A new revert befriending pious male Muslims
Question
I am a new revert, I declared my Shahada today. The road ahead is hard. My whole context is Christian and I am married to a Christian minister. We have two children. We live where there are few Muslims. I went to a Mosque but it was filthy and the men rude. I know only one Muslim who has led me this path. He is a friend who is married to a Christian woman. He is a Palestinian Muslim who has only recently come back to Islam after being in Christianity for many years. He is my only source of knowledge and advice, encouragement and help. I know so little. Is it permissible for us to remain friends? We communicate mainly through email; he is my sons' teacher and a good friend. I don't know how I would do this alone with no support.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. We ask Allah to make us and you steadfast on His Religion till we meet Him. Thank Allah, dear sister for bestowing on you this great Blessing that is Islam. Indeed no Blessing is greater than becoming a Muslim. So, do not despair for your past. On the other hand, know that it is strictly prohibited for the Muslim woman to remain under the custody of a non-Muslim husband. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them…}[60:10]. So, the marriage contract between you and this disbeliever is automatically annulated by Islam unless he becomes Muslim. In such case, there is no need to renew the marriage contract. As for your relation with this alien Muslim man, if you can get in contact with some Muslim women through Islamic centers, Internet or other means, then that is better for you and you should make your contacts exclusively with them. If you cannot find women to help you and socialize with you about Islam matters, then there is no objection to your remaining in contact with this man provided you avoid staying with him in seclusion and provided you adhere to Islamic rites such as Hijab and avoiding to be lenient in speech, …etc. But communicating with this man through Internet is better than communicating with him directly as this is better to avoid Satan's insinuations. We draw your attention to the fact that this communication should not exceed the limits of Shariah and become a friendship in its contemporary meaning. Indeed such friendship is a gate through which Satan drives people to Haram. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy.}[2:168]. We also remind you that Islamic centers are - most of time - good sources for authentic knowledge. So, we advise you to keep on visiting them and looking for pious Muslim women who would be of much help for you as would be reading books, listening to cassettes and corresponding with female Du'at all over the world. Allah knows best.
