Halal dating: the reality of finding love for young Australian Muslims
The Feed spoke to Muslim Australians about the diverse ways they date, and the misconceptions and assumptions that follow them from members their own community– and the broader Australian community.
Dating for Muslim Australians can present a number of challenges: from navigating boundaries like pre-marital sex, assumptions about the validity of your marriage from non-Muslims, and dealing with community assumptions about you based on your sexuality.
While Muslims make up just under 3 per cent of the Australian population, it’s a growing proportion, and has the youngest median age – 27 – of any religion in Australia. And as young Muslims are coming of age they are trying to balance religion, culture and dating.
All roads eventually lead back to the conversation of what represents ‘halal dating’ (permissible dating). It’s an ever-present question, and it’s one is as diverse as the over two billion Muslims around the world.
The Feed spoke to young Australian Muslims making their way in the dating world: including those meeting partners through more orthodox routes within community groups; those trying out Muslim dating apps; and others using the more conventional online dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge.
‘I’m not looking for the physical bit of it, because I’m Muslim and that prohibits you from doing that’
*Salim, 23, is based in Canberra. He’s on most of the regular dating apps. He describes being on them as a waste of time because he struggles to meet women who share his intentions and what he wants out of a relationship christian cupid.
“You can’t find that person that understands exactly what you’re looking for because there’s just a difference in your culture,” Salim told The Feed .
Salim feels like there’s a barrier between some of the women he’s dated on the apps, and himself. He says the expectation that after a period of dating physical intimacy will follow has impacted him. (more…)