The Halal Dating App
"Sara builds a Muslim dating app as her computer science project. When handsome investor Farhan wants to fund it, she has to decide if she believes in her own product—and in love."
The Halal Dating App
"You want to invest in a dating app. Made by someone who doesn't believe in dating apps."
Sara stared at the man across the coffee shop. Farhan Malik was everything her app was supposed to help women avoid—rich, confident, probably had a different girl every week.
"I want to invest in a product that solves a real problem," he said. "Muslim singles need halal options. Your algorithm is impressive."
"You read my algorithm?"
"I read everything." His smile was warmer than expected. "And I believe in what you're building. Even if you don't."
Working with Farhan was infuriating.
He pushed her on every decision, challenged her assumptions, made her defend her product until she actually believed in it.
"You're not using the app yourself," he observed one late night.
"I created it. I know everyone on it."
"That's not why." He leaned closer. "You're scared it works."
"I'm not scared of—"
"Finding someone. Being vulnerable. Trusting the process you built." His eyes held hers. "I'm on the app, you know. Have been since we started working together."
"What?"
"Wanted to test it properly. Only matched with one person worth messaging." He showed her his phone.
Her profile stared back at her.
"This is too meta," Sara said. "The app creator and the investor?"
"It's perfect." Farhan stood, moving closer. "The app works because you understood what people need—genuine connection. We have that. The algorithm just confirmed it."
"I didn't put myself in the algorithm."
"The universe did." He cupped her face. "Sara, I've been waiting for you to realize what I knew from day one. We're compatible. On paper and in reality."
"This is crazy."
"The best things are."
They made it to her office—surrounded by servers running her algorithm.
"Fitting," Farhan murmured, lifting her onto her desk. "Creating something beautiful in the place that brought us together."
His hands were confident, his mouth thorough. When he finally pushed inside her, Sara moaned at the rightness of it.
"Meri jaan," he breathed. "My perfect match."
"Statistically speaking—"
"Shut up and feel this." He thrust deeper. "Numbers can wait."
She came apart with her own algorithm humming in the background.
"The launch is next week," Sara said afterward. "We need to be professional."
"We'll be professionally together." He grinned. "Best testimonial: founders found love using their own product."
"That's either genius or insane."
"Both." He kissed her. "The best things are both."
The app launched to massive success—three million downloads in the first month.
The founders' story became legend.
Best algorithm Sara ever wrote.