Question:
What is the ruling on a man whose sisters are married to polytheist men? When the man embraced Islam and tried to invite his sisters to monotheism, they accepted, but their husbands did not. Should he separate his sisters from their husbands, or what should he do?
Answer:
If the sisters have converted to Islam, the marriage becomes invalid, and it is obligatory for him to separate his sisters from their husbands. He is required to do so. If they live in an Islamic country, the ruler must ensure the separation between the sisters and their non-Muslim husbands.
However, if the sisters are non-Muslims, such as Jews, Christians, or idolaters, their marriages remain valid. If they later embrace Islam, it becomes impermissible for them to remain with their non-Muslim husbands. This is based on the words of Allah Almighty:
"They are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them" (Al-Mumtahanah).
Therefore, they must separate from their non-Muslim husbands unless the husband embraces Islam during the waiting period (`iddah). In this case, the marriage remains valid. Similarly, if the waiting period has ended and she has not remarried, the husband may return to her upon embracing Islam, as happened with the Prophet's daughter, Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her), who returned to her husband, Abu Al-‘As ibn Al-Rabi‘, after he embraced Islam, even though her waiting period had elapsed.
May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
