How to Choose the Right Muslim Dating Website

Introduction

Online dating offers a world of opportunities for those who are open-minded enough to give it a try. Over the years, as online dating has developed in prominence and frequency, a lot of so called 'niche' dating sites have emerged that cater for specific needs and tastes in their target membership. Amongst these 'niche' sites are sites devoted to dating for Muslim users offering the opportunity to meet and get to know other users that share your specific beliefs and values, from right across the world. This buying guide helps you get to grips with exactly what Muslim dating is, what it offers its users, how to get started and what to look for in a great site.

What is Muslim Dating?

Muslim online dating represents one of the more specific branches of online dating intended to offer users the opportunity to engage with only those users who fit a particular lifestyle or belief system.

These sites are popular with Muslim users that are looking to the internet to find love and companionship with other Muslim users, especially for those who are looking for marriage. With a vast number of active users across a wide range of sites, Muslim dating offers users the opportunity to make a meaningful connection with someone who could turn out to be the individual they spend the rest of their lives with.

Muslim Dating Versus 'Traditional' Online Dating

A lot of users are interested about the distinction between Muslim dating and regular online dating. In most cases, it goes without saying that Muslim dating sites are often open only to Muslim men and women. The particular nature of Muslim sites makes them suitable for those users who are particularly concerned that a prospective partner fulfills certain religious or cultural requirements, many of which are specific to the Islamic faith.

Unlike on traditional online dating sites, users can be sure, not only that they won't be exposed to images that they will find offensive, but also that they will be able to find users who are looking for long-term relationships, as opposed to causal hook-ups (which may be the case on regular adult dating sites). Similarly, the specific cultural and religious details that are important to Muslim users are built-in to options available for customization on many of the sites, meaning that the sites included within our Muslim dating category are specifically suited to those users who find these issues important.

Common Features

With so many sites to choose from, it's helpful to know what users should look out for in finding the perfect site for them. There are a number of features that are common to a lot of dating sites in this category and to help you know what to look out for when choosing the perfect site for you, we have highlighted the most important features below so that you can look out for them as you read through our reviews.

• Photo and Video Profiles: One of the most common, but most important, features of most online dating sites is the photo profile. This feature allows you to share information about yourself, along with a set of pictures, so as to let others know what you're like - in looks, and in personality. In particular, look out for the sites that offer users the opportunity to share an unlimited number of high-resolution images as these sites are often where users will find most dating success. A slightly less common feature, but one that is growing in frequency, is the video profile. These profiles allow users to share a video message with other users in order to let them know exactly what sort of person they are. Whilst these profiles are normally only available on the more expensive sites we review, they are a great feature and something to look out for in the features lists on each of our reviews.
  
  
• Instant Messaging: Instant Messaging is a service offered by many sites, that is similar to the services offered by MSN, Yahoo and GoogleChat, and allows users to chat actively with each other. One of the major criticisms of online dating is that it can feel a little distant (in that users have to wait for others to respond to emails in order to develop a rapport with them). The development of instant messaging featured on numerous online dating sites means that this problem is in part overcome. Many users enjoy having a real-time conversation with other users and find that it helps make the online dating experience a little more lively. We would certainly suggest that users look out for sites that offer this feature as it is arguably one of the more exciting features available to online dating users.
  
  
• Forums & Chatrooms: Forums and Chatrooms hosted on online dating sites are a great way to get to know other users, by discussing a range of topics. Chatrooms and Forums are particularly exciting for Muslim users, who can benefit from an ability to discuss a range of specialist and specific issues with other users. Chatting in forums and chatrooms is therefore an excellent way to make friendships and develop relationships further with other singles.
  
  
• Community Features: Many users find the opportunity to engage with their dating site as a whole 'online community' an exciting one. Many of the features included on online dating sites, such as e-zines, forums, blogs, chatrooms and more, allow users to get to know others in a friendly and community-oriented environment. Check out our reviews for comments on the community elements on a particular site, and what features are available to help you get to know users on the site a little better.
  
  
• FAQs and Technical Support: Although most users online have a relatively trouble-free experience, it is an essential part of online dating that in the event of any problems occuring, sites are properly equipped to support users. Look out for sites that offer technical support by email and phone, especially those that offer support 24/7. FAQs are also important to help you solve common issues.

"Powered By" & Network Sites

A common feature of a number of sites is that they are “powered” by another, larger site. This simply means that the site shares the features, structure and often, membership directory of the parent site. Many users find this a comforting element in choosing a site, having the security of a major site without feeling that your profile will never be found amongst the hundreds of thousands that can sometimes exist on larger sites. This practice is relatively common; so don’t be concerned when you look at a site that is “powered” by another. In fact, our highest rated site in this category is powered by the Cupid Media Network, one of the largest dating networks on the internet.

A note on Privacy and Safety Online

With the growth of online dating there is also understandable concern about the safety and privacy of those users who regularly use online dating sites. Whilst users should be careful online, through following simple advice and making use of the range of security and privacy features that are provided by all of the sites we review, it is possible to safely enjoy online dating.

Users should be careful not to give out personal details to anyone they meet online, until they are completely sure that the individual is genuine. Regardless of how long they have known another user for, users of online dating sites should never, under any circumstances, give out certain details online - such as banking details, passport details or other important identifying information.

Similarly, users should gravitate towards sites that offer the capacity to block certain users and filter the details that are provided for general viewing by all users on a particular site. Whilst most sites we review offer these basic features, it's worth checking out exactly what each site offers by way of privacy and safety features online. Check our reviews for those sites that offer particularly useful or unusual privacy tools.

Pricing and Free Trials

Online dating of all kinds can be particularly pricey in some instances, though if you are a savvy online shopper, you can find a great deal of affordable opportunity in the online dating world. Most sites offer free trials so that you can get to know exactly what each site offers and what your chances are of finding the perfect match online.

Prices and subscription options vary considerably from site to site and include a varying range of features and options. Whilst it is impossible to write here what to expect by way of prices on each site, you can check out our individual reviews to find details of individual prices on each site.

The Bottom Line

Online dating is often described as a numbers game, where users are more likely to find a successful match on larger sites with more active users. This is true with niche dating sites like Muslim dating too, though we also feel that users should take care to ensure they pick a site that contains a good complement of features that will make using the site exciting.

Check out our reviews for an indication, where possible, of the size of the site and the number of users, but also read our extensive editor’s reviews to get an idea of what every site is like. Most importantly, join the site and experience the free membership options to see whether it is the perfect site for you!