noraina
* Tawakkul *
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- Islam
Assalamu Alaykum,
How do you answer this question? If I am meeting old school friends, or if I'm going to take exams or revising in the park with other students, one of the favourite topics of 17-year-old girls is, well, relationships. In a place where there are not many Muslims, people really have no idea of our beliefs and values, and explaining things like this without seeming ridiculous or old fashioned is a challenge. Most peers know how I am but some of them are really interested in Islam so hey when I can I do dawah and tell them how Islam is
Take this example, when I do say I've never had a boyfriend and neither do I want one, the first assumption is that you're a lesbian (astaghfirullah)
And it leads to a long-winded explanation that no, Muslims are humans, we may feel attracted to the opposite gender, but that is what lowering the gaze is all about and ultimately we want to get married one day inshaAllah on the basis of your spouse being the first and last person you'll ever be in a 'relationship' with. They can't get their head around that.
Arranged marriages have really negative connotations where I live, and not all Muslim marriages are arranged anyway, so I've come up with the explanation that parents, family, friends, whatever suggest prospective partners, you have a chaperoned meeting with them, strictly nothing like dating or kissing beforehand, if you like them you get married. Hard to generalise the 'Islamic' way of arranging marriages but that sounds fairly accurate, right?
This probably sounds like a small thing but at my age this is a major subject I am asked about so often, lol, even by my cousins who are not practising Muslims. People seem to think self-control in this department is impossible so if by your 18th birthday you haven't had a couple of intimate relationships something is wrong with you.
How would you explain the way Muslims get married? How do people get married in your culture/community?
How do you answer this question? If I am meeting old school friends, or if I'm going to take exams or revising in the park with other students, one of the favourite topics of 17-year-old girls is, well, relationships. In a place where there are not many Muslims, people really have no idea of our beliefs and values, and explaining things like this without seeming ridiculous or old fashioned is a challenge. Most peers know how I am but some of them are really interested in Islam so hey when I can I do dawah and tell them how Islam is

Take this example, when I do say I've never had a boyfriend and neither do I want one, the first assumption is that you're a lesbian (astaghfirullah)

Arranged marriages have really negative connotations where I live, and not all Muslim marriages are arranged anyway, so I've come up with the explanation that parents, family, friends, whatever suggest prospective partners, you have a chaperoned meeting with them, strictly nothing like dating or kissing beforehand, if you like them you get married. Hard to generalise the 'Islamic' way of arranging marriages but that sounds fairly accurate, right?
This probably sounds like a small thing but at my age this is a major subject I am asked about so often, lol, even by my cousins who are not practising Muslims. People seem to think self-control in this department is impossible so if by your 18th birthday you haven't had a couple of intimate relationships something is wrong with you.
How would you explain the way Muslims get married? How do people get married in your culture/community?