MashaAllah it's a match: how Muslim youths negotiate their identities on Muzz

Abstract

There has been a dynamic shift in society away from traditional methods of finding a spouse. Given the accessibility of using technology to find potential partners, there is a growing percentage of Muslim youths gravitating towards online dating applications to form intimate relationships.

In Islam, courtship entails early parental involvement of a third party, forgoing hook-ups and casual dates, and discussing marriage immediately. To navigate between embracing modernity while maintaining their Islamic identity, Muslim youths turn to Islamic-centric dating applications like Muzz as a medium to form relationships in a halal manner.

Our study looks at how Singaporean Muslim youths manage their identities online. Our research revealed that: (1) older individuals tend to pursue serious romantic relationships, (2) users present an ideal version of themselves to accommodate potential matches and (3) religious individuals are more inclined to include third parties in romantic relationships.