Marriage for the Sake of Obtaining Nationality 

 

Respected scholars of Islam, As-Salamu `alaykum. Is it permissible in Islam to marry a woman in order to get the green card in the USA or obtain a nationality of a Western country, taking into consideration that this marriage will be nominal? Jazakum Allah khayran. 

 

Name of Mufti       Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi 

 

Content of Reply     Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

 

Brother in Islam, we are really pleased to have your question and to have the chance to convey some of the teachings of our religion to our Muslim brothers. In fact, it adds to our happiness to find guidance being disseminated and the word of truth being highly elevated. We hope these humble efforts meet the great expectations of yours.

 

Brother, you have to keep in mind the fact that marriage contract, in Islam, is so solemn that Islamic Shari`ah lays down rules and regulations that guarantees its stability and continuity. By the same token, Islam renounces all forms of temporary marriage. Therefore, nominal or paper marriage that is meant to obtain nationality from another country is null and void.

 

In this context, two points need to be highlighted as follows:

 

First, this is nothing but cheating and deception and it is not allowed in Islam. Muslims are not allowed to lie to any one.

 

Secondly, marriage is a very sacred relationship, it should not be played with neither by having a paper marriage without the intention of marriage, nor by a paper divorce without the intention of divorce. If one is so desperate to live in the West and there is no other way possible except through marriage then one should have a real marriage, not paper marriage.

 

Focusing more on your question, the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, states:

 

“Such marriage is not lawful. Nominal marriage that lacks the real sense of marriage is not permissible at all. In a symposium held at the European College in France, the attendants unanimously agreed that any marriage undertaken without any real intention of marriage is absolutely forbidden. This kind of marriage does not entail any right or duties. In Islam, the main foundation of marriage is set forth in Allah's saying: "He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (heats)." (Ar-Rum: 21)”

 

Allah Almighty knows best.