My longing for closeness grows each day, how can I cope with this loneliness?
As-salamu alaykum brothers and sisters. I’m a brother living in a non-Muslim country, currently in college. I try to stay on my deen, I hit the gym, do some drawing, play video games-basically keep myself busy and in good shape. But lately, the desire for intimacy and to find a wife has been hitting me really hard. Some sisters have shown interest before, but I turned them down because they weren’t Muslim, and I know if I got comfortable and dated them, it would lead to zina. My parents are pretty firm: they want me to finish my master’s, land a job, and only then get married, which probably means waiting until my 30s, and they’ve made that super clear. I try so hard to lower my gaze, but campus is full of couples everywhere, and some of my buddies genuinely can’t believe I’ve never been with a girl. Just yesterday, the last single guy in our group got together with his girl, and now I’m feeling completely alone-it’s really getting me down. Even a few Muslim friends are now in relationships. I’ve pushed myself deeper into my studies, prayed more, lifted heavier, drawn more, but the more I do, the stronger these feelings get. Out of curiosity, I checked the masjid to see if there was a sister around, but it’s totally empty except for Eid and Jumu’ah prayers. I know this was a bit of a vent, but I’m really hoping for some advice that might help. Jazakum Allahu khayran.