THE traditional view of a Muslim marriage is one of family elders match-making within their community.

But young Muslims in Scotland are turning tradition on its head and seeking Mr or Mrs Right using paid-for marriage services and speed-dating to find their future spouse. And all the while the number of relationships between Muslims and Christians is also on the rise - adding another new dimension to the way Muslims in Scotland live and love.

Today, Muslim Christian Couples Scotland, a Facebook support group, will hold its biggest-ever meet-up in Glasgow as part of Scottish Interfaith Week.

A spokeswoman for the group said an increase in Muslim-Christian marriages was a "sign of the times" and of the successes of ­Scotland as a modern multicultural society.

She said: "Many of the couples I know see great advantages in being in an inter-religious and/or an inter-cultural relationship beyond the love and affection they obviously feel towards each other.

"It broadens your horizon, makes you reflect on and possibly review your own choices in life and gives you - and potentially your kids - an exposure to another culture and sometimes language that you would otherwise not have encountered at such close quarters."

She added that many Muslim-Christian couples may be less caught off guard by any challenges that crop up in their relationship as there is more thought put into their "compatibility" at the start.

But it is not without difficulties - illustrated by the fact that the location of Muslim Christian Couples Scotland's event is not being publicised so that "everyone involved feels safe".

The spokeswoman said there were also some common issues in Muslim-Christian relationships that led to the support group being set up two years ago.

"Friction points can include lots of issues, from the food and drink consumed in the family home - such as halal or not, alcohol or not - to how to approach holidays like Christmas and Eid," she said.

"The first hurdle many couples face is the question of how to get married - will they have a church wedding or an Islamic one, or both?

"Then, when couples become parents, they are often faced with a whole set of new questions.

"In my experience, a lot of tension, fear and potential hostility comes not from within the relationship but from the extended family, community and society as a whole."

But she added: "It is not all about the challenges. There is a lot of reason to celebrate interfaith and intercultural relationships, so our meeting on Sunday is not least to do just that and have some fun."

The latest available figures, from the 2001 Census show that 9.3% of Scottish Muslims are married to Christians.

Julian Bond, director of the Christian Muslim Forum, said that anecdotally the number of interfaith marriages was rising across the UK and they had experienced an increasing number of enquiries since publishing guidelines on the issue for ministers and imams two years ago.

"In larger cities, where there is diverse mixing between people, it is likely there will be increased interfaith relationships between people and I think there is also beginning to be better support for interfaith couples," he said.

Another event taking place today in Motherwell, near Glasgow, will see around 50 to 60 people seeking a spouse taking part in a £20-a-ticket Muslim "speed-dating"-style event.

Organiser Saira Butt, who runs marriage service Muslim Match, said: "Some young Asians are content to go down the traditional route and happy for their parents to arrange their marriage. However, you have a growing number of individuals who are born and bred in Scotland and they don't want to marry from 'back home'.

"They want someone from here, who speaks English and is familiar with the culture of the country.

"Many of them are highly educated and in professional occupations. They still want their parents to be involved in the process but not leading from the front. They themselves want to play a greater role when it comes to finding a partner."

Butt said the "Aunty Ji" network - where older women in the community play a role in matchmaking - did still work for some.

But she added: "I mainly work with the younger generation so they can explain their requirements and are happy to speak to each other without the parental involvement.

"A few years ago many people would not disclose to their wider family and friends' network they were going to attend, or had found their partner though such an event. They were worried they may be ridiculed or tagged desperate. However, a bit like dating websites, there is no embarrassment at going to matchmaking events. People are happy to admit it."

The event today is aimed at giving single Muslims the chance to be introduced to new people. They can also bring along a chaperone, such as a brother or mother, if they wish.

The event will involve group discussions as an "icebreaker" before a speed-dating round, where the men move to different tables every few minutes to have a quick initial meeting with each woman.

Butt said: "I think it is easier for the boys and girls to meet this way, rather than through families. Families can feel a bit uncomfortable if there is a rejection.

"They (the prospective husband or wife) can find it difficult to say no or hopes can build up. At least this way, the boys and girls themselves know what they are looking for - and if they find anybody attractive they can take it from there."

She added: "The new generation are a lot more Westernised so they prefer doing things themselves rather than having any kind of help.

"They also just try and open up their options and see if there is anyone out there that is suitable."

Naseem Mohammed spent many years helping to set up potential love matches in the community as a hobby. She now runs Personal Match UK, an introduction service based on Islamic principles for Muslims. She said that since 2011, more than 500 couples have married as a result of using the service.

Mohammed said traditional arranged marriages that involved the help of the family were still taking place, but were ­becoming less common as people's lives became busier.

"A lot more people are ­working now, and trying to find time for parents to match them up - or trying to find partners for themselves - is more difficult," she said. "Muslims prefer not to date so my company helps them meet in keeping with Islamic guidance."

Mohammed said the match-making service involves carrying out interviews with prospective clients to learn about everything from their hobbies and interests to their career and how they get along with their family.

When clients meet for the first time, Mohammed acts as a chaperone, discreetly sitting away out of earshot.

"When people come to me they know it is chaperoned," she said. "There are all different levels of faith and some people might not think it is necessary to have a chaperone." Aside from her acting as chaperone, Mohammed adds, a young woman "might also want her brother or friend or mother coming along to the venue."

Sometimes, Mohammed says, parents also get involved in the work of the marriage agency. The families who get involved, she said, are mostly "young British [and] educated ... as opposed to your more traditional-thinking parent".

Mohammed said she was also keen to help "reverts" - a term that is used for those from other faiths who convert to Islam.

"The biggest problem with reverts is they don't fit into anywhere; they might be from a white background or a Chinese background and they might not have other people in their community they can go to.

"If you don't have those connections here then you can approach me and I can put you in touch with people I think you would get on with and would be happy to meet you."

The fees charged depend on the individual client, but Mohammed said she aimed to make the service affordable and will even take on certain deserving cases for free.

She said: "My drive is not to make money, it is to make people happy."