Are you nervous? As a member of a conservative Muslim family, are you having butterflies in your stomach at the prospect of your debut online dating? If so, just shake off your nervousness, as you really have nothing to worry about.
Online dating is a modern method of meeting people and widening your canvas. It is socializing in a new manner, where instead of giving a bear hug to a friend during the Id, you convey your greetings over the Internet. And the greeting is as sincere as the hug, there are no two ways about it. It is a means of communicating, exchanging information and ideas. And, with each day, it is becoming a favorite method of matchmaking in the Muslim world.
Just look at its other advantages - if you are just tired of meeting people that you have nothing in common with, you can easily opt for online dating and come across more interesting people, who have the potential of becoming your spouse in the near future. Many Muslim women living in the West often want careers also. For them, online communication makes things much easier.
The Basics The first thing to do is to choose the right online dating/matrimonial service. You have numerous services to choose from, and you must select the one that suits your needs. You can opt for a general type where you just post a profile and picture and hope for the best. There are also the specialized ones that are for single women, single men, Muslim men and women, even outdoor enthusiasts. There is one for everyone - you simply need to choose wisely.
In the next step, write a profile. It should contain all the obvious and general information such as your sex, age, the area where you live, etc. But these are not enough. You still have a long way to go. Your profile should be fresh and funny. Try to make it stand out in the crowd. Now, post a picture of yourself. Take care that the photograph is not too old. The picture should be flattering, but must show you as you really are. Then contact those who seem interesting and reply to those who get in touch with you.
As a precautionary measure against unscrupulous elements, one can choose a Wali (or guardian) to be his/her contact person for potential candidates. One is often advised against contacting a suitor directly. Allow your Wali to thoroughly screen every suitor, who can perform reference checks, talk to Muslims in his/her local area, etc. Better safe than sorry.
