Considering InterfaithShaadi is promoting equality in interfaith marriages, we often use celebrities‘ published information to educate others. Considering the TV show host Hasan Minhaj talks about Islam often and married to Beena Patel, a Hindu, Interfaithshaadi has compiled published information about the interfaith couple here.
From published information, it is clear that Hasan Minhaj is not dogmatic and does not believe to be boxed-in when comes to him being a Muslim. With such personal views and other published information (Beena has not converted), Interfaithshaadi believes Minhaj did not asked his Hindu girlfriend Beena Patel to convert to Islam for their Islamic nikah wedding. However, some Islamic leaders told us personally with conviction that Beena has converted to Islam. It is possible, it is their wishful thinking and not truth. Till the couple or the imam who performed their nikah clarify otherwise, Interfaithshaadi stands with our belief.
Minhaj’s Views on Religion and Marriage
Source: Hasan Minhaj on NPR Faith
On Religious Dogma
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“Islam definitely has a lot of rules. My religious identity has never been about the dogma, per se. If I pray these many times, if I do this these many times, I will get X or Y. If you collect this many coins, you get to this part of heaven.”
“As Muslims, we have to pray towards Mecca. We make pilgrimage to Mecca. We access God through Saudi Arabia, a country that I feel does not represent our values. Strict rules, I kind of threw them out the window because life is way more complicated than the dogma that’s written on paper. Just because I’m Muslim – that doesn’t mean I can’t do yoga, even though it is a Hindu practice, comes from Hinduism.”
“One of my best friends and one of the most ethical human beings, Prashanth, who’s the co-creator and showrunner of our show – he’s an atheist, and he is one of the kindest human beings I’ve ever met in my life. Like, he is more just and fair than any Muslim person I’ve ever met in my life.”
On Spirituality
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“I’ve never sort of defined myself spiritually through. I am, my family, are Indian American Muslim. I’ve never defined myself by saying, hey; I’m Indian, and by being Indian, that means I’m not Pakistani; or, I’m Muslim; that means I’m not Christian or I’m not Hindu. I’ve never defined myself that way. That’s such a limiting way to look at the world. And I think, if COVID’s taught us anything, the Hindus had it right all along. We all just got to be vegetarian.”
On Wife being a Hindu
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“My wife comes from a Hindu family. I remember she said, will you not be with me because of something I can’t control? i.e., like, the family that I grew up in and all that sort of stuff. And she said it would be really sad if, like, this (interfaith relationship) all ended because I had no control over. I certainly hoped–and I hope our life shows this–that our love was able to transcend those things.”
On Obstacles for Marriage
Source: Beena Patel: The wife of the Rising Comedy Star and TV host Hasan Minhaj
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“Marriage between two people who come from different religious backgrounds often faces many obstacles. Hasan Minhaj is a Muslim while Beena Patel comes from a Hindu background. According to Islam laws, marrying outside your religion is only accepted when a Muslim male decides to marry a non-Islam female who is a Jew or Christian.
Beena being a Hindu meant there would be problems before proceeding with their intentions to get married. One of the options available for them was converting Beena from Hindu to Muslim. Beena took a stand and decided not to convert. In the end, both of their families supported their union and their wedding was done following all the Indian customs and traditions.
”Islamic Dogma on Interfaith Marriages
With such strict Koranic teachings, it has been a general practice to convert the Hindu intended spouse to Islam. However, Minhaj who believes, “Strict rules, I kind of threw them out the window because life is way more complicated than the dogma that’s written on paper”, will not consider Beena Patel as pagan, idolatress-Hindu and unbeliever kafir needing to be converted to Islam for the Nikaah.
Other information on the couple:
Hasan Minhaj, a Sunni Indian Muslim, is a host at Netflix’s Patriot Act show. He hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2017, an event that was famously boycotted by president Donald Trump. Minhaj, who has worked as a correspondent on Jon Stewart’s show, is a vocal critic of Trump’s policies, especially of the ban on Muslims from some West Asian countries from entering the US.
Minhaj studied and met Beena at University of California Davis. He speaks about his marriage to a Hindu woman and the troubles he faced convincing his father of the alliance (details).
Beena Patel, a Patidar Hindu, is a medical practitioner and has a doctorate degree in public health. Beena is a strict adherent of the Hindu traditions and religion. It is known that she hails from a Hindu family and imbibes the Hindu culture taught to her by her parents in her everyday life (source). She goes by her original name, Beena Patel, without any infusion from Hasan’s side in the name.
Marriage: It was a low keyed wedding ceremony (not clear if they also had a Hindu wedding but appears to be an Islamic Nikah without shahadah conversion of the Hindu party) in 2015. The couple had a daughter on 22 April 2018 and a son on 19 March 2020. Children’s names, if Dharmic, Arabic or non-religious, are not disclosed. Further, it is not disclosed if the couple wishes to raise their children in two faiths, only one of two faiths or no faith.
Hasan Minhaj and Beena Patel are good role models, like Bolywood star Shah Rukh Khan, for other Hindu-Muslim couples considering interfaith relationship.
Photo credit: Netflix.
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More information: Celebrities’ interfaith marriages, Sunni-Hindu marriage is not possible, Hindu-Muslim Marriage, Sharia, Muslim-Hindu marriages, Hindu-Muslim lovers’ experiences, Koran on Hindus? Hindu girl-Muslim boy, Marriage & Divorce laws.
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बाइबिल हिंदुओं पर? (Bible on Hindus?)
