The Relationship between Online Dating and Islamic Identity among British Muslims

Abstract

In Europe and the US, young Muslims are using online matchmaking in growing numbers. Online dating has increasingly become a mainstream activity, in Europe and North America at least. Western Muslims have adapted the idea to suit their needs. For many, online dating offers a low-stress solution to the daunting challenge of finding a partner for marriage in countries where few share their faith and in communities where matchmaking is considered a family affair. This paper will discuss the relationship between Muslim online matchmaking for British Muslims and their Islamic identities with regards to marriage and romantic relationships.

Online Halal Dating, Ta'aruf, and the Shariatisation of Matchmaking among Malaysian and Indonesian Muslims

“…1 , 2 0 2 1 The resurgence of piety, evident in increasing rates of public religious expression as a manifestation of growing Muslim publics, has facilitated the growth of online early marriage campaigns as well as halal online matchmaking services. The mushrooming of web-based dating sites and mobile dating applications is considered by many as indicating the agency of women and youth (see e.g., Ali et al 2019;De Rooij 2020). However, the fact that halal matchmaking is initiated in the name of Sharia compliance often complicates the understanding of the notion of agency.…”

Emerging Cross-Cultural Marriage Between Indonesian Brides and Turkish Grooms

“…Users can put a target like, the shortest time possible or immediately, within 1-2 years, 3-4 years, or more than 4 years. Through the use of Muslim dating apps, "users can customize the ideal traits of partner they want," and ultimately, in a highly diverse society, the users seek a way to search for potential partners that guarantee Muslim identity in an Islamic way (de Rooij, 2020). This indicates that Turkish grooms and Indonesian brides that live in relatively diverse societies within their own countries socio-culturally appreciate religious or conservative values and actively seek an ideal Muslim partner throughout the platforms, even though they are distantly located in different countries.…”