The App Modernizing Online Matchmaking for Muslims

The Short Version: Veil is the marriage-minded Muslim dating app you’ve been looking for. Designed for modern single Muslims in the Middle East and beyond, Veil makes personality-based matches with the goal of marriage that make online dating safe and fun.

You have so much to think about when it comes to finding a dating app. Besides features and functions, you also have to pay attention to the community, reputation, and vibe of other users. You have to make sure you’re going to be surrounded by the kind of users you’re interested in dating.

With so many niche dating apps available, selecting an app within that niche usually isn’t enough anymore– you have to do your research. This is especially true for the apps geared toward religion-minded dating. 

Some apps cater to people seeking more progressive dating while others keep it traditional. Some are designed very similarly to mainstream dating apps, while others are distinct from their non-religious counterparts. While all of this could sound daunting, the good news is you have a lot of options.

And with a lot of options, you can find an app that is a perfect fit for your needs.

We talked to Olid Uddin, the co-founder of the Muslim dating app Veil. Often dubbed the “Muslim Bumble,” Veil is a halal and modern dating app connecting singles for marriage. 

Veil does personality-based matchmaking that focuses on who you are and what you’re looking for in a partner, while also considering the important faith-based factors. 

Olid talked to us about the inspiration behind the Dubai-based app, how they’re tackling the taboo around online dating in the Middle East, and why Veil is an ideal option for Muslims serious about finding a life partner.

“We wanted to modernize the way single Muslims meet,” Olid told us. “My co-founder and I came up with the idea in 2016 after discussing how we used these apps, and noticed that many of the online options for Muslims are outdated. We wanted to bring something new.”

Veil is based in Dubai, and while many Muslims living in the United States have quickly taken to Muslim dating apps, Olid told us this isn’t so much the case in the Middle East. This was a unique challenge they faced when first developing the app.

Most couples meet through traditional means, whether through introductions by family or friends. Others meet in school, but many single Muslims desire another option. 

“In certain parts of the world, it’s not really common to use these apps,” Olid said. “Even as we were approaching investors in the Middle East, we often got rejected because they didn’t feel this sort of app would take off.”

But Olid saw the success of Muslim dating apps in other places around the world and knew the concept would work. While online dating might have been taboo in some areas 10 years ago, the approach is becoming more commonplace and widely accepted among younger generations. 

“People may still find it a bit of a taboo to discuss finding your partner on an app, but I think times are changing and people are becoming more comfortable,” Olid said. 

Olid and his co-founder were inspired by the success of apps like Tinder and Bumble but wanted to hone the features to make them more useful for single Muslims. This meant tweaking the profile browsing features and increasing profile privacy measures. It also means Veil is all about finding a partner for marriage.

“Our concept is a Muslim matchmaking app,” Olid told us. “We’re breaking some norms, but we’ve already found that our app is working for our users.” Veil has users across the globe, from the United States to Bangladesh, and Olid said he hopes the app only keeps growing.

Olid walked us through a few of the features that set Veil apart from the other dating apps. First, Veil’s style and features were designed around female users. The app puts Muslim women in a position to make final decisions on who they interact with on the app, similar to how Bumble works.

“Women get to make the core decisions,” Olid said. “For example, you can’t just send a woman a message. She has to accept the message first and women get to respond first. And women get access to our premium features for free.”

Veil also allows female users to blur their profile pictures using a digital ‘veil.’ This helps protect privacy and modesty, and gives women further control of their profiles and what’s accessible to other users. 

Veil is free to join, match, and chat for all members, and all users are held to a high standard for respect and safety. Part of Veil’s mission is to build a strong and supportive community of single Muslims who want to get married, so disrespect is not tolerated.

Once you join Veil, you can upload your photos and include info about your sect, job, educational background, and location. You get to customize your profile and share anything you want about yourself.

Make sure you show off your personality and share the important information on your profile.

Veil’s algorithm matches you based on the information you put about yourself in your profile. You can set your search proximity, but Veil can also connect you with singles who live across the world.

So if you’re looking to broaden your horizons and open your options to potential partners who live in other places, Veil is a great place to make that happen.

When you sign up for Veil, you’ll be brought through a selfie verification process. Olid told us they added the verification system to ensure every person was a real person and were who they were saying they were. 

“The most fundamental aspect of any dating app is making sure everyone on the app is legit,” Olid said. “We also make sure we have a community manager to review the profiles and ensure our app meets compliance according to Islamic standards.”

Users can also add a legal guardian, or wali, to their profile, who can monitor their message transcripts to ensure chats are appropriate and ensure everyone feels safe with the online dating process.

While Veil has an abundance of safety features, we can’t let that overshadow its matchmaking system. Olid encouraged all users to fill out their profiles as much as possible. 

One section allows users to add their interests and activities, and once they’re put into the community pool, the app will make matches based on these interests, activities, and values.

“We use an algorithm to do this, and the way we match you is based on shared personality traits compiled from your profile information,” Olid said. “There are hundreds of personality traits we’ve included within the profile creation, so you can get very specific and add what you like.”

Single Muslims have plenty of choices for where to meet their life partners. Olid said you should look for dating environments that are tailored to your needs, wants, and background. You want to join an app where finding a great partner isn’t going to be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

“I encouraged them to simply use an app like Veil because we’re more bespoke,” Olid said. “Rather than joining an app that’s got millions of users where your profile is going to get lost in the crowd, think of Veil as boutique. We value quality over quantity.”