In principle, the answer is "Yes." However, as likely as not - assuming that we are talking about a devout Muslim from the Middle East, North Africa or some similar region - the cultural gap would be too great.
That may be more a function of where they are from - an American Muslim might be different - than their religion per se. However, as I would not share their faith it probably would not make for a strong or long lasting relationship - particularly as religion tends to get very much to a person's sense of their own identity and place in the world.
The only comparable experience that I have had is that I dated a Japanese woman for a while. She was a great gal and we got along. However, even in that generally favorable context, there were difficulties.
For example, Japanese culture tends to be more polite and discreet than American culture. So if I would ask my girlfriend if she wanted to go out to dinner, she would never say "no" outright. Rather, she would make some alternative suggestion. (Not as in, "How about instead we..." Rather, "I've always enjoyed baking.." Not quite that extreme, but you get the idea.)
To my girlfriend, she was conveying that she did not want go to dinner. To me, I was not getting a straight answer but was getting non sequiturs and, after a while, it was extremely irritating. Moreover, because I was not getting the message, she would then get frustrated.
For all that, we made it work till she decided that she needed to move back to Japan for career reasons. Still, if there was that much difficulty in communicating between two basically Western cultures, it is hard to imagine it being any easier - or working much better over the long run - between two cultures with so many differences as that between American and, say for example, Saudi cultures.
Would I be open to it? Sure. (At least if I did not already have a girlfriend whom I dearly love and three children with her.) However, the odds of dating anyone coming from that culture working out would, I would think and using my experience with a Japanese woman as a comparative baseline, so to speak,, not be great and I would not be optimistic.
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I dated a Muslim girl, and I can say that it was the most greatest experience in my entire life. Everyday was bright and full of love, although that was cut short by a thing called cancer. It was a great 2 year relationship, and I even promised that we'd somehow find a way around the religious gap. As much as I still want to be sad about it, she made me promise to stay the same even after she died. What was the most unfortunate was that we had to date in secret, and when she died, I couldn't attend her funeral. There are some things I can say about it, that you have to make way for change and acceptance when dating a Muslim. You have to accept their customs and not judge them, try to understand their point of view and perhaps add it to your life. Religion shouldn't change how you should look at people, the most important thing is that person's heart.
She was beautiful, kind, sweet, understanding, smart, funny, mature and responsible. So let me tell you this, no matter what religion, race, gender or appearance, follow your heart. Love has no boundaries and in this case, love had no religion.
I’m currently dating a Muslim man. I was baptized as a Christian as a child but now that I’m older I don’t really believe in organized religion. So far he’s been the best boyfriend I’ve ever had. But we do have some conflicts over our religious beliefs. For example, he was a virgin when we met and I wasn’t. He didn’t really like that. Also I haven’t completely given up eating pork. I try not to eat it around him and brush my teeth afterwards but sometimes I slip up. One time I was eating some gummy candies and he didn’t like that because I forgot that gelatin was pork. Sometimes he gets upset when I dress too revealingly. Typically I dress in sweatpants and hoodies but occasionally I dress up and put on cute dresses and he panics and asks me to cover up. I never listen though. Some of his older family members don’t like the fact that he’s dating me because I’m not Muslim and because I’ve had sex before him and we’ve had sex before marriage. I’m pretty sure they think I’m like some sort of temptress whore who’s trying to seduce him away from his faith. I try not to let their opinion bother me. We have a pretty happy relationship. He’s a really good guy and I know he loves me very much. He just takes his religion very seriously. He doesn’t drink or smoke. No tattoos. One time he accidentally ate a pepperoni pizza roll and then he cried. I’m pretty sure the most sinful thing he’s ever done was have premarital sex with me. He’s a very kind and sweet guy. Even though we argue about our beliefs sometimes at the end of the day I still respect the fact that he believes in his religion, and he tries to respect the fact that I don’t. Even when he gets upset about me wearing a short skirt or something like that he typically gets over it very quickly. So yeah I’d date a Muslim guy.
No, I learned the hard way. A Pakistani guy was hitting on me and yeah he was 10x more charming than American guys here. He put me on a pedestal, calling me princess and queen. Even when I was not really putting any effort at all. I was just being myself. I didn’t even flirt either, but he was still being charming. But in my mind I thought “this is too good to be true.” No guy would ever call me Queen or even say I love you after 2 weeks. So I was doing my research trying to find out Pakistan religion and culture. That I came across boards of American and different people married/dating Pakistani or people who were Muslim. Mostly were bad experiences. How Muslim people want other people to respect their culture and religion but don’t respect other religion. Once you marry a Muslim, you’ll be under their thumb changing your whole life and culture, religion for them. Now, I myself am a Christian. I want to raise my future children christian. So I was still giving this Pakistan guy a chance till I found out he was a liar and a cheater. Swooning other women. I confronted him and moved on. But during those times of being with him. He would get upset and tell me to not wear makeup, shorts, never say sorry and thank you.
Sure Muslim people are charming and smart. But they’re really strict with their backgrounds, religion, and lifestyle.
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I want someone who can be a full participant in my life, including my church activities.
I would if they are open minded and kind - I've met incredible muslims - not all are bad
As an atheist, I'd prefer to not date any believers. I'm kind of open to dating people who are technically believers but not religious or serious about it. Being muslim is usually way more involved from my experience with Muslim friends. They have a lot of rules on interactions between men and women and many of my Muslim friends aren't even allowed to date the way we usually date in mainstream Western cultures. Sex before marriage is a no no for many of them. It just seems like "Muslim, but not serious about it and rarely practice" isn't really a common thing for Muslims.
I also have attitude about stories I hear of Muslim men sleeping around and then insisting on the "pure" Muslim virgin. That makes me angry at the double standards and I would feel bad for the Muslim girls.
However, I've been in a neighborhood with a large Arab and Muslim community this past year and I have to say - there are a lot of fine ass Arab and Middle Eastern men. Tempting.
If I were a Christian like I used to be (or any kind of believer), I would date a more progressive Muslim. Some of my friends come from those families, where values are put in context, feminist values are celebrated, and the hijab and womens clothing is a choice. Both are abrahamic religions, Islam is interesting and so many people are ignorant about it. If my partner respected my faith and took an approach that was more "these are both pathways to god and its your choice" then that would be fine.I have dated some. Not all of them are bad. In fact, many are nicer than Christian men. My recent partner is a Christian and it took me a "decade" to find him. There are asshole Muslim men but from my experiences, Christian men can be one too. I have dated Arab men from these two religions and the Muslim one treated me better. I was almost married to him but I can't leave my religion so we had to split.
People need to stop stereotyping them as abusive, controlling and terrorists. You don't know them well and the western media is putting them in a bad light.
For me most definitely a NO.
I despise religion, and Islam is about the worst of them for a multitude of reasons. Muslims are usually the most dedicated to theirs. I despise most of their cultural conventions, as most of them are founded on their religion, and I wouldn't want them present anywhere in my life. Even the unlikely case of a girl being acclimated to western society and wouldn't give a shit about muslim culture, if her family and associates do, I'd most likely have a problem with those and vice versa, and I'd try to avoid that. Also, I've rarely found any muslim girl to be attractive to me, because most all of their corresponding ethnic groups commonly have distinct facial features that turn me off, e. g. a crooked or knobbly nose, bloated cheeks, cross-eye-look etz.I nearly did when i was younger, he was a very westernised Muslim and got more excited about Christmas and Easter then i ever did. He was very charming and handsome and i dont think he was a strict Muslim, he had a Muslim name but always preferred to be called Moe and not by his real name. He was probably more British than me looking back at how he acted.
But whenever we hung out and other Muslims or British people saw they were very quick to judge or warn us from each other. I think we could have made a good couple but im very happy with the man im with now.
If he was very strict and forced his religion on me, i would definitely not date them, especially if the family didn't approve.Interesting question and i did saw the comments they are different each one have their views which i do respect ✊, still as for some of the comments killing and all the bad things is prohibited in islam still you will need to research that to understand it , second yes there are some strict people who uses islam for their personal interests to justify what they do , third we respect women and hijab is mandatory but not by force by choice so a non hijab lady is also a good person because there is a lot of things that classify women as a good person beside the hijab , peace everybody and god bless you all , if you got a question feel free to ask and i will try to answer it 👌👌
No, because I think that might confuse our kids. Like, are we going to raise them as christians or muslims? Most definitely muslims as the father is muslim, right. And as I know nothing about the religion, I won’t be able to raise a kid as muslim and as I know that muslim people are religious, my man won’t be happy about that and we’ll eventually start having problems. Also that would mean I’ll need to convert as well and I just love Christmas too much. But you never know, never say never. If he’s an open person and he isn’t religious we can make it work if there’s love.
If the muslim woman I like is religious and practising, then it would automatically never work as I am not religious at all. If she is open-minded, does not require me to become muslim (I would never agree anyway), keeps her belief to herself but does not mind talking about it freely, does not wear a hijab/niqab/burka etc., and promises not to convert our future children without giving them the chance to decide what they want, then I do not see any problem being with her or having a family together.
To make things simpler: I do not want to date any religious person.To be fair, I could widen it out to any religion - It may depend how religious they are - If the end game is settling down and having children, where/how do we live, how do we raise the children?
As I say I feel the same about any religion or belief, I am open to any faith/belief as long as it doesn't impinge on me - What I mean is that to be with this girl if I feel I have to compromise or change I might be reluctant unless she is doing a lot of give and take on her part to take on some of my beliefs.
To answer your question yes but there would be some discussion.Because I value being thought of as a person and not a thing. Because I don't want to be forced to obey anyone, rather I would prefer to do things for my man because I love and respect him. Because their value system is archaic and oppressive. Because any man that hates the country I live in so much, shouldn't live here at all. Because any religion that endorses marriage or sex with a 9 year old has no place on this planet anymore. Because their hygiene is atrocious. Because when I go to the mall in shorts and a shirt and they follow me in to a store and grab my breasts because where they come from that's allowed, IS NOT OK. Because I should have the right to say NO. Because being beaten to death simply because he had a DREAM that I was cheating on him, then ate my brain and said it "tasted nice" should not even be a consideration, never mind legal.
Want me to go on? Because I have all night.Yes, on condition that any kids were allowed to make their own minds up what they believe, raised neutrally.
My fathers father was an atheist, and my fathers mother was an orthodox jew (obviously not that orthodox), and my neutrally raised my father and aunty turned out ok.
The way i see it, when you're partners with someone, other than working together for mutual benefit and the benefit of your family/kids, at the end of the day that aside you still need to have your own separate lives and beliefs.
The happiest most functional relationships are those with enough respect to tolerate each others differences as much as possible.
Anytime there's an irreconcilable difference, your options are to either break up, or one of you step down.
Myself, the only irreconcilable difference that i could not tolerant from marrying a Muslim woman is circumcising my son (s), or daughter (s) for that matter. If she couldn't step down on that, i couldn't be with her in good conscience.No I wouldn't. If we are talking about a devout, adhering Muslim woman it would never work. I like being able to go out to restaurants and have some drinks with my baby, or on vacation. Alcohol is prohibited in Islam. For the most part I don't eat pork, but everything else would be a cultural and lifestyle conflict. If I go to the beach, I want my sweetheart to get into the water with me, wearing a one piece or a bikini. For devout Muslims, women can not show that much skin even in a one piece. It's one thing for others to think, " Sure I would date a Muslim, I'm open minded." Have you really thought about spending a lifetime with this person? I don't care if my girl is Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, or an Atheist, as those lifestyles are much more compatible with my own. Islam just isn't for me or my future household.
No, for three connected reasons.
1. I cannot accept Islam.
2. I think it is always unwise to be in a relationship with someone who does not agree on world-view.
3. I know how serious it would be for her to leave her religion and would never ask her to do that for me.
As a result I do not see a scenario in which the relationship could really work and thus would not date her.Never. Being thrown acid at isn't something I would like to experience. Being beaten, treated like an object and being stoned to death also aren't on my "to do" list.
I actually would like a man who respects women and doesn't view them as inferior beings who ought to serve men. Things that happen in muslim countries are horrible.I voted no, but it's not a hard no. I met muslims in the past, that were very open about religion and that did not really practice it. I am a secular humanist and have big issues with dating religious people in general, if they base their decision making on beliefs, or if they don't accept facts as such when they contradict their beliefs. As my beliefs are not only not an important part of my regular life, but are explicitly not a part of it, I would not date anyone for whom this is different and thus have issues with a partner who practices their religion and whos day to day life is influenced by their religion. However, I am open to date people that believe in a religion, but that dont base their decision making on it. I have no issues with someone who holds on to their beliefs, to a certain degree. And I don't make a difference for any religion. It does not matter wether they are christian or jewish or hindu or muslim or anything.
I'm Muslim and wouldn't wanna be with a non-Muslim and would advise other Muslims to avoid dating non-Muslims as well. My religion doesn't allow it in the first place, with the exception of only Muslim men being able to marry Jewish and Christian women, but differences in faith never work in a relationship.
For people who are just Muslim by name and not practice, it's not a big deal at all.Based on the thinking of many muslims... like what @CubsterShura said
"wouldn't wanna be with a non-Muslim and would advise other Muslims to avoid dating non-Muslims as well"
I think that type of negativity is very destructive to our society as a whole... I Would but id avoid such negative ideologies from Muslim women... they are many open minded ones though yesProbably not, cause I think Jesus is the son God, He's the messiah, the one that's gonna come and they just like... He's a prophet that's and it and I'm just like...
tenor.com/.../naw-mikeepps-nah-hell-hellnaw-gif-5613336I am pretty religious myself and I don't want to change my religion if we get married. But I have a lot of friends that are Muslims, but I guess if the guy will respect my culture and religion and If I like him very much I might consider to change my opinion. Who knows love is pretty unpredictable
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