Discovering loss in the city of the Prophet ﷺ

Last year for Rasul Week, I launched my first-ever fundraising campaign.

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It took me 15 years, but I had finally figured out a way to honor my uncle.

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In those 15 years, the thought of 'doing something big' for him came and went many times.

I still remember it like it was yesterday. We were in the city of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) just after dhuhr prayer, and my family was at a phone booth making a long-distance call home. 

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While my mother and siblings waited outside, my father and I went into one of the stalls that had a phone and a stool to sit on. After a few minutes of my dad speaking to a family member back home, I heard him yell, “What?" with tears welled up in his eyes. 

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Whispering, he told me what had happened. It felt like everything had come crashing down. The high of traveling for Umrah. Setting foot in the city of the Prophet (peace be upon him) for the first time. All of it. 

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With tears in my eyes, I went outside. When she saw me crying, my mother already knew what had happened. Her gut feeling had been confirmed, and she completely broke down, as did the rest of my family.

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Honoring my uncle

You never forget an experience like that - and never stop looking for ways to honor the precious person you’ve lost. 

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My uncle was a person who looked to serve the Creator by serving his creation. He actually passed away while doing this work in the path of Allah.

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To honor him, I launched a campaign to build a water well in his name in Mali, Africa. 

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It was a little nerve-wracking to begin. Asking my network for donations was definitely intimidating. But once I shared the message with my network, I saw donations flow in. At that point, I realized that others felt the same way I did - they also wanted to honor my uncle for the positive impact he'd had on their lives. 

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Love and concern for one another is an integral part of our faith. And starting a Sadaqah Jariyah campaign is an opportunity to honor those we love, not for this world but for their benefit in the hereafter.

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A Sadaqah Jariyah is an act that benefits a person after they've passed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that of all the things a person can leave behind, only a few can result in ongoing rewards after they have passed.

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Abu Qatadah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity; the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."

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Starting a legacy campaign on LaunchGood is fast, easy, and impactful. For example, take a look at the steps below to build a water well with Pious Projects.

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1. Click here to ‘Start a campaign.’

2. It costs $2700 to build a water well with Pious Projects, so input that amount into the ‘Campaign goal’ field and give your campaign a title.  Pro tip: Choose a campaign title that is emotionally compelling, action-oriented, and clearly communicates what the campaign is about.

3. The banking details have already been pre-filled (once your campaign has closed, the amount will be transferred to Pious Projects so that they can get started on building the well). The story portion has also been pre-filled based on your project - but feel free to personalize it and add your own story.  

4. Once you're done, click the 'submit for review' button in the top right corner.

5. Congratulations! Your campaign is now live! You've just started your first campaign on LaunchGood.

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Ready to get started? Give the gift of water today!

I believed that one of the most beneficial things I could do on my uncle's behalf was to give the gift of water to those most in need. That's why I decided to build a well with Pious Projects. They serve the people of Mali, Africa, where 1 in 4 people lacks access to clean, drinkable water. The cost of the well was $2600, and it took me about a week to reach my goal. The coolest thing about all this was that they sent me a video once the well was completed, showing the community making du'a for my uncle. It was an amazing feeling knowing that I could do something special for him and that it would benefit him in the hereafter, inshAllah.

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Last Rasul Week, I was able to conquer my hesitations and do something special for a family member like so many other people on LaunchGood. And this year, you can too! Take a look here to see the other campaigns that have built water wells for their loved ones, or click here to start a campaign today. 

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Rasul Week will run from 25 September to 30 September and is a week to commemorate the life of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him). You can follow his Sunnah by improving the lives of those in need today!