it would entail manifest hardship for him to reach her, or he fears falling into fornication during the waiting period. Even if he can find a free woman who will accept a deferred dowry, or one whose dowry is less than the normal equivalent, the sounder view is that a slave woman becomes lawful in the first situation but not in the second. In every case the fear of fornication must be genuine; if he is able to have sexual relations with a slave girl he already owns, then, according to the stronger opinion, such fear is not recognized. The slave woman herself must be Muslim. According to the correct view, a free or slave man from the People of the Book may marry a scripturalist slave woman, whereas—under the prevailing opinion—a Muslim slave may not. If any portion of her person is in bondage she is treated entirely as a slave. Should a free man marry a slave woman under these conditions and later become affluent, or marry a free woman, his marriage to the slave woman is not annulled. If someone for whom a slave wife is not permissible combines, in a single contract, a free woman and a slave woman, the contract with the slave woman alone is void while the marriage to the free woman stands, according to the predominant view.
Section
It is forbidden to marry a woman who possesses no revealed scripture, such as an idolatress or a Magian. A woman of the People of the Book is lawful, though it is disliked to marry one who is at war with the Muslims; the same applies, according to the sounder opinion, to a dhimmī woman. A “scriptural” woman means a Jewess or a Christian, not someone who follows the Zabur or any other scripture. If she is not of Israelite descent, the stronger view permits marrying her provided it is known that her people entered that religion before it was abrogated and corrupted; another opinion suffices with their entry before abrogation alone.
A scriptural wife enjoys the same rights as a Muslim wife concerning maintenance, the rotation of nights, and divorce. She may be compelled to perform the ritual bath after menstruation and post-natal bleeding—and likewise after major ritual impurity—and to refrain from eating pork, according to the sounder view. Both she and a Muslim wife may be required to wash any part of their bodies that has become impure.
A woman born of an idolater and a scriptural woman, or the reverse, is unlawful, according to the preponderant opinion. If the Samaritans differ with the Jews, or the Sabians with the Christians, over the fundamentals of faith, their women are forbidden; otherwise, they are not.
If a Christian becomes Jewish, or a Jew becomes Christian, he is not granted recognition according to the stronger view. If the person is a woman, she is not lawful to a Muslim; and if she was already married to one, her case is like that of a Muslim wife who apostasies—nothing is accepted from her except Islam, though one opinion would accept her original religion.
If such a person turns to idolatry, he is not tolerated; regarding what may be accepted from him, the two aforementioned opinions apply. Likewise, if an idolater becomes Jewish or Christian, he is not granted recognition, and Islam is deemed incumbent upon him, just as with a Muslim who has apostasized. An apostate woman is not lawful for anyone.
If both spouses—or either one of them—apostatize before consummation, separation takes effect immediately. If apostasy occurs after consummation, the matter is suspended: should they both return to Islam during the waiting period the marriage remains valid; otherwise, the separation is deemed to have occurred from the moment of apostasy. Sexual relations are prohibited during this suspended state, yet no hadd penalty is applied.