Need Advice After a Broken Promise, Assalamu alaikum
Assalamu alaikum, I’m asking for some advice because I’m feeling emotionally overwhelmed. I’m 31/F. Since childhood I watched many abusive marriages, including my parents’ - verbal, physical, and emotional abuse. That made me really wary of marriage. My family wasn’t well off, so in my 20s I focused on studies, work, and saving. Alhamdulillah, I’m in a much better place now than I was a decade ago. For a long time I was terrified of relationships, marriage, and commitment. Just hearing the word “marriage” would make me panic and spiral. When I was about 27, a college friend who is also Muslim and was living abroad proposed to me over chat. I should stress it wasn’t a romantic relationship before that, just friendship. I felt hopeful and less scared about the idea of a future with him. He visited my country a year later and we met a couple of times. He told me he was certain about marrying me but asked for a year to get a better job and sort visa issues. He went back overseas. We only chatted a few times a year - Eid, birthdays, New Year - nothing intimate. In the meantime I got permanent residency in Canada and had to move, so the one-year wait stretched to two years. This October we finally met again and I thought it would be the year we moved forward and my family would be relieved. But after four meetings he pulled back, saying his family has financial problems and he can’t proceed, and that he has found someone else. I feel heartbroken and betrayed. I feel like so much time was wasted and I turned down other proposals because I thought this was settled. The one good thing is I’m no longer terrified of marriage, but I don’t know how to heal the pain and the sense of betrayal. I’ve been praying my salah and asking Allah for forgiveness. I trust that Allah won’t abandon me the way this person did. If there are specific duas, remembrances, or actions that can help with healing or guidance, I would appreciate suggestions. Also, how should I approach marriage going forward given the trust issues this caused? I want to protect my heart but also be open to a halal, secure marriage. JazakAllahu khairan for any advice or duas.