“they are not lawful for them, nor are the disbelievers lawful for them” (Qur’an 60:10) comes as an emphatic reiteration, underscoring the absolute prohibition and cutting every tie between the believing woman and the polytheist. Likewise, His words, “and give them what they have spent” (60:10), instruct that the disbelieving husband be reimbursed for whatever he had paid his wife once she embraces Islam, so that he does not lose both his marriage and his wealth. Hence, when a polytheist woman is married to a disbelieving husband, she becomes unlawful for him by her very act of embracing Islam and never again becomes lawful to him thereafter. If that is so, how could it be said that it is permissible from the outset to contract a marriage between a disbeliever and a Muslim woman? What Allah allowed is that, once the polytheist woman accepts Islam—thereby becoming unlawful to the disbelieving husband—a Muslim man may marry her after her waiting period expires, as made explicit in His words: “and give them what they have spent, and there is no blame upon you if you marry them, provided you give them their bridal dues” (60:10).
Second: A Muslim man is likewise not permitted to marry a polytheist woman, for Allah the Exalted says, “Do not marry polytheistic women until they believe” (Qur’an 2:221) and says, “Do not hold fast to the bonds of marriage with disbelieving women” (60:10). ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with him—divorced two of his wives who were polytheists when this verse was revealed.
Ibn Qudāmah al-Ḥanbalī reports that there is no disagreement on the prohibition of marrying women of the unbelievers other than the People of the Book.
As for chaste women from the People of the Book, it is permissible for a Muslim to marry them; the scholars differed only in that the Imāmī Shīʿah considered it forbidden. Even so, it is preferable for the Muslim to refrain from marrying a Jewish or Christian woman so long as free Muslim women are available.
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said that doing so is disliked when free Muslim women can be found. In his work al-Ikhtiyārāt he states that this was likewise the view of al-Qāḍī and the majority of scholars, citing ʿUmar’s words—may Allah be pleased with him—to those who had married women of the People of the Book: “Divorce them.” They all divorced their wives except Ḥudhayfah, who at first refused but later complied. Whenever a Muslim marries a woman from the People of the Book, his heart may incline toward her and she may tempt him; and if they have children, the father may be swayed toward her. Allah knows best.