Nasima Khatun
Would you pay 100,000 to find love?
Finding true love is something we all aim to do at some point in our lives. Whether it be through traditional means or otherwise, it’s natural to want to find a spouse to add that extra bit of comfort and excitement to your life. This is especially important for Muslims as we’re well aware of all the benefits that come with finding a life partner. Not only did Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) encourage it, he also branded it as an achievement that helps you “complete half of your deen”, so it’s no wonder that Muslims strive to find a good partner as soon as possible.
But in the digital age, this has somewhat become an impossible task.
With so many options, many of us find ourselves distracted from the true purpose of beneficial partnerships and instead, we fall into the trap of divulging into intense, short-term flings, and that definitely isn’t the best way to initiate long-term commitments.
But thankfully, for Muslims, there are now more efficient ways to find a partner without all the hassle and no, it doesn’t have to cost you £100,000 – but that’s down to you. We don’t judge over here.
Let me introduce you to Adeem Younis, the trailblazer behind the UK’s first ‘halal’ matchmaking site, SingleMuslim.com ®️. Younis was the pioneer of Muslim’s finding love online and has worked tirelessly to help Muslims all around the world find love in a simple and ‘halal’ way and with nearly 5 million users across the platform and over 100,000 marriages already secured, we’d say he’s doing a pretty good job at playing cupid.
What is SingleMuslim.com ®️?
SingleMuslim.com ®️ is a matrimonial website built from a tiny office on top of a little pizza shop after Younis himself was struggling to find a partner. Rather than reverting to other options such as an arranged marriage, he took it upon himself to seek out the perfect partner. Fast forward twenty-three years and not only did he get married, but he is also a father to 4 beautiful children.
Now, he dedicates his time to helping others achieve the same goal using specialised methods via his platform.
Speaking exclusively to MVSLIM, he explained how times have changed over the years and now marriage apps have given Muslims more freedom when it comes to finding the right spouse.
“When we began as the pioneers of online ‘halal’ dating, it was the era of the dial-up, very slow bandwidth only accessible from a clunky desktop computer. It was also a time when the online world was considered forbidden, especially surfing for halal love.”
He continued: “We came to question the status quo, to end regressive cultural practices but I suppose, looking back, this was the period directly before change.”
So what does SingleMuslim.com ®️ offer?
Unlike other rival apps that offer similar services, SingleMuslim.com ®️ strays away from the idea of “swiping”, and focuses more on the faith aspect of it all. For a lot of Muslims, their main concern is finding a partner who is just as devoted to God as they are and SingleMuslims honours that throughout their 3 main services.
1. The SingleMuslim ®️ app
As technology continues to advance, making services such as this one available from the comfort of people’s phones is essential.
Younis discussed what it means to be able to use the latest technology to make sure his users have the best experience.
“We’ve been pushing the boundaries since we launched. We have a comprehensive data section where we ask people about their faith and what’s important to their faith, their income, their profession, education, background, languages, living arrangements and physical appearance.
“You can also search by these (attributes) as well. Not only do we cater to those who want a DIY service, but 10 per cent of users have also registered to find somebody on behalf of others, like friends or children.”
The app allows you to filter through how practising you want your partner to be, and even allows you to see how often they pray, then only connecting you to those specific potentials. It’s a quality that mainstream apps like Tinder can only provide at a superficial level.
2. The SingleMuslim ®️ events
Now here’s where things become practical.
SingleMuslim ®️ holds events at multiple venues throughout the year where hopefuls aim to get to know each other with the intention that they will stumble across their soulmate. In order to ensure a ‘halal’ aspect is maintained, the company allows, and actually encourages, chaperones to be present along with the attendee, so they can provide advice as and when needed.
The most recent, which will be taking place at the end of this month, will see single Muslims in and around Manchester come together along with Muslim comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri for a night of ‘halal’ mingling.
“There will be up to 100 attendees with a 50-50 ratio of men and women present allowing our guests to meet more than a year’s worth of online matches in person, face-to-face in a halal, comfortable and inclusive environment,” says Younis. “To break the ice and to keep the laughter flowing, they will be entertained by the most renowned Hijab-wearing British Muslim comic in the country while enjoying delicious halal food and refreshments throughout the event.
“They may have a jaw ache by the end of the day after all that talking and laughter, it will be tiring at times perhaps but definitely productive and a worthwhile investment in their future.”
Fatiha El-Ghorri, also a member of the SingleMuslim ®️ app, added: “Finding the right partner when you are Muslim can be really challenging as culturally, we don’t really date.
“When we meet someone, it is expected that we will marry that person and it’s very important that your parents approve your choice of partner, so bringing your dad along to the event kills two birds with one stone.”
A year’s worth of online matches in one single event? Sign me up. And with 4/6 locations already sold out, it’s proving to be a hit with the community.
You can also get your hands on the last remaining tickets via the SingleMuslim ®️ website or click here to have a little look for yourselves!
3. The SingleMuslim ®️ VIP Package
And finally, we have the renowned VIP Package.
Remember when I mentioned that some people would go as far as paying £100,000 to find a husband/wife? And trust me, some people already have… Well, Younis is slashing that price for something a lot more reasonable. For those that are interested in receiving a bespoke, personalised experience, SingleMuslim.com ®️ offers a range of VIP Packages that take matchmaking to a whole new level.
Not only will you get a tailored package to suit all your needs when finding a potential partner, but you’ll also receive round-the-clock care throughout a 12-month period.
And the best news is that SingleMuslim’s ®️ Classic Package is on sale right now, with a whopping £1,000 discount.
Click here to have a look at what they have to offer.
But they don’t just stop there…
Things don’t just end at finding a partner and putting a ring on their finger – not with SingleMuslim ®️ anyway. They are on a quest to ensure that Muslim couples who have placed their trust in them have a happy marriage thanks to their Muslim Family Centre.
With divorce rates creeping up slowly, Younis and his team want to ensure their community is getting the support they need to keep marriages happy and healthy. The Muslim Family Centre aims to give couples advice and counselling in their marriage and it’s the company’s way of giving back to their community.
So with that, what does the future hold for Muslim matchmaking?
According to Younis, the Muslim matchmaking industry is only set to grow as more and more Muslims look for easier ways to find a partner and with it being worth millions in the UK alone, the future is looking really bright.
“Rather than being unheard of or seen as forbidden as it was back when we started in 1999, it has now become the norm across the globe,” he says. “I believe ‘dating’ can become halal with the emergence of virtual dating with people joining each other for their 1st cup of tea on different sides of the globe, families will also get more involved in the journey as advancement in technology allows them to be present to support their loved ones every step of the way.
“In some respects, the ability of people to find love has never been easier as we communicate with one another in a variety of ways, any time we wish. At the same time, variety also brings its fair share of challenges so the need to ensure this process is backed up by professional support, advice and guidance is also crucial in order to maximise chances of success and to always remain secure in the knowledge that you are not alone in your quest to settle down.”
Follow @AdeemYounis and @SingleMuslimCom on Instagram to keep up with the latest updates!