Popular Nigerian Apostle Mentions Why Christian Women Should Not Marry Muslims
- Celebration Church International founder, Pastor Emmanuel Iren, warned Christian women against interfaith marriage, placing shared faith above romance
- Nigerian cleric, Emmanuel Iren, cited an Abuja marriage experience to caution against religious conflicts in unions
- Lead Pastor, Pastor Iren, urged believers to prioritise purpose over pleasure when choosing a spouse
The Lead Pastor and founder of Celebration Church International, Emmanuel Iren, has advised Christian women to avoid marrying Muslims.
The cleric insisted that shared faith in Christ should come before romance, compatibility or emotional fulfilment.
Source: UGC
Pastor Iren in a video via X, made the remarks while responding to a question from a woman during a church session, a clip of which has since gone viral on social media.
Question followed relationship dilemma
The woman said she had been in a relationship for about a year with a Muslim man who, according to her, was not deeply committed to Islam and supported her Christian beliefs.
She told the pastor that her partner encouraged her spiritual growth and possessed qualities she valued for marriage.
However, she added that her parents were opposed to Muslims and that her upbringing in a broken home made her cautious about entering a marriage where faith and respect could later become sources of conflict.
She asked whether she should end the relationship.
Marriage, pastor says, has divine standards
In his response, Pastor Iren stressed that marriage was instituted by God and must follow biblical principles. Using what he described as a “shortlet” analogy, he argued that one does not enter a space and attempt to redesign it, as it already reflects the owner’s intent.
According to him, the Bible’s instruction against being “unequally yoked” leaves little room for interfaith unions involving Christians.
He said,
“Let me remind you of the shortlet example. You don’t go into a shortlet and try to change the design. It is God who designed it… God’s standard is this: do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.”
Abuja account cited as warning
The pastor recounted the experience of a woman in Abuja who, he said, married a Muslim man who appeared supportive of her faith during courtship.
Source: Instagram
He claimed that shortly after the wedding, the man barred her from attending church.
He added that matters worsened after the birth of their son, alleging that the child was dedicated according to Islamic rites, given an Islamic name and prevented from attending church with his mother.
“Every single thing he said he would not do, he did,” Pastor Iren said, while noting that such outcomes may not occur in every interfaith marriage.
Reference to ‘Takiyah’ sparks debate
While acknowledging that not all Muslim partners act with bad intentions, the cleric referenced what he described as an Islamic concept known as “Takiyah”, which he claimed permits deception if it serves the spread of Islam.
He said,
“I’m not saying this is the case all the time, but there’s something called Takiyah… In Islamic doctrine, they are permitted to deceive you if they think that deceiving you will propagate the cause of Islam.”
Purpose placed above pleasure
Pastor Iren concluded by advising the woman to consider Christian partners who may not meet all her personal preferences but share her faith.
He argued that a home built on spiritual purpose was more important than one founded mainly on romance or emotional satisfaction.
“Purpose is more important than pleasure,” he said, adding that faith in Christ should be the primary consideration in choosing a spouse.
Christian lady shares experience marrying Muslim man
Legit.ng earlier reported that a Christian lady has shared how she has navigated her marriage with her Muslim hubby for the past four years. The lady's experience was captured using a video illustration.
The interfaith couple's video was reposted on X by @dammiedammie35 and generated a buzz on the social media platform. The first part of the clip showed a Muslim man worshipping with his Christian wife in her church.
Source: Legit.ng
