What is the ruling on a Muslim man marrying a Christian woman residing in Saudi Arabia without a guardian (wali), given her desire to embrace Islam, her father is deceased, and her father's family are Muslims in another country? Who then would be her guardian? Is it permissible for her to appoint one of her colleagues as her guardian? Is it a condition that the two witnesses be Muslims?
Islam permits marriage to a woman of the People of the Book under two conditions: that she genuinely adheres to a monotheistic religion, and that she is chaste. If either of these two conditions is absent, then marriage to her is invalid.
If she does not have a guardian from her own people, her bishops or the judge may act as her guardian for the marriage, provided that the witnesses to the marriage are Muslims.
Despite the validity of a Muslim's marriage to a woman of the People of the Book under the aforementioned conditions, it is preferable for a Muslim to marry a Muslim woman, due to the risks associated with marrying a woman of the People of the Book.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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