Finding the right one is always a huge challenge for many young Muslims.
As the traditions of arranged marriage remain popular among many Muslim singles, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee has arranged Core Young Adults & Professionals’ Muslims Singles Event offering young Muslims an opportunity to meet potential life partners.
“A lot of young folks from the community are always asking us, ‘How can we connect with people across genders and do it in an appropriate way?’” said Anas Alhurani, 27, a member of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee Core Young Adults & Professionals Leadership Team, Wisconsin Muslim Journal reported.
📚 Read Also: Aging Singles: How Parents Cause Delay in Marriage
“Finding a good way to build a bridge across genders in a way that is supported by our community is tough.”
The event, held on June 11, was attended by about 65 people between the ages 25-40.
“Privacy was the main concern,” said Alhurani. “In our conservative community, people don’t want their private information out there. They also worry about what others might say.”
“When we found out that there is this beautiful company called ‘Half Our Deen,’ we researched them and were impressed by the level of privacy they provide,” Alhurani said.
According to its website, Half Our Deen “is a private service created specifically to help Muslims find their other half.”
It uses compatibility tests that focus on “areas that are important to Muslims, including faith, personality, family and social life.”
Privacy First
According to Zeineb Selmane, the Young Adults & Professionals team leader, the group meets twice a month for in-person events and connects on social media through a Telegram group, which now has 104 members.
At the end of the event, participants used Half Our Deen’s online app to star people they would like to talk with further.
After the success of the first event, organizers hope they can host singles events once a year.
“I think people were pleased with how above board it was,” Selmane said. “We had chaperones, the imam was there, group activities. Everything was very appropriate.”
Marriage is very important in Islam as it guarantees physical and spiritual chastity and peace of a person and keeps the couple away from the downfall and trap of the Satan.
Allah says in the Quran: “And marry the singles from among you…” (24:32)
This is also what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised young men to do:
Abdullah bin Mas’ud narrated: We went with Allah’s Messenger, while we were young men who had nothing. He said:
O young men! You should marry, for indeed it helps in lowering the gaze and protecting the private parts.’… (Jami` Al-Tirmidhi)