Mate selection criteria among Muslims living in America

There is a lively literature on sex differences in mate preferences primarily in Western cultures. The few cross-cultural studies that exist are limited, as they ignore the role of religion on mate preferences. In this article, we randomly selected 500 personal advertisements placed by Muslims who live in the United States. Content analysis revealed that there were no significant sex differences in seeking a physically attractive mate. However, women mentioned their physical attractiveness more than men did, while men, more than women, sought mates younger than themselves. Women preferred financially secure partners and placed a higher value on finding partners who were emotionally sensitive and sincere than did the men. Furthermore, women significantly, more than men, advertised their religiosity and sought religious partners.