Challanges Faced by Newly Reverted Muslim Women in Seeking Marriage

Abstract

This study focuses on the challenges faced by newly reverted Muslim women when seeking marriage within Muslim communities. Islam encourages marriage as a means of protection, companionship, and stability, yet many reverted women struggle to access this institution due to the absence of Muslim family support, limited community connections, and lack of guidance. Unlike women born into Muslim families, reverted women often do not have elders, relatives, or trusted intermediaries to assist with spouse selection, verification, and compatibility assessment. This research uses a mixed-methods approach, including survey responses and interviews with reverted Muslim women and members of the Muslim community, to understand these experiences in depth. The findings highlight issues such as social isolation, vulnerability to unsuitable proposals, emotional stress, and the limited role of mosques in providing structured marriage-related support. By examining these challenges through Islamic teachings on marriage, guardianship, and community responsibility, the study identifies a gap between Islamic principles and current community practices. The research proposes practical and faith-based solutions, including stronger mosque involvement, premarital counselling, and community-based support systems, with the aim of creating a safer, more supportive marriage process for reverted Muslim women.