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Race 2 Jannah 2023
The Race to Jannah is back!
“Allah looks at your competing for His sake, and He boasts about you to His angels.
So show Allah goodness from yourselves.” (at-Tabarani)
With Ramadan around the corner, the Race to Jannah is back again for our eighth year and counting! 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 need to relax your social distancing, it couldn’t be easier. How could you miss out? Fast. Sleep. Fundraise. Repeat.
All we are looking for is a blessed group of 200 competitors to raise either £1,000 or £100 each for HHUGS families. Simple as that!
“Whoever draws near to Allah during this month by doing some good deeds is like one who does an obligatory action at any other time, and the one who does an obligatory action during this month is like one who does seventy obligatory actions at any other times.” (Ibn Khuzaymah)
With 70 good deeds going for the price of 1, there’s no way you’re getting left behind, right? Well, you better make sure of it. In this month, if you snooze, you lose!
The opportunity to reap those good deeds during Ramadhan is beyond compare. There is nothing as satisfying as competing for goodness and in a month of increased reward, there is no better time either.
Represent your city or locality as part of our regional leaderboard, or get your children involved in the competition to fundraise as Child Champions too!
This Ramadhan, a time of community and unity, children in over 200 broken homes in the UK will face poverty, and fear without their fathers. Together with social isolation, financial strain and the cost-of-living crisis will cripple their families who have lost their main breadwinner. By joining the Race to Jannah together, you can make a difference to families closest to home who need it most.
So grab this opportunity to secure a mountain of good deeds by registering for our £200K Ramadhan challenge.
Where do you hail from? Represent your region!
Whether you are from brilliant Bradford, are a marvellous Mancunian or a laid back Londoner- we have a challenge for you. Your team pages will be part of wider regional teams where you can revel in your competitive spirit and add an exciting edge the fundraising challenge. Go head-to-head to prove whether Lutonians really are natural winners or if the superstars of South London will steal victory. So, draw your boundaries, gather your comrades and let the best region win!
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 Ramadan around the corner, you could be sponsored to fast, memorise a new Surah, learn the 99 Names of Allah or perfect your daily 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 does Race to Jannah involve?
We’re looking for 200 competitors to raise either £1,000 or £100 each this Ramadhan.
It might sound like a lot, but that’s no more than ten friends donating £20 and you’ve reached your target!
We make the page, you promote it and then sit back to witness the generosity of this Ummah at its finest. It couldn’t be simpler!
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.
For the 30 days of Ramadhan, our fundraisers promote their fundraising pages by any means – on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, 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.
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]
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]
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 this Spring? You could even try memorising the 99 Most Beautiful Names of Allah or the amazing everyday du’as that will fill your life with blessings!
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 silences
- 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.
What can my Race to Jannah give to HHUGS children?
Your hard work helps by:
- Providing regular groceries and essentials, clothing and a roof over their head
- Counselling, therapy and mentoring for children and parents who need support because of difficult experiences they have had in life.
- Buying much-needed Eid clothes and gifts as well as the chance to host celebrations for a special day
- Paying for 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
- Relieving the burden on their mothers by alleviating their debts or empowering them to be self-sufficient through educational and vocational courses.
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!