Muslim bachelor, 29, who plastered himself on billboards to find a wife gets 2,000 responses

More than 2,000 people have contacted a lonely bachelor who advertised himself on billboards across Birmingham in the hope of finding a wife.

Mohammad Malik, 29, took the bold step of picturing himself lying down on huge hoardings across the city with the words, ‘Save me from an arranged marriage’.

He also set up a website ‘Findmailkawife.com’ in order to catch the eye of a potential partner.

Since news of his unusual love search broke, more than 1,000 hopefuls have contacted him via his website.

And another 1,000 or so have slipped into his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook DMs. Mohammad, an innovation consultant and entrepreneur, told Radio Five Live how he intends to sort through the avalanche of interest.

Mohammad said he has enlisted a few friends to create spreadsheets and will then ‘audit’ his way through all the messages. The columns will include age, location (ideally UK), hobbies and personality type but said he would not focus so much on looks.

Mohammad said he has enlisted a few friends to create spreadsheets and will then ‘audit’ his way through all the messages

He said: ‘I am really pleased, I am overwhelmed actually with the responses.

‘There’s been over a thousand responses now on the official channel which is the website but then even more responses, even more than a thousand through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and social media and stuff like that. It’s a nice surprise.’

And any meetings between suitors will take place in real life in the coming weeks.

He said: ‘Maybe the week after, we will start getting those meetings in.’

Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, he added: ‘I am definitely not against arranged marriages – it is quite a tongue-in-cheek thing to say.

‘I think it is a 100 per cent legitimate way to find somebody but I thought let me have a crack at something else first.

The first thing that comes to mind is personality. I am a bit out there, I am a people person, an inner thespian comes out at times, so somebody who can balance that energy.

‘Maybe someone who is a bit more grounding, maybe into nature and things that are a bit more chilled out rather than exacerbating this energy that I have. That is really important I think.  But then somebody who is also enthused and passionate.’

Host Susanna Reid joked in response: ‘That’s quite a list…you didn’t put all that on the billboard!’

Mohammad can be seen lying on his side pointing upwards with a big smile on billboards.

He is from London but calls Birmingham his second home thanks to the ‘top quality food spots in the city centre, bustling Alum Rock (and) the incredible mosques’.

Drivers using the A34 can see a smiling Muhammad lying on the floor and jokingly begging prospective partners to ‘save me from an arranged marriage’

Muhammad is originally from London, but describes Birmingham as ‘a second home’ thanks to the ‘top quality food spots in the city centre, bustling Alum Rock and the incredible mosques’

He said: ‘My ideal partner would be a Muslim woman in her 20s, who’s striving to better her deen.

‘I’m open to any ethnicity but I’ve got a loud Punjabi family – so you’d need to keep with the bants. Always personality and faith over anything else!

‘P.S I’m an only child and look after my mom and dad. If this is a deal-breaker I don’t think it’ll work out.’

Muhammad hopes his big vision will trump anyone opting for dating apps, expert advice or trying to connect through mutual friends or family members.

‘I just haven’t found the right girl yet. It’s tough out there’, he explained.

‘I had to get a billboard to get seen!’ 

Muhammad says he took the unusual approach to find romance after the usual methods of meeting ‘the one’ did not bear fruit.

He said: ‘I’m a creative, love doing the most random and absurd – but 100 per cent halal of course – things.

‘Traditional methods such as ‘rishta aunties’ didn’t work for me so thought why not take it to the billboards!’

The word ‘Rishta’ means to propose in Hindi, meaning a ‘rishta auntie’ is essentially a marriage broker who serves as a matchmaker for men and women in her community. 

Muhammad was keen to stress his search for love was genuine and that he is not against arranged marriages.

He said: ‘I think arranged marriages have a place and tradition in many Islamic cultures. 

Muhammad says he took the unusual approach to find romance after the usual methods of meeting ‘the one’ did not bear fruit

Muhammad was keen to stress his search for love was genuine and that he is not against arranged marriages

‘In fact, there are many studies that show that arranged marriages have many advantages.

‘I just want to try and find someone on my own first.’  

The singleton has also taken out similar adverts in Manchester and London but refused to reveal how much he has paid for them.

The average costs of advertising on a billboard in the UK is believed to be around £500-£600 a week dependent on location.

Giving his reasons for going to such drastic measures, Muhammad, from West London, said: ‘Probably because of my personality.

‘I’m a creative and I love doing the most random and absurd things – as long as they are 100 per cent halal of course.

‘Traditional methods such as ‘rishta aunties’ didn’t work for me so thought why not take it to the billboards.

‘I have been looking for someone seriously on and off for two years I’d say.. I began casually searching just before the start of Covid.

‘And I actually did find someone and was planning to get married but when the pandemic hit my freelance and consultancy work grinded to halt and I shifted my focus to pivoting my career.

‘After finding my feet in my new work I began looking again after the second lockdown but without luck.

‘I’ve got billboards in Birmingham, Manchester and London – which I thought would increase my chances of finding someone.

‘They have been up since the New Year. A New Year, a new me!

‘It’s early days but responses thus far have been in the triple digits and from some really lovely people – keep them coming.

‘I’m hoping to get in touch with women I like soon.’