Chapter: The Marriage of Non-Muslims

The legal ruling for their marriages is the same as for Muslim marriages. We leave them upon even those forms that are invalid in our law, provided they themselves believe the contract to be sound according to their own religion and do not present the matter to an Islamic court. If they come to us before the marriage is concluded, we contract it according to our rules; if they come after it has been concluded, or if the couple later embraces Islam, the woman remains lawful to her husband so long as both acknowledge the existing bond. Should she belong to a category that could never be lawfully married in the first place, they are separated.

If an enemy non-Muslim man has had intercourse with an enemy non-Muslim woman and both then embrace Islam, their union is ratified if they had considered that relationship a marriage; otherwise, it is annulled. Whenever the stipulated dower is valid, she may take it. If the dower is invalid but she has already received it, it remains hers; and if she has received nothing and no dower had been specified, she is entitled to the customary dower of a woman of her standing.