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Dhul Hijjah Race to Jannah 2021
With Dhul Hijjah around the corner, the Race to Jannah is back again for our sixth year. The believers are pumped and ready, the competition is about to be in full swing. No hard slog, no need to work up a sweat, no physical exertion involved, it couldn’t be easier. How could you miss out? Eat. Sleep. Fundraise. Repeat.
“Allah looks at your competing for His sake, and He boasts about you to His angels.
So show Allah goodness from yourselves.” (at-Tabarani)
The opportunity to reap those good deeds during 10 very best days of the year is beyond compare. There is nothing as satisfying as competing for goodness and in days of increased reward, there is no better time either.
The Prophet (saw) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days (Dhul Hijjah).” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
Living through a global pandemic has been an unpredictable and challenging year for us all; but we may forget that many families in our midst live like this all year round. For families of prisoners already struggling with financial burdens, social isolation and mental health challenges, the pandemic has compounded existing hardships. By joining the Race to Jannah together, you can make a difference to families for whom social distancing and isolation is a norm.
So grab this opportunity to secure a mountain of good deeds by registering for our £30k Dhul Hijjah challenge.
Become a Child Champion!
… because big changes can come from little hearts
Why should adults have all the fun? Join HHUGS’ Race to Jannah Challenge to become a Child Champion! We are calling on our bravest and brightest Child Champions to stand up and make a difference to other children’s lives.
Think of all the things that makes a child’s life secure- a roof over their head, hot, fresh food when they’re are hungry, a family to play and relax with and a loving home they can feel at peace in. Some children don’t have these same pleasures and miss out on the things that most of us take for granted. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We believe children can change the world and we definitely believe in YOU to give another child something to truly smile about! You can raise money by setting yourself a physical or personal challenge. With Dhul Hijjah around the corner, you could be sponsored to fast, memorise a new Surah, or learn 10 new du’as. You can get active by doing a sponsored run, sports match or craft project. The only limit is your imagination!
Changing the world starts one step at a time. Sign up now to start your journey as a Child Champion!
What is the challenge?
We’re looking for 100 winners raising either £1,000 or £100 each in the 10 days of Dhul HIjjah. That’s ten friends donating £10 and you’ve reached your target!
We make the page, you promote it, and sit back and witness the generosity of this ummah at its best. It’s as simple as that.
Maybe climbing a mountain, running 10km, or cycling across the country isn’t for you. Unlike other challenges, where you need to exert yourselves physically, or be in a set place at a fixed time, the beauty of the Race to Jannah is that it can be done wherever you are in the world, whatever hour of the day you chose, from the comfort of your own home. Forget having to arrange child care, taking time off work or cancelling another commitment, this is as simple as it could possibly be.
This year, in Ramadhan those who joined the race with us raised a stupendous £207,000, allowing us to relieve the hardship of hundreds of individuals across the UK!
For the 30 days of Ramadhan, they promoted their fundraising pages by any means – on WhatsApp, Facebook, or the good old fashioned way in person. Though the target may seem daunting initially, with sincere intentions, du’a and the help of Allah you will make it insha’Allah. Who knows, you may end up smashing all of your targets too. Anything is possible with the Help of Allah.
What’s in it for me?
Every day, charity is due on each of our joints. That’s an even greater priority for us in Dhul Hijjah, where righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah.
Charity is not a burden or obligation on us, it is a privilege and a responsibility. When we have been blessed by Allah, the best way to show gratitude to Him is by using those same blessings to help others. Out of all the times in the year, there is never a better one than these best days of the year for gathering up as many good deeds as possible and showing just how determined we can be.
Charity invites untold blessings into your own life and protects you from so many hardships you weren’t even aware you were saved from. Allah loves those who serves others so Race to Jannah by relieving the burdens of the brothers and sisters right on our doorstep.
You may not have huge sums of money to give, but this challenge provides a golden opportunity for any individual to make a difference – whether you’re blessed with disposable income or otherwise.
What is also amazing about fundraising is that you’ll be rewarded for whatever your friends donate, without decreasing in their reward in the least.
“Whoever guides someone to virtue will be rewarded equivalent to him who practices that good action.” [Bukhari].
You may not have huge sums of money to give, but this challenge provides a golden opportunity for any individual to make a difference – whether you’re blessed with disposable income or otherwise.
Your small but persistent efforts will not only be counted as good deeds, allowing you to cover some much needed ground in the Race to Jannah, but it will also help us to restore hope and dignity to over 225 households impacted by the detention of a loved one – and all in the best ten days of the year!
How can I raise the money?
Don’t be put off by high targets or numbers that seem impossible to reach. Aim big and you will always surpass your expectations. Whatever is done sincerely for the sake of Allah is always blessed, whether you raise £1 or £10,000!
On a practical level, if £100 seems daunting at first, just break it down as getting 10 friends to donate £10, or 20 friends to give £5. You can even set your sights on £1000 – that’s 20 friends donating £50 over the month.
Many of our fundraisers had no prior fundraising experience and doubted they could raise £300, but within just 48 hours of launching their page, they went on to raise £1000 each. Others surpassed their best hopes, by raising £10,000, and some a staggering £50,000! Some sold cakes or Zamzam, others organised car washes or got restaurants to donate their proceeds.
The simplest method is to sign up to our challenge which will automatically create a crowdfunding page on our leaderboard to collect your funds. We can even do that step for you if you prefer.
We’re on hand to support and encourage you at every stage, and if you’re not a confident wordsmith, we can provide template messages for you to share if you’re short of ideas.
Remember to use all means at your disposal to share your page – WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, Tiktok and SMS. Some fundraisers even made videos to encourage people, and got their parents and children to compete with them in the process!
Whether you’re a novice or an experienced fundraiser, this method is tried and tested.
If you’re not so social media savvy and prefer more traditional methods, the good thing is, there are so many ways to raise funds and Muslims are at their most generous during Ramadan!
Check out our Fundraising Toolkit for a complete A-Z of unique fundraising ideas, simple steps to fundraising success, how to stay safe and more! You can also simply request a penny box by calling 0207 733 2104 or emailing [email protected]
What if I don’t reach my target?
We’re confident with a bit of effort and with the help of Allah, you’ll easily reach your goals. We know from past experience, that our supporters have achieved great feats and surpassed their expectations.
When you purify your intention, make the effort, say Bismillah and make du’a that Allah blesses your efforts – then you cannot go wrong, no matter what the outcome.
“Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, Allah will record it as a complete good deed.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
If you’ve tried your best and ultimately don’t reach your target, then all is far from lost – you’ll be rewarded for whatever you do manage to raise and more than that, rewarded for your intentions in the best time of the year to give charity! So aim high, you won’t be disappointed! You’ve got nothing to lose!
I am a child how can I get involved?
Children are often our best fundraisers, and they’re very welcome to Race to Jannah with us! We have had amazing fundraisers from 14 year-old Aaminah who raised £7000 to a bright and bubbly 22 month old who smashed her targets and reached over £1000 in donations. You’re never too young or old to take part.
There are so many ways you can start your fundraising journey. With Ramadhan around the corner, there’s never a better time than to focus on setting yourself a meaty challenge. Did you have a certain Surah you were working on memorising? Maybe you were planning to complete a certain number of fasts in the days of Dhul Hijjah? You could even try memorising 10 du’as in these precious days! There are active challenges you can do to get your body moving and creative juices flowing!
You could do:
Sponsored walk and runs
Bike rides
Make up your own obstacle courses
Sponsored silence
Car wash
Services to the community like Eid gift wrapping for friends and family
Makes special treats for Iftar and Eid celebrations
Dazzle people with your home-made decorations, delivered with love
Have a think about what you find fun, creative and challenging and begin there. The sky’s the limit!
I'm a parent, why should I sign up my child?
One of the biggest blessings of being a parent is the immense opportunity we have to leave a lasting legacy. Setting a strong example of service to others is something that will stay with your child throughout their life. They become what they see modelled in the home and this provides you with the chance of instilling generosity, compassion and empathy into future generations.
Your children as a sadaqah jariyah for you, so as much as you are building their character and faith through fundraising, you are also contributing to your own aakhirah by earning the reward for all the benefit they bring to the world through what you have taught them. There is no limit to how much Allah rewards goodness, so instilling the virtue of charity into your children will not only help the beneficiaries in need, but you and your child also.
How can my Race to Jannah transform a child's life?
Children in HHUGS families often have a very different experience of childhood than many of us are familiar with.
With a father imprisoned, these children have witnessed things far beyond their years. From the trauma of watching police break into their homes, their father being taken away in handcuffs, their mother left traumatised as police trawl through their homes, these children are left in great need of healing, support and security. When your family is unexpectedly torn apart, small things you took for granted often become huge obstacles. You might hide your tears from your mother, knowing that she is already struggling to cover the rent, food and bills. You might try to hide the playground taunts from bullies who notice you have outgrown your clothes. Those new uniforms and stationery a child needs for school might have to be put on hold. You might feel the stares of the community as you are labelled by others in a harsh and unfair way.
Longer term, many children in these homes end up falling behind at school. With so much turbulence in their home life, academics can suffer without the motivation and support to keep a child on track. The snowball effect of losing a father can end up having disastrous consequences on a child’s mental health and overall wellbeing.
There is hope however, and so many ways you can help to relieve the burdens weighing down young shoulders.
Your efforts helps to:
Provide regular groceries and essentials, clothing and a roof over their head
Provide counselling, therapy and mentoring for children and parents who need support because of difficult experiences they have had in life.
Bring joy and normality to children through Eid clothes and gifts as well as the chance to host celebrations for a special day
Provide madrassa, Qur’an tuition, 1-2-1 academic tuition for children who have fallen behind. Allowing clubs and recreational activities that would otherwise be unaffordable
Relieve the burden on their mothers by alleviating their debts or empowering them to be self-sufficient through educational and vocational courses.