Rev. Georges Houssney and Elias, both of whom were raised in the Middle East, discuss why a Christian shouldn’t marry a Muslim in this video. They present for us their top concerns, but advise that any Christian considering this step spend much time in consultation with a mature Christian advisor. They admit that not everything they share applies to every case.
First, Elias shares that a Christian shouldn’t marry a Muslim because of the lack of common ground they would have. (This actually would apply in every case of true believers.) In 2 Corinthians 6:14, they remind us that the Bible says light and darkness do not have fellowship, and should not join together. A marriage relationship will be strained with such different backgrounds as Christianity and Islam.
Houssney recognizes that Muslim men can be very romantic. It seems like they will do anything to gain the hand of their loved one in marriage; but in his large experience counseling around the Muslim world, this changes after marriage.
Christian women should be aware that they will face two challenges they might not be expecting. First, since the Qur’an gives a man the right to have 4 wives, whom he can divorce rather easily, it tends to put a man in the mindset of always checking out other women as possibilities. Why not? It is their right in Islam (Qur’an 4:3).
The second thing that a woman should be aware of is that in Islam, the father has priority in custody of the children. If separation or divorce happens, you would very likely loose your children to the Muslim family of your husband.
