13th February: The First Time We Met and Said Yes to an Arranged Muslim Marriage

At 29, after being ditched, rejected, and emotionally drained, I had almost given up on love. I was tired of believing in promises that never stayed. All I ever wanted was a man who valued loyalty the way I did. But somewhere between heartbreak and hope, I stopped expecting good men to exist.
Still, in a society where marriage often defines a woman’s worth, especially in traditional settings, I kept looking. Not just for myself, but for my parents. In many homes, silence only comes after a daughter is married. So I continued my search through Hyderabad matrimony profiles, even when my heart was not fully in it.
One day, I came across a profile that looked too perfect. He was well educated, settled in the UK, confident, and honestly, overqualified in my eyes. I felt he was too good to be true. It should have been a left swipe. I was sure he would reject me. So I chose to focus on another alliance instead.
But that second proposal did not work out.
My father, calm but firm, asked me to reconsider the first one. I reluctantly agreed. Soon, his family came home. Everything felt smooth. Our families spoke, smiled, and connected easily. In many Muslim households, if parents agree, the marriage moves forward. Under traditional Muslim marriage rules, boys and girls often do not meet alone before saying yes. But my father believed in following the right Muslim rules of marriage. He respected my voice.
So he arranged a meeting.
It was 13th February. He walked in wearing a white Jordano shirt, stylish and confident. I had always liked bearded men, but he was clean shaven. I was instantly annoyed. I thought, “He is so Londony.” I judged him in seconds.
Then he asked me gently, “Are you okay with this marriage?”
I replied bluntly, “If I was not okay, would I be sitting here?”
He smiled at my arrogance. That smile said he had already made up his mind. Later I learned he felt his search had ended that day. I remember looking at my father’s face. There was relief, certainty, and pride. He was confident this man was right for me. Seeing that confidence, something in me softened.
We said yes.
Instead of distributing sweets like most families do, we started our journey with dates. It was simple, sweet, and different, just like us. Ours was one of the first meetings in my clan where the girl and boy actually spoke before agreeing. Within a week, we were engaged. Four months later, we were married.
Today, it has been four years.
Four years of friendship, growth, arguments, laughter, and loyalty. The man I thought would reject me chose me every single day. The clean shaven “Londony” man now feels like home. Love did not come with butterflies. It came with respect. It came arranged, but it stayed by choice.
Sometimes, the profile you almost left swipe becomes the partner you were always meant to find.