Zeinab Al-`Alwani, Instructor of Fiqh and Islamic Studies,Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences, states the following: “First of all, Islam teaches love, compassion and kindness in dealing with parents regardless of their faith. In case of inter-faith marriage, the parents need to deal in a way that is respectable and teaches the children to reverence both parents alike.
In case of divorce and the rights that follows, I can outline them in the following:
1. In case the wife keeps her religion, there should be conditions to be agreed upon as regards the teaching and upbringing of children. If the children are little, they will be with the mother and they have to be taught in Islam even though the wife is not a Muslim. This can be done by the husband during his visits to his children. Or by other Muslim ladies who are friends of the wife.
2. In case the children choose to live with the Muslim husband, visitation, respect and acts of kindness towards the mother continues to be emphasized. The husband must respect the right of children to see their mother, do good to her and help her in every possible means. He should never mention the mother in such a way that will make her look bad in front of the kids.
3. In case the children choose to live with the mother, Christian or Jewish, then conditions of teaching and upbringing should be all clear. The husband gets visitation rights, the wife should never take the children away from the Muslim environment nor cut them off from the Muslim community, the mother should provide clean and healthy environment for children to learn about their faith and should help them choose Muslim friends as well. That would affect the relationship with children and ex-husband positively and saves them from a lot of troubles.”
The Rights of a Christian or Jewish Mother
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