Marriage challenges Moderate Muslim Women

 

Professional European Muslim women are finding it difficult to find suitable Muslim spouses.

Educated, professional women are facing challenges in finding like-minded spouses..

Shadya Omar, 34, from Austria said: “The challenges are: finding a moderate Muslim man, not radical one, and one who is westernised, ambitious and allows you to be you. One who is not threatened by your success and one who understands that although in Islam extended family is important, privacy within the nuclear family is also a high priority.”

Shadya’s struggle to find an appropriate spouse is one being heard all around Europe from progressive Muslim woman.  

She said: “for me personally it [religion] is important, simply because my religion defines me as a person. I may not be the best Muslim but I agree with the basic ideas.”

For some, the expectation that one is not fulfilled their Islamic duties unless married, wears heavily on their hearts.  

One interpretation of Hadith states that a woman has not fulfilled her role as a Muslim unless she is married.
 
Naz Kozer, 33, from the UK said: “I struggle with that, the pressure from society makes you feel inadequate, no matter how strong you are.However I don’t have expectations, I am not walking around trying to find a husband to pin on my wants and desires on.”

This first generation of European Muslim women that have grown up with modern idealism and eastern romanticism.

Rajae El Mouhandiz, 27, from the Netherlands said: “I don’t need a man to provide for me, I don’t need to help me with my career, I don’t need a man to fill up my loneliness. I need a soul mate. There aren’t a lot of Muslim men out there that can deal with a woman with a strong personality”