I Was Married Before I Entered Islam. Can I Marry Now That I Am Muslim?

Answered by Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil

Question: Assalam aleykum,

I converted to Islam a few years ago. When I was Christian, I was married but have been separated from my husband for several years. Can I get married, now that I am Muslim?

Answer: Assalamualaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray this finds you well. Alhamdulilah, welcome to the fold of Islam! May Allah bring you ever closer to Him.

Separation

Is your first marriage annulled? I strongly encourage you to get your divorce paperwork settled.

Marriage

It would be important for you to disclose to a potential husband that you were previously married, before you entered Islam. The right husband for you would appreciate your honesty.

It would be best for you to marry after your divorce paperwork is settled.

Please see:

Love, Marriage and Relationships in Islam: All Your Questions Answered

Wassalam,

[Ustadha] Raidah Shah Idil

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil has spent almost two years in Amman, Jordan, where she learned Shafi’i’ fiqh, Arabic, Seerah, Aqeedah, Tasawwuf, Tafsir and Tajweed. She continues to study with her Teachers in Malaysia and online through SeekersHub Global. She graduated with a Psychology and English degree from University of New South Wales, was a volunteer hospital chaplain for 5 years and has completed a Diploma of Counselling from the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. She lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with her husband, daughter, and mother-in-law.