“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you.” (Quran 14:7)
The challenge is complete. The mums change into dry clothes, eat, pray and talk. They are honoured for what they have done. Then they go home.
This part moves from hardship to dignity. It is the emotional centre of the day, because gratitude lands hardest when the cold has just gone.
| When | Where | The heart of it |
|---|---|---|
| 4:30pm to about 7:00pm | The course, then the minibus | Warm clothes, reflection, certificates and home |
Changing and care
From about 4:30pm, the mums change in turns in a private changing area or tent. There are no showers. Mums change modestly under their abayas: muddy trousers off and clean ones on, then a clean abaya pulled over the top. Wet and muddy clothes go into the bin bag.
The wait between turns is part of the experience. It echoes the inadequate conditions refugee women often face. Keep it as short as safety and warmth allow, and make sure those waiting are not left cold.
Afterwards, mums make wudu from their water bottles. Provide a warm drink and a light snack, and have a first aider check anyone who seems unwell.
Asr prayer
Asr is prayed together, if it was not already prayed on the trail. Before it, a guide might invite the mums to bring the weight of the day to Allah: the aching legs, the cold, the mud still in the hair. Offer it all.
The Quran singles out this prayer for emphasis: “Guard strictly the prayers, especially the middle prayer.” (Quran 2:238). This prayer, in a field, after a day like this, is not an interruption to the challenge. It is the point of it.
Reflection
A structured conversation follows. Seat the mums in their groups with their guides.
Agree a few ground rules before you begin:
- one voice at a time;
- speak from your own experience;
- what is shared in the circle stays in the circle;
- anyone may pass.
Then offer a few questions. Choose some for each group, and do not try to cover them all.
On the experience:
- What was the hardest moment, and what got you through it?
- Was there a moment when the challenge stopped being about you and became about something larger?
On what you learned:
- What did today teach you about refugees that you did not feel before?
- What did it teach you about yourself, and about the women beside you?
On faith:
- Where did you find Allah today, in which difficulty or unexpected ease?
- How has today changed how you understand sabr?
Afterwards, each guide shares one image, moment or sentence that stayed with her. The lead organiser weaves the threads together briefly.
Look after the quiet ones. The conversation can stir more than people expect, especially where the theme touches their own history. Keep a quiet space free, and have a guide ready to sit with anyone who needs it.
From reflection to action
Before the closing prayer, a representative of the charity speaks for a few minutes. It is not a fundraising pitch. It is a genuine invitation to ongoing solidarity.
What does the charity need? What is one thing each mum could do this week? The giving pages stay open, and the action asked for is larger than money.
Then one of the guides closes with a heartfelt dua for the mums, their families, and for refugees around the world: for those who did not survive their journeys, and for those still on the road. Take time.
Certificates and recognition
Every mum is handed a certificate and told one specific thing she did well. Special awards recognise qualities rather than speed or strength. The table below offers some ideas.
| Award | What it recognises |
|---|---|
| Sabr | Staying steady when it was hardest |
| Ta’awun | Lifting someone else when she flagged |
| Courage | Going at the thing that scared her |
| Shukr | A thankful heart in a cold place |
| Team spirit | A group that crossed together |
Keep to these principles:
- every mum goes home with a certificate;
- an award may be shared by several mums;
- no award is for speed, strength or the amount raised;
- every group is mentioned by name for something.
Take group photographs if everyone agrees. As a ladies-only event, a female photographer makes this easy, and every mum should be asked first.
Journey home
The minibuses take the mums home. Count everyone on, then let the mood lift. A nasheed, a laugh or a quiet nap are all welcome.
Say the travel dua together. The mums are tired, so no one drives herself home. Drop each mum at her agreed point, and tick her off the register.
Let families know to expect a tired, hungry mum, and suggest a hot meal and an early night. Ask each mum to message a named organiser once she is safely home.
May the day stay with you, insha’Allah, long after the mud has washed out.
Reflection questions
- What will you do differently because of today?
- What will you tell your family?
- What small, real step will you take for the cause?