Q 1: what is the exegesis of the saying of Allah (Exalted be He): And do not marry Al-Mushrikât (idolatresses, etc.) till they believe (worship Allâh Alone).

A: The meaning of Allah's saying: And do not marry Al-Mushrikât (idolatresses, etc.) till they believe (worship Allâh Alone). Is as follows: Allah forbids His believing servants to marry Al-Mushrikât (idolatresses etc.) who are not Jews or Christians as He (Exalted be He) says in another Ayah: Made lawful to you this day are At-Tayyibât [all kinds of Halâl (lawful) foods, which Allâh has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits)]. The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. (Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girl-friends. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) in this Ayah of Surah Al-Ma'idah (Part No. 18; Page No. 307) permits the believers to marry the chaste women of the People of the Book. This means that they are not included in the general meaning of idolaters in the Ayah mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah just as the People of the Book are not included in the general meaning of polytheists in the following Ayah: Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikûn, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence. Or in the saying of Allah: Verily, those who believe (in Allâh and in His Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Majûs, and those who worship others besides Allâh, truly, Allâh will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. It may be also said that they are included in the general meaning of idolaters in the Ayah of Surah Al-Baqarah but the Ayah of Surah Al-Ma'idah indicated that the People of the Book are excluded from the general meaning of the Ayah of Surah Al-Baqarah. According to both possibilities or views, there is no contradiction between the two Ayahs. The Ayah of prohibition is for a certain kind of disbelievers and the Ayah of lawfulness is confined to another kind. This view was adopted by the majority of Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet- may Allah be pleased with them). Ibn Jarir mentioned in his exegesis of the Qur'an that they were in agreement on the permissibility of this kind of marriage. He also considered the objection of `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to the marriage of Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah to a Jew and to the marriage of Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman to a Christian woman (Part No. 18; Page No. 308) as weak narrations and said that they contradict a stronger proof. He also mentioned that the disapproval of `Umar and that of his son `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) to the matter may be due to preventing Muslims from excess in marrying women from the People of the Book to imitate Hudhayfah, Talhah and `Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them) and turn away from marrying Muslim women. This is against the command of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to his Ummah that they should marry religious women. No doubt that a Muslim woman is better than those of the People of the Book. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.