This study is interesting because it represents the behavioral cultural trends of other cultures and religious denominations.
Faithful to the principle: knowing to better understand and understanding to better decide, we offer it to our readers.
Community dating sites, and more specifically dating sites for Muslims, are experiencing growing success in France and abroad. In order to better understand the reasons for the enthusiasm for these specialized sites, Ifop has conducted the first large survey on the subject with a representative sample of 500 Muslims. Conducted on behalf of Inchallah.com, a marital dating site for Muslims, this study confirms their attachment to marriage with a member of their community while challenging some preconceived notions about their relationship to traditions (such as arranged marriages) or to new modes of meeting like community internet sites.
The key figures
84% of Muslims oppose the legalization of polygamy in France
83% of Muslims reject the idea of letting parents choose their children’s spouse
73% of Muslims reject the idea of having sexual relations before marriage
53% of Muslims are not willing to marry someone from another religion
66% of Muslims surveyed say they are interested in a dating site for people of the Muslim faith
Main findings of the survey
While the attraction of Muslims for generalist dating sites is limited (19%), their interest in community dating sites is very high: two-thirds of them (66%) say they are interested in a dating site for people of the Muslim faith. Indeed, dating sites on the internet appear more appropriate to them (39%) than bars or nightclubs (20%) to form a relationship with someone of their religion.
According to the survey results, this attraction of Muslims for this type of site is due to the fact that they meet their specific matrimonial needs. Indeed, Muslims attach much more importance than the rest of the French to marrying someone of their faith: 53% of them reject the idea of marrying someone from another religion, a figure twice as high as among the entire French population (29%).
Similarly, Muslims differ from the rest of the population by a value system that limits sexuality to the confines of marriage: nearly three-quarters of them reject any sexual relations before marriage (73%). More broadly, Muslims express a very strong attachment to marriage: two-thirds of young Muslims (66%) place a very high importance on it, which is three times the proportion found among the entire French population (23%).
The refusal of sexual relations before marriage does not, however, prevent the decline of traditions inherited from countries of origin. Contrary to some preconceived notions, arranged marriages are widely rejected by Muslims living in France (83%), both by men (75%) and women (92%). Similarly, the legalization of polygamy in France arouses massive hostility among Muslims (84%), whether they are practicing (82%) or non-practicing (90%).
Ifop’s analysis
In the realm of manners and sexual morals, Muslims living in France oscillate between tradition and modernity. In a country where the principle of free choice of lifestyle prevails, they have largely freed themselves from the religious or cultural precepts that legitimized polygamy or arranged marriages. However, their value system remains imbued with a rigorous morality that confines sexuality solely to the framework of marriage while imposing religious criteria in the choice of a spouse.
The aspiration for an intra-faith union, like the refusal of cohabitation before marriage, appears to be out of step in a French society where the formation of a couple is no longer perceived as a religious sacrament. This results in specific behaviors in the matrimonial market that pose problems, particularly for women who have more difficulty finding a partner. Faced with traditional modes of meeting that are deemed outdated or inappropriate, community dating sites appear suitable to them, especially as they allow them to broaden their choice of potential partners, while guaranteeing them complete anonymity.
Despite the digital divide affecting some Muslims living in France, this type of dating site thus provides an appropriate response to the specific needs of their community.
