Dear God, I’m Ready To Meet The One

by Holly Lebowitz Rossi

The importance of community involvement is heightened for Muslim singles, whose prospects are complicated by the fact that their faith prohibits dating situations in which men and women are alone together. This leaves many American-born Muslim singles feeling caught between the traditional, arranged-marriage culture of their parents, and the cultural boundary-less-ness of single life in America.

“The mosques and Islamic organizations in America have not done a great job of filling that void,” said Asma Hasan, 33, a single Muslim living in Denver. Hasan, who is working on a book about Muslim dating, says that there are some emerging opportunities for Muslims who are progressive in their faith, but who want to meet and marry a fellow Muslim: the Islamic Society of North America has hosted Muslim speed-dating events, and a growing website, Naseeb.com, is a popular new social network for young American Muslims.

But by and large, Hasan, who grew up expecting to have her parents arrange her marriage, is discouraged by the scarcity of venues for young, progressive Muslims to meet. “I feel like the community has let me down,” she said.