Would you change your religion to marry someone? I am a Hindu, and I have fallen in love with a Muslim woman, but she cannot accept my faith. What is your advice?
No. Faith has to come from the heart. You cannot accept a religion unless you believe it to be your truth. Hinduism is your truth, Islam is hers.For any relationship to work, it needs you both to put in 50/50. My personal belief is that to truly love someone, we must accept them as they are. I would want my future husband to be authentic.It’s difficult when families are involved. They want to preserve their religious/cultural identity, their concern would be on how you raised any future children. Her parents would also feel pressure within their community, and amongst their relatives. No parent wants to see their children unhappy, depending upon how religious they are, they may accept you if you don't convert, or they would not allow their daughter to marry you. She may even choose you over her family, but don't judge her if she doesn’t, it’s extremely difficult to be in her position, and her love for you shouldn't be doubted. As you're aware, family is core in South Asian cultures, and children are expected to obey their parents.If you love each other should it matter which religions you practice? Gandhi (my hero) believed that Hindus & Muslims were equals and could coexist:“The various religions are like different roads converging on the same point. What difference does it make if we follow different routes, provided we arrive at the same destination?”I totally understand his logic, many won’t, that's life! I’m spiritual but not religious. If my future husband was religious and expected me to convert, no matter how much I loved him, I wouldn’t, because I don’t want to be fake, and believe in something that I don’t. Similarly, I would never tell a future husband that was religious, he would have to give up his faith for me. I would always want him to be happy.This is how you have an interfaith relationship. Respect each other, without trying to change each other.In the end, it's up to you, follow your heart is the best advice I can give. You can certainly try to change her parents minds, or tell your girlfriend, you respect her religion and will marry her eventhough she's a Muslim, but she must respect that you’re a Hindu (that’s part of your identity).You have to take that gamble, will she choose you, or forsake her own happiness for that of her family? If she doesn't come back, then with a heavy heart, you must tearfully accept you would have never won the battle anyway…