Navigating Life as a Young Divorced Muslimah with a Child

Assalamu alaykum. Here’s something I never thought I’d say: I’m a sister in my mid-20s, recently divorced, with a little one to care for. Growing up, I always dreamed of having a big, happy family with a loving husband, just like the strong Muslim household I was raised in. But, as it turns out, things didn’t go as planned. I married young, with no real experience talking to men-I’d never even privately messaged one before. I believed I was doing what was right. After finishing university, I started thinking about marriage seriously. I was a bit shy to ask my parents to search for me, so I decided to try a marriage app myself. After sifting through many who weren’t serious, I found someone who seemed genuinely committed to marriage and deen, which mattered most to me. He was also very young, 19, and we shared similar views on marriage, family, and Islam. We did the nikkah pretty quickly after a few months of phone calls-my parents knew, though they wanted me to wait, and he was somewhat pressuring me. He was the first man I’d ever properly spoken to, and I liked him; we had similar humor and values. I didn’t want to miss the chance, fearing it might not come again. I moved a few hours away to his city, and soon I was pregnant. Things were good, not perfect, but good, and I honestly imagined spending my whole life with him. After the baby came, things changed. We had more disagreements, issues with my mother-in-law surfaced, and he started growing distant. Then, I discovered he’d signed up for a dating app shortly after our baby was born. I forgave him. More recently, I found out he’d been sending money to another woman for, well, you can guess what. Heartbroken by the betrayal-I could never imagine being disloyal like that-I went to stay with my family. He told me if I left, I’d end up a single mother and a ‘disgrace,’ that no one would want me. Then, he divorced me over the phone. I never expected it to come to that. Right now, I’m feeling really down, mostly disappointed in my own naivety. I feel so sad for our child. I wonder if what he said about remarriage is true. It seems like people often wear a mask, showing only what they want others to see. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to trust someone again. All I ever wanted was a peaceful, happy family life, with my husband as my best friend to share everything with. The stigma around single mothers in our community is weighing on me too. Does anyone have advice on how to get out of this rut? I’m stuck at home with my baby a lot and unsure how to move forward. JazakAllah khair for any support or ideas.