Salam Alakom, I live in the U.S, I am 30 years old and I have been looking for a wife for like 10 years. Is asking family and a few Masques is considered as ashtehad (doing the effort) is enough? Is going out with women from work for marriage purpose without physical contact is considering ashtehad ? Giving they are not Muslim, I will teach them about islam. Jazak alha khira.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, we advise you to supplicate Allah The Almighty much, for the whole matter is in His Hands, and He is capable of everything and answers the prayers. Allah Almighty says (what means): {And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.} [Quran 2:186]

There is no doubt that it is important to seek the help of the family and the Muslims in mosques or in Islamic centers and similar organizations in the country where you live. If it is facilitated to you and you find a righteous woman in this country to marry, then praise be to Allah.

Otherwise, don't bear down on yourself, for Allah's land is vast, so search in your country of origin, for perhaps you will find many opportunities there, especially if it is a Muslim country.

It is not permissible for you to go out with a foreign (non-Mahram) woman, be it a Muslim or a non-Muslim. And the need for marriage does not justify it, as it will lead to temptation. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated on the authority of Usaamah bin Zaid that the Prophet said: “I am not leaving behind me a more harmful trial for men than women.” So, aim to search through the ways mentioned earlier, and hopefully, you will succeed in your pursuit.

We ask Allah The Almighty to facilitate for you to marry a righteous woman of religious commitment and of good moral who will help you in your religious and worldly affairs and raise your children in the faith of Islam and its morals.

Allah knows best.