Remarry after convert to Islam

Question:

I became Muslim before my husband. We were both married in a Christian church before we became Muslim. Do we have to get married again? My guardian when I was married was not a Muslim.

Answer:

Your marriage in Christian church before you became Muslim is a valid one; since both of you became Muslim, it has been carried over into Islam. It is, therefore, absolutely unnecessary for you to remarry. There will, however, be one exception to this rule: i.e. if you have married someone within the forbidden categories of relationship as stated in the Qur’an: 4: 23: “Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts paternal and maternal, and a brother’s daughters, and a sister’s daughters; and your milk-mothers, and your milk-sisters; and the mothers of your wives; and your step-daughters-who are your foster-children-born of your wives with whom you have consummated your marriage….and the spouses of the sons who have sprung from your loins; and (you are forbidden) to have two sisters (as your wives) at one and the same time..”. In case of marriage involving any of the above forbidden categories, it shall be considered absolutely null and void in Islam.

During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) married couples of diverse religious backgrounds embraced Islam; yet the Prophet (peace be upon him) never asked them to remarry after their conversion to Islam; rather they were allowed to continue in their marriage—except of course in cases of marriage involving the forbidden categories: In such cases, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did declare such marriages as invalid.

Source: Islam.ca