What is Halal Dating?
Finding a spouse can be challenging for many young people, but Muslims have an additional faith obligation to stick to halal dating. This is a special kind of relationship that focuses primarily on finding someone who will be compatible with you for life. However, in the Islamic faith, there is a unique set of rules and customs that you must adhere to if you want to keep the relationship as pure as can be.
What is halal dating and how can you observe these traditions? Learn more about what to expect with this unique dating style in this guide.
Muslims who are interested in dating are not doing so just for fun. They are searching for a future spouse that they can spend the rest of their life with. Dating a Muslim guy or dating a Muslim girl should be done with the end goal of marriage in mind. This is where halal dating comes into play for many young men and women of the Islamic faith.
A halal relationship is focused on the future. If you are not interested in finding a spouse, then halal dating is not for you.
The good news is that you do not simply have to settle for the first person you meet, even if you are interested in pursuing halal dating. You may contact as many people as it takes to find a mate that you are compatible with under the Islamic faith. It is believed that if you have pure intentions, Allah will eventually bring the appropriate person into your life.
Even once you figure out that the person you are dating is going to be your spouse, some important rules must be followed to maintain a pure relationship. For example, you cannot be alone with your partner until after you are married. Dates must take place in a public setting or with a chaperone.
Keep in mind that your family will play an important role in helping you find a match and maintaining your purity through the halal dating process. Be open with them when you meet someone and turn to them for guidance when possible.
While it certainly adds a new level of complexity to navigating a new relationship, halal dating is possible, even in the Western world. If you are using Muslim dating apps, you can still maintain the purity of your relationship. However, it will take some creativity, ingenuity, and the support of your family to make things work.
The best thing to do if you are committed to a long-term halal relationship is to communicate that desire clearly and openly with potential matches. Together, you can decide on the rules that will govern your interactions. You may choose to add or subtract rules as you progress further in the relationship.
However, there are a few rules that must stay in place throughout your courtship, including:
Surrounding yourself with a Muslim community can make it much easier for you to stick to your commitment. You will have the necessary support in place to guide you in your decision-making and to prevent you from breaking the faith.
Of course, several rules accompany this type of relationship. Whether you use a dating app or meet someone at your local mosque, you will want to keep these Muslim dating rules in mind to make sure you are honoring your future spouse and keeping yourself pure for marriage.
First, you should make sure that you are mature enough and ready to seek out a relationship for the purposes of marriage. Pray and spend time in the Holy Quran to determine if this is the right move for you.
You may also choose to discuss your decision with close friends who share your faith, as they might be able to offer you some insight into the process.
Make sure that you are prepared to focus on building a relationship with someone, rather than focusing solely on physical contact. Pay close attention to attributes such as their faith and personality instead of physical characteristics.
Many young people choose to have their families involved in the process. Parents and family members play a significant role in determining whether a relationship should move forward. This approach also opens the door to ask these trusted guides to chaperone dates with a prospective partner.
You should refrain from having one-on-one dates with your potential partner. Even if you are sure that this is the person you wish to marry, alone time can lead to temptation for physical contact. It is advised to always bring a chaperone on any dates and to only meet with a partner in a public space.
Young Muslims who are pursuing online dating will still need to abide by some of these rules. For example, they may not meet in person because of the distance between them. However, even if they do not plan to give in to the temptation of physical contact, there are other ways to dishonor the relationship through impure speech. It is best to have a chaperone in your online conversations and social media interactions, even if they are just a silent observer.
In modern culture, there is an emphasis on physically connecting with your partner, even before marriage. Zina or fornication is forbidden to individuals who are not yet married, which is a major departure from modern ideals. Make sure you are committed to maintaining your purity in all situations before you decide to pursue halal dating.
When you feel that you are ready to take the next step in your relationship, you can discuss the possibility of a proposal. Once accepted by both parties and their families, you can have a Nikah ceremony wherein you accept the proposal and are bound together as one.
There are a few unique aspects of a Nikah that set it apart from the traditional Western wedding:
When the ceremony is finished, the new bride and groom will frequently eat sweets together to celebrate their new union with their guests.
The Walima will follow as a celebration of the union you have made. This may be held on a different day or directly following the Nikah ceremony. Walima is a large celebration in which the bride and groom invite people from all socioeconomic classes to share meat and bread together.
Particularly for those Muslim women and men who are committed to halal dating, maintaining the traditions of the Nikah and Walima are likely to be high on the priority list.
Make sure to discuss wedding plans with your potential spouse to ensure that you are on the same page in regards to how traditional you would like to be with your Muslim wedding rituals.
If you are committed to finding halal dating through an online dating app, then you need to sign up for Salams. Our Muslim dating app has more than 4 million members. We have a long track record of success when it comes to finding suitable partners.
More than 210,000 marriages have started on Salams so far. Download the Salams app today to learn more about how you might find your potential match!
