Is it permissible for a Muslim man to marry a Christian woman, and are today's Christians considered polytheists or People of the Book, and is the wife required to change her religion to Islam?

Allah Almighty has permitted marriage to chaste women from among the People of the Book, as stated in His saying: "And [lawful in marriage are] the chaste women from among the believers and the chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you." It is stipulated that the husband must be strong in faith and firm in belief, and he must pay attention to raising his children and teaching them the truth of Islam. His responsibility is doubled so that the children are not influenced by their mother's religion.

This permissibility applies to a woman from the People of the Book who believes in her religion. As for an atheist woman, marriage to her is not permissible.

Despite the permissibility of marrying a woman from the People of the Book, there are caveats, including: - The possibility of the wife influencing her children, especially if Allah decrees the death of the father, in which case the children would be in the mother's custody and she would raise them according to her beliefs. - The jurists have unanimously agreed that marrying a woman from the People of the Book is disliked (makrooh).

If a Muslim marries a Christian woman, he is not obligated to force her to abandon her religion. Rather, he should invite her to Islam and present Islam to her in a good manner, for guidance is in the hands of Allah Almighty.

It is not permissible for her to remain in her false religion, and it is obligatory for her to embrace Islam, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, no Jew or Christian hears of me, then dies without believing in that with which I was sent, except that he will be among the people of the Hellfire." Nevertheless, her remaining in her religion and not embracing Islam does not prevent marrying her.