A British Christian man but not a good believer in Allah wants to marry my daughter. We are Muslim we live in London. He has no objection to become a Muslim but I feel that he is doing that only to satisfy us to marry her. What is Islamic view?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permitted for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man whether he is a polytheist or belongs to the People of the Book. This is the consensus of the Muslim scholars as Allah Says (what means):

• {O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them.} [Quran 60:10]

• {And do not marry polytheistic men [to your women] until they believe.} …} [Quran 2:221]

No doubt that generally a husband has the upper hand over his wife and it is him who normally takes care of her so he is actually a “master” of his wife as mentioned in the story of Yusuf, may Allah exalt his mention, in Quran; Allah Says (what means): {…and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her husband) at the door.} [Quran 12:25]

For this reason Allah does not permit a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man, since Allah never gives non-Muslims supremacy upon Muslims. Allah Says (what means): {And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.} [Quran 4:141]

Whoever tries to make a non-Muslim as a master over a Muslim woman actually indulges in conflict with Allah.

Allah has made clear that the non-Muslims' guardianship is limited only to non-Muslims and it does not extend to Muslims. Allah Says (what means): {And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so, there will be fitnah on earth and great corruption.} [Quran 8:73]

Therefore, if you put a condition on that person to accept Islam willingly and after he accepts Islam, you believe that he is serious and sincere in accepting Islam and following the Sharee’ah, only then are you allowed to marry your daughter to him after having confirmed his being a true Muslim. This act will be considered as calling to Islam. The evidence for this is the following Hadeeth. Anas narrated: “Abu Talhah proposed to Umm Sulaym to marry her, and she said: “By Allah! A person like you would never be refused but you are a non-Muslim and I am a Muslim; so it is not permissible for me to marry you. If you accept Islam, your acceptance of Islam would be my Mahr (bridal gift) and I will not demand of you anything else.” When he accepted Islam she got married to him.” [An-Nasaa-i]

Allah knows best.