal in the eyes of the church, the country and God.

Years later, the woman converts to Islam, but, the husband chooses not to.  It is not logical or reasonable to me that suddenly, because she has changed from a Christian to a Muslim, that God/Allah would suddenly change His "mind" about the validity of the marriage.  If it was valid in front of God in the church marriage, why would it not be valid in front of Allah - same God, same couple???   Different rules???? 

This is just not logical nor reasonable to my mind.  If, indeed, Allah wills all things to happen, did He not will this couple to marry in the first place?  Was this marriage not blessed in the eyes of Allah, by His will?

You see, I completely understand the "rule" that women should not marry non-Muslims, that is clear in the Qur'an and makes sense - logically and reasonably.  It is the idea that a couple, already married by the church (with Allah's full blessing), suddenly become not blessed if she changes her religion.  I don't think any amount of words can make me see the logic of this! 

I do appreciate your efforts in arguing the point, Sister firewall, I just can't wrap my head around it!    But, thanks so much for trying!

Peace, ummziba.