The age difference of 26 years did not hinder Muhammad Danial Ahmad Ali from falling in love with his teacher, Jamilah Mohd until they got married. Muhammad Danial, 22, did not expect to be attracted to Jamilah, 48, and then dared to propose to her.
However, fate determined that they would become husband and wife. Their story gained attention after Muhammad Danial shared a short video showing his transformation from a student to a husband of Jamilah.
Muhammad Danial, who works for a water company and resides in Felda Air Tawar 2, said he met Jamilah when he was in Form Three in 2016 when his wife was assigned to teach the Malay language.
Despite liking Jamilah's personality, Muhammad Danial admitted that their relationship was nothing more than a teacher and student without any feelings for each other at that time.
"I considered her as just a teacher, even though I liked her caring and close attitude towards students, regardless of whether they were from the front or back class.
"For a year, she taught my class but our relationship was cut off after I entered Form Four.
"We met in the teachers' room and I greeted her and asked her how she was, but that was it," he said when contacted by Harian Metro.
According to Muhammad Danial, his desire to get to know Jamilah began when his wife sent a birthday greeting to Jamilah when he was in Form Five.
"Since then, we became close and feelings of love emerged until I felt the need to get closer to her.
"One day, I dared to express my feelings but she rejected me because of her status as a teacher.
"However, I was reluctant to give up and tried to find a way by contacting her and sending her messages via WhatsApp until one day, she did not answer my call or reply to my message.
"Her silence made me determined to go to her housing area, even though I didn't know the exact location, and fate brought me to her house, and I spoke frankly to her," he said.
He said that at that time, his wife still refused to have a serious relationship with him because she was not sure how long it would last.
"I did not give up and tried to persuade her until she softened and accepted me.
"Since the beginning, I have been honest with my family, and Alhamdulillah, both sides gave their blessings and did not object.
"Thanks to their blessings, we agreed to get married, and our initial plan was in 2019, then 2020, but due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), the wedding date was postponed to November 25, 2021.
"We got married at the Jamek Bandar Kota Tinggi Mosque and held a small reception by inviting close family members and friends," he said, who kept his relationship a secret from his school friends until many were surprised by his marriage.
Muhammad Danial is grateful to have found his soulmate at a young age, even though his partner is older.
He said age is just a number, and he will try his best to shoulder the responsibility of a husband.
"Thank God, everything was easy for me from the beginning until I became a husband.
"There is still a lot I need to learn, and I feel fortunate that my wife helps me a lot by giving advice, and we often exchange views to ensure that our marriage remains harmonious," he said, surprised after his video was uploaded on TikTok, gaining high views and becoming viral on social media.
Meanwhile, Jamilah said that since separating from her ex-husband in 2007, her focus has only been on work and she has not had any relationships with any men or thought about finding a replacement.
However, she believes that Danial is her soulmate and accepted his proposal because of his confidence, sincerity, and openness about their relationship.
Their story has gone viral on social media, with many praising their courage to pursue love despite the age difference. Danial and Jamilah's love story shows that love can be unexpected, and age is not a barrier when it comes to finding a soulmate.
