وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٢١ And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.

Some people meet their soulmate in college, at work, or through mutual friends. Me? I met mine on Salaams. And here’s a fun fact: she swiped first. She messaged first. But... it worked out because I fell first. At the time, I was in Michigan, and she was in California. Our first phone call? Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a rom-com moment. But Amira, being the kind person she is, gave me another chance. And good thing she did, because next thing you know, sparks were flying, and we couldn’t stop laughing. When the chemistry is real, the jokes just hit different. Weeks of FaceTiming, long texts, and deep conversations later, we decided to take a leap of faith. I booked a flight and flew out to California. The trip lasted less than 48 hours, but that was all it took. Our connection was instant, effortless, and real. By the time I left, I was in awe of the person I had just met. This girl really was something else. She’s fun(ny), down-to-earth, compassionate, and the kind of person who makes life’s simplest moments feel special. She challenges me, supports me, and somehow, she still finds my jokes funny — most of the time. In the fall of 2024, we got engaged, and without a doubt, it was the best decision we could have ever made. Now, as we count down the months until we officially become husband and wife, we feel so incredibly blessed to have found each other. To our friends and family — thank you for being a part of our journey. Your love and support mean everything to us, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you when the big day arrives. And to my beautiful fiancée, Amira — you swiped first, but I’m the luckiest man in the world because of it. I love you.