Ever Heard of Halal Speed Dating?

Yeah, you read that right, halal dating. Now don't dismiss this as a fascist, movement to stifle liberty, far from it. The organisers' intentions are to "challenge the modern dating fairy tale" and to "change the way people fall in love". Reading the FAQ on their website halalspeeddating.com, the organisers are trying to encourage proper gentlemen to skip the dating process and approach a lady's parents with the intent to marry. But you know, it's casual, whatever. No pressure or anything.

How does it even work?

You sign up, and pay only when sufficient participants have joined. Selected participants who are female must come with a chaperone who is a family member. A chaperone can be your Wali, or Mahram. No names or numbers are exchanged, there's no staring, no talking with the opposite gender except under supervision by your chaperone. If you fancy a woman, approach the guardian with the intent to nikah and then your real names and numbers will be revealed by the service.

A lot like actual speed dating, if it were called speed marrying. Image: Facebook @ halalspeeddating

What?

Dating before marriage has its upsides of course, for example, what if your partner squeezes a tube of tooth paste willy-nilly like a psychopath and you always, always squeeze from the bottom? That's a deal breaker! Halal Speed Dating isn't too fussed about that. The FAQ outlines that "...the traditional way of dating is faster and more efficient by including the guardians and family members in the process. More importantly, it avoids fitnah, heartbreak, premarital pregnancy, premarital sex, abandoned babies and all 50 Shades of Haram." That escalated very quickly.

Speed dating in progress. Image: Facebook @ halalspeeddating

What makes it halal?

Halal in this context means 'permissible'. So only things that are permissible are allowed to go on there. This means no booze, no flirting, no touching, no gedik-gedik as they say. The initiative was started by a group of social activist and friends that were similarly married in a syariah compliant manner. No dating, just straight to the father for permission, and boom – marriage city.

A father introducing himself to his future son in law. Image: Facebook @ halalspeeddating

Is it for me?

Registrations are already closed for the "World's First and Biggest Halal Matchmaking" event that will be running tomorrow from 10am - 5pm, but if you're interested, you can head to halalspeeddating.com now to register. We wish the 72 men and 72 women who will be attending tomorrow at multi-purpose hall, Telekom Malaysia Convention Centre the best of luck. If all 144 get married you can bet we're going to cover it again.