Ever catch yourself thinking “I just need to find the perfect person and everything will click”? Yeah… we went there. In this episode, we sit down with coach and podcaster Monica Tanner and pull apart some of the most stubborn relationship myths floating around in our heads, especially the ones that sound romantic but quietly mess with our expectations.

We talk about what actually makes relationships work when real life kicks in. Not fantasy compatibility, not never arguing, but how two imperfect people handle differences. The conversation gets into boundaries, conflict, and the uncomfortable but freeing truth that marriage is not a magic fix.

If you have ever wondered whether you're making the search harder than it needs to be, this one will hit close to home. Expect a very real, very human conversation that might slightly ruin the idea of perfection for you, in the best way.

Tune in to Monica's podcast Secrets of Happily Ever After.

Find Monica's book Bad Marriage Advice on the book's website here or on Amazon.

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

This episode is one of those conversations we hesitated to have… and then realized we had to. We talk honestly about the mediocrity we’ve run into while trying to do serious work in the Muslim community. Not just with people in general, but with scholars and community leaders too. Big names. People we respected and whose lectures we’ve shared. We reached out in good faith, tried to collaborate, and were met with silence, ghosting, or half-hearted follow-through. It raises uncomfortable questions. Who actually gets access to scholars? Why does it feel like there’s an inner circle, and if you’re not connected, you don’t exist? If we teach adab, amanah, and ihsan, where do those values go behind the scenes?

We also zoom out. This isn’t just a scholar problem. We’ve seen the same patterns with Islamic organizations, Muslim professionals, and even clients. Promises made casually. Accountability treated as optional.

This episode isn’t about canceling anyone. It’s about standards. About showing up. About why our community especially singles deserves better than mediocrity dressed up as good intentions.

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

Weddings don’t fall apart over flowers, seating charts, or playlists. They fall apart over values that were never named. In this episode, we talk about why wedding conversations get so emotionally charged and what they actually reveal about us long before a nikah is even on the table.

We get real about how weddings become a mirror for deeper stuff: validation, control, people-pleasing, money trauma, and the need to finally feel “chosen.” This isn’t about who’s shallow or stingy. It’s about how unresolved expectations quietly shape the way we love, argue, and attach meaning to milestones.

Whether you’re single, talking, engaged, or just watching from the sidelines, this conversation helps you notice what needs work before it shows up as a wedding fight. 

Click here to download this episode's fun guide and share it with anyone getting married soon. 

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

Were our parents actually happier in marriage or were they just better at enduring? And more importantly… what are we supposed to do with that information?

In this episode, we push back on nostalgia, challenge modern assumptions, and wrestle with what really worked for previous generations and what quietly broke people. This isn’t a history lesson, it’s about pulling out practical takeaways for single Muslims today: what to keep, what to unlearn, and what not to repeat just because it’s familiar.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between “our parents stayed no matter what” and “our generation gives up too fast,” this conversation gives you tools to think differently about marriage, expectations, and long-term commitment.

As usual, we put together a PDF sheet to go with this episode. It’s practical, a little different, and meant to help you walk away with real clarity about expectations. Click here to download.

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

Got that quiet fear of “what if they change after marriage?” You’re not paranoid, and you’re definitely not alone. In this episode, we talk honestly about why some people seem to “flip” after marriage, and how that moment usually isn’t sudden at all… we just didn’t know what to look for.

We unpack the pressure to perform during courtship, the ways faith language can be misused to avoid accountability, and how character shows up long before a ring does. You’ll hear stories, patterns, and hard-earned lessons from years of community work, all shared without fear-mongering or cynicism.

Click here to download this episode's checklist to spot the subtle signs of a potential "flipper". 

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

He has big ideas. Side hustles. Business dreams. And you’re sitting there thinking: Is this vision… or a red flag?

Today we get real about marrying someone with entrepreneurial goals, especially in today’s economy. We talk stability vs potential, faith vs fantasy, and why “just trust me” isn’t a plan. I (Hiba) share a story about how my ex's 'aspirations' cost me all my savings one day!

We unpack the questions that reveal whether a dream is grounded or risky, how support can turn into resentment, and what real partnership actually looks like when money isn’t guaranteed yet.

If you're considering someone with business aspirations or you yourself is one, click here to download this episode's practical checklist. 

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

Moving for marriage can feel like stepping off a cliff with a parachute you packed in the dark. In this episode, we talk honestly about what that leap actually takes, beyond romance and optimism. Hiba shares her journey from Palestine to Canada and what she’d do differently now, while we unpack the questions single Muslims need to ask before relocating.

We get real about red indicators like spiritualized pressure and vague promises, and green ones like clear plans, financial transparency, and real community support. We also talk careers, power dynamics, and the emotional cost of starting over. Faith matters, but so does tying your camel. If relocation is on your radar, this conversation might change how you think about it.

Click here to download the free Relocation Decision Checklist.

Check out our interview with The Digital Sisterhood podcast here.

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

What if the biggest risk to your marriage isn’t who you marry, but the family you marry into? Some singles over-optimize for it, rejecting solid matches because a mom feels “too involved” or a family looks unfamiliar. Others ignore it completely, assuming love will magically fix the in-laws later. In this episode, we tackle both extremes and how to find the sweet spot in between.

Drawing from years of matchmaking and our own interracial marriage, we unpack real in-law dynamics across Muslim families: when guidance turns into control, when privacy is mistaken for secrecy, and how cultural love languages get misread. We break down clear red, yellow, and green flags and show you how to tell the difference between values that matter and styles that don’t. If you want a marriage that can thrive, not just survive, this one’s for you.

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

Real talk: what if you’re single not because your standards are high, but because you’re filtering out every man under a certain number? In this episode, we unpack why height has become the unofficial dealbreaker for so many single women and how that one filter quietly shrinks your options and sometimes blocks amazing men.

We get into the psychology, the social pressure, the curated expectations, and the difference between real attraction and conditioned attraction. We share stories from our matchmaking work, including the good men women skipped before even learning who they were.

If you’re choosing a spouse, not a photoshoot partner, the checklist has to evolve. Tap play and challenge the height rules you didn’t even know you were following. 

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!

What if the real glow-up before marriage isn’t skincare… it’s your bank account? Most of us grew up hearing “just save” with zero clue how money actually grows, moves, and works for you. In this episode, financial educator and consultant Areeb Khawaja spills the secrets no one in our communities explains, the quiet moves that build wealth before the marriage talks even begin. 

Think: the accounts nobody told you about, the small habits that snowball into freedom, the creative ways to minimise your taxes, and the halal pathways that grow your money without guilt. It’s not a lecture, it’s the money talk you wish someone gave you at 20. If you’re a single Muslim who wants clarity, confidence, and a financial head start, this one’s your blueprint.

Connect with Areeb for FREE financial literacy sessions through his email: [email protected] 

If something we said made you think, laugh, or feel seen, leave us a rating and review! It helps more people find the show. And hey, if you know someone who needs to hear this episode, send it their way. Sharing is caring!