Some Muslim Teens Practice Dating in Secret Relationships

By: Tatyana Bellamy-Walker | March 24, 2016

Credit: Sara on Flickr, under Creative Commons

NYC (WOMENSENEWS)– Before posting images of her boyfriend, 17-year-old Sania Iqbal blocked all her Muslim members of the family from her social networking page. It wasn’t until a younger relative took a screen shot that captured the pictures that she discovered she wasn’t as covert as she thought she was. Her relative revealed the photos to Iqbal’s aunt, who later informed her mother.

“She ended up being angry,” Iqbal, now 18, said in a phone interview. Her mom asked, “Why can you upload images up of both you and him, specially kissing and comprehending that the grouped family members will see away and determine?”

Iqbal ended up being ashamed her 3-month old relationship a secret that she kept. Her mom was more worried that the pictures failed to mirror well from the family. The truth that Iqbal was in fact sneaking around seemed to come 2nd.

The situation that is whole Iqbal, an Arab-Muslim who lives in Copiague, N.Y., a bittersweet view of relationships. “I experienced to complete every thing behind my moms and dads’ back [and] i did son’t like that,” she said.

Whether in reaction to an Islamic tradition that prohibits dating or even the aspire to remain in their peers, some Muslim teens are experiencing relationships in secret. While this provides training at being using the sex that is opposite it may also fray household and relationship bonds.

Although dating is off-limits of these spiritual Muslim teens, they have been allowed supervised visits with a spouse that is potential who they really are motivated to fulfill through their network of household or buddies.

“I learned to not ever trust anybody for the reason that it is exactly how rumors are started,” Iqbal said. “People we thought had been near to me personally made things plus it got around. It caused more drama. We understood that not everyone could be nice and I also had to accept that which was occurring.”

Iqbal considers herself that is“more aware her current relationship, which her moms and dads realize about. “I don’t have any friends that are close” she said. “I’m more about me personally, my boyfriend and my loved ones. I am aware I can trust him significantly more than anyone.”

‘They Don’t Allow It Get Too Much’

Other teenagers struggle to advise buddies tangled up in this way that is same faith and love.

Senior high school junior, Adnan Shoukfeh, 16, associated with Overseas Academy in Oakland County, Mich., stated several of their male buddies come in casual relationships that are romantic.

“It’s maybe not that bad it get too far,” Shoukfeh said in a phone interview from his home in West Bloomfield if they don’t let.

Shoukfeh stated his buddies talk to their girlfriends outside of college by texting and speaking from the phone. Nevertheless they don’t bring their partners house to communicate due to their parents.

“They get together during college [because] it is a whole lot easier,” Shoukfeh said. “You have the ability to see them each day. It might be pretty difficult if it had been some body outside of school.”

The men fear judgment by their peers so that they don’t share facts about just how physical the relationships have.

Nonetheless, since college hours would be the only environment for the relationships, Shoukfeh doubts their buddies are doing much experimentation that is sexual.

Shoukfeh’s buddies aren’t robots, nonetheless, and so they periodically leak details to him about their relationships. “All secrets are difficult to help keep,” he stated.

Shoukfeh stated his buddies find it difficult to get together again their beliefs that are religious their actions. They admire American tradition and cannot escape the societal stress to date early.

But, they truly are completely alert to the potential risks of having discovered. Punishment, he said, can vary from spending compulsory time in the mosque to getting change to a school that is different.

Grappling with identification

Ibrahim Mossallam, director associated with the Muslim American Youth Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., states teens whom date secretly are grappling due to their identification as Muslims.

“They are likely to wish to hide their faith given that it’s simple to be a target as a Muslim,” Mossallam said. By dating, he stated, these teenagers can merge along with their peers.

But that’s perhaps not exactly how Sara, Shoukfeh’s classmate, views it. She asked that her final name never be utilized to guard the identities of her household buddies.

The 17-year-old says her Muslim buddies who date are only being teenagers. They’ve been young plus in love, she said, rather than worrying all about mixing in to conceal their Muslim identity. “They’re walking together, chatting. We don’t feel just like their guard is up . . . it’s really normal.”

The sneaking around and lying expected to keep a relationship that is secret never ever attractive to Mehreen Zahid whenever she was at high school in Copiague so she refrained from dating.

Now, a college freshman at Hofstra University, she periodically has emotions on her male friends but represses them like she has the tools to handle a relationship because she doesn’t feel. This woman is additionally apprehensive about male-female relationships because she’s seen way too many of her buddies’ parents force a break-up.

“Growing up that way, you figure out how to keep your personal life a secret that is complete” she said.

This tale is a component of Teen Voices at Women’s eNews. In 2013 Females’s eNews retained the magazine that is 25-year-old Voices to keep and additional its mission to boost the planet for feminine teenagers through news. Teen Voices at ladies’ eNews provides online tales and commentary about problems directly impacting feminine teenagers across the world, serving as an outlet for ladies to talk about their experiences and views. Discover More.

About Tatyana Bellamy-Walker

Tatyana Bellamy-Walker is a learning student journalist whoever work has starred in the brand new York everyday Information, ny Amsterdam Information and Teen youngsters News.

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