Jun 11
Im a teenager who's confused about dating
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, Sheikh.I truly need your help, and I want to get straight to the point.I am 16 years old, and I fell in love with a boy who is 18. ( im American he's british we met in real life twice ) He was actually the one who confessed his feelings first. We are currently in a long-distance relationship and have been dating like many other teenagers. However, I recently heard that dating is haram in Islam, and it has left us feeling very confused and worried.The truth is that we both genuinely want to marry each other. We dream of having a future together and building a halal life, inshaAllah. We are not taking this relationship lightly, and neither of us wants something temporary or casual.He told me that he would need about two years before he is ready for engagement, and I have no problem waiting until I am 18 to get engaged. In fact, I feel that getting engaged would help us protect ourselves and give us reassurance that we are committed to each other. After that, we would be willing to wait another two and a half years until we are mature enough and financially able to get married. I truly do not mind waiting, because I want him, and he says he feels the same way about me.What confuses us is what we should do in the meantime. Is it permissible for us to continue talking if our intention is marriage? If it is, how should we communicate? What boundaries should we set? What is appropriate and what is not? Are we allowed to call, text, and check in on each other, or should we stop talking completely until engagement?We sincerely want to do what is right in the sight of Allah. We are not trying to justify something haram; we are genuinely seeking guidance because we care about each other and hope to marry one another in the future.Please advise us according to Islam and help us understand the best way to handle this situation.JazakAllahu khayran, and may Allah reward you for your time and guidance
Pending