Job Discussion Forums

Londrinense · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 6

Hello Everyone,

This is my very first post.

My husband and I are both a few months away from completing our MAs (in Education/TESOL and Applied Linguistics), and we'd like to work in the Middle East.

I wonder if the fact that he is a Muslim and I am not will cause us any problems. For his family and community, it is a major issue that I haven't converted, so I am a bit worried about the kind of response we might get.

We also have a 18 month old daughter, and in the future we don't want her to attend any sort of religion class. Would there be any sort of expectations regarding that, since her father is Muslim?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I have worked with a number of women through the years who were married to Muslims and had not converted. Any problems seem to come from his family as you mentioned.

By Muslim law, his children are Muslim. How you raise them is a private issue, but best kept very private... ie don't mention it there. Depending on the schooling that you choose, the child may be expected to attend religious classes which are standard in public school... but I'm not sure about the international schools. Hopefully someone else can tell you more about that...

VS

007

johnslat · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject:

Dear 007,

"A non-Muslim woman from the 'people of the book' is not required to convert to Islam to get married to a Muslim man. In the contrary, the Muslim man is required to respect the religion of his non-Muslim wife and cannot impose his will on her."

Isn't this often a case of practice not conforming with Islamic tenets? Are you saying that in, say, Saudi Arabia, a Muslim man who tries to "impose his will" upon his non-Muslim spouse will find that the authorities side with the wife rather than with him?
Regards,
John

007 · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 6:52 am Post subject:

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

Based on the experience of female friends and colleagues who are married to Muslim men, and children my child attended school with in the UAE, the passport your child carries determines whether the child must attend school Islamic classes or not. So, if your husband is, for example, an Algerian Muslim and your child has a British passport, religion will be a private matter. However, if your child also has an Algerian passport, s/he will have to attend Islamic classes. One of my daughter's friends returned to the home country to get a passport which was not seen as Islamic. All international schools must also offer the governement's Islamic curriculum for Muslim children.

Londrinense · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 6

Thank you so much for the replies.

Hubby and I come from different countries and where he comes from it is expected that the wife converts. They interpret that passage from the Qur'an as it's ok to marry 'people of the Book', but they must obviously convert.
That has never been an issue for us, but now that we are considering living in the ME, we would like to know what to expect.

I assume Saudi Arabia should be avoided, but do you guys think we'd really have a problem in places like Oman or UAE?

We'd rather spare her from attending religious classes, but it's no big deal if there's no way out.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Just curious as to what country that is since I have never encountered that interpretation of Islam...

I don't think that you should have any problems in any of the other Gulf countries. And I agree that religious classes will not harm your daughter... after all, I survived years of Sunday School with my thought processes intact. Laughing

VS

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:59 am Post subject:

Dear veiledsentiments,

" . . . after all, I survived years of Sunday School with my thought processes intact."

I'm not trying to be contentious, VS, but you DID go into the EFL field. I'm not sure that would be considered a sign of intact thought processes.

Regards,
John

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Personally... it was the best decision that I ever made... it allowed me to retire at 53 whereas if I had stayed in accounting, I would still be slaving over the calculator. Cool

VS

Londrinense · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 6

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Ah... OK... so we have one Sheikh who has this opinion (and likely others) but certainly not a mainstream Muslim belief.

VS

Londrinense · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 6

NCTBA,

Thank you for the PM! I wrote back to you but found out that I can't reply until I've written... Can't remember! Many posts!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

The number is 50... sorry...

VS

Londrinense · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 6