Salaam!

I’m looking for someone who takes an interest in the well-being of others and is a good conversation partner. He also needs to be highly ambitious, while being supportive of my career as well. To me, this means that things like childcare, finances/ domestic tasks, or moving for a job will be discussed, planned out, and executed as a team. I wish to live my life with meaning and hope to meet someone who is optimistic, but also humble, and thinks seriously about how to enrich our lives and improve those of people who are less fortunate. If you are also well-read, speak multiple languages, and are self-aware, then all the better.

I am a moderate Muslim, who lives my life in accordance with standard Islamic values. It gives me a lot of joy to spend time with my family and close friends from college, who I see whenever possible despite no longer living at home. I am the middle child in my family and only daughter; I have two brothers close to me in age, and was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. 

I prefer to connect with people in small groups, as opposed to large gatherings, but I am extroverted in the right context and always open to new experiences and learning from those I meet. Growing up in the Midwest I spent more time inside than outdoors (it's so cold half the year!), but I do make my health a priority. That means eating right by cooking my own meals and trying to minimize stress. I also enjoy pickup volleyball and play piano. I'm generally laid-back in my personal life, and would like to connect with someone who isn't stressed out by minor hurdles and can face challenges head-on, while staying composed. 

I am a voracious reader. Right now, I mostly consume political and culture-based content online, but I also love a good novel and have started reading more strategy and business-based texts due to my work. I am also a writer and am eagerly looking forward to participated in writers workshop this summer. I have an eye for design and like my space to be a visual representation of my interests. As mentioned above, I'm also pretty skilled as a cook (though I don't hold a candle to my Mom), and it makes me happy knowing I can fend for myself and keep others from resorting to take out as well. That said, I am a foodie and find eating new, delicious food to be very pleasurable. Other interests include investing/ the stock market, geopolitics, and exploring new places on foot. I've seen parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Canada/ Mexico, but it's a goal to explore Western Europe and Japan in the next couple of years. I visited Istanbul and Cappadocia this summer and look forward to going back soon!

I work as a corporate professional in a Fortune 500 company, in the Midwest, a position I started after finishing graduate school in May 2018. My job involves rotating team assignments every 6 months, over the span of 2 years. I am currently working as chief of staff to one our Directors and also as a project manager. In the next year, I plan to join new teams to explore different areas of business, such as venture capital and corporate strategy. Ultimately, I'm still deciding on what my long-term path will be and whether this will involve an MBA, law school, or something else. 
I take my work seriously and inshallah see myself rising into higher leadership positions as I progress in my career. 

Somethings I'm trying to do more are volunteer my time, take more risks (being part of this service is a good step!), and spend a greater amount of my free time writing. 

I am an ambitious person and responsible with money, though I will spend where it makes things easier or brings color to my life. I love my parents and siblings more than anything and look forward to successfully integrating families with the right person. I live my life in a very halal way, while also being highly tolerant, and believe everyone should be free to make their own choices in how they dress, worship, etc. without judgement. 

When I think about where I imagine my life in 5-10 years, it is an image that includes being in a happy marriage, raising some cool kids, and devoting myself to my family, community, and my work. I am, and have always been, a happy person with high self-esteem and tremendous respect for strangers and loved ones alike. I believe that empathy and compassion are demonstrated not only in how you treat someone, but even in how you think about them, and always try to assume best intent when faced with a conflict. I don't raise my voice to yell often, hardly swear, and don't get personal when I'm angry or upset. These are all qualities that are highly important to me in a partner as well. I want to approach both great joys and terrible challenges as a team.