Love is a feeling. Deliberate and slow to mature. It grows from a seed planted long before the drawing of our first breaths, and reminds us what it means to be alive. The rhythm of a heartbeat composed long before we were born, and designed to continue to echo long after we’re gone from this world, and guide us into the next.

It will be a feeling at first. A strange, unfamiliar instinct, paradoxically rooted in a comfort that defies experience. It will sit with you, in the deepest parts of your soul, waiting for your body and mind to realise what you have always known.

And in a single unexpected moment, perhaps even before the seed has fully bloomed, you’ll realise that you’ve finally found them.

From the beginning she had a single dream in mind; to get married to the one written for her, wherever he may be.

She’d only had the app for a month when he appeared for the first time. A bearded man in a photo surrounded by family, emanating a warm light that reflected in the smiles of all those around him. The children in the photo each finding a way to be close to him, hugging his arms and pulling at his hands, as if drawn to the safety of his presence.

“From that very first moment, I felt something in my heart and thought, this is a man I want to build a family with.”

She sent a like and a simple message:

“Hello, nice to meet you.”

Polite, with a gentle implication that this was just the beginning.

And begin it did. They started talking, outlining their goals and dreams, sharing their hopes with one another. He was always respectful, with every gesture rooted in faith, and every word uttered helping her to fall just a little more. The conversation flowed naturally, but above all, she felt safe with him. His intentions were clear, and the calm confidence in the way he spoke reflected a deep sense of familiarity with himself and what he was looking for.

After just a week of talking, she knew he was the man she was supposed to marry.

“There was no confusion, no fear, just clarity and peace.”

His mother was the first to know, and welcomed her with open arms. Both families were supportive of the union and respected their desire to progress quickly, knowing that their intentions were halal.

Placing their trust in Allah, they agreed on everything and started planning the Nikah. Through stress, tears and late nights planning, no matter how nervous or tired they were, he was always there to keep her calm.

So when the time finally came to meet in person, she couldn’t contain her joy at the sight of him finally walking out of the airport gate.

“he was more than I had ever asked for.”

The man who made her believe in love, the one whose light touched her from a thousand miles away, was finally here. And after a journey that felt like it lasted a lifetime, the two souls written for each other could finally be one.

So to anyone on Muzz who feels tired or discouraged; Don’t lose hope.

“Be honest, be clear with your intentions, and trust Allah’s timing. Sometimes, the right person comes when you least expect it and changes your life completely.”