Link to Website: http://alrihlah.org/

Link to LaunchGood: https://www.launchgood.com/projects/project_detail/al-rihlah.html

Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1dPP2uDgn0

Our Story

Me: Omar, now that you’ve graduated from college and are working now, what do you want to do?

Omar: I think it’s time we perform Hajj, bro. But let’s do it a little differently.

Me: What do you have in mind?

My brother, Omar, and I often look back at the conversation we had in the summer of 2013 and smile, shaking our heads in disbelief. Our daydreams led us to conversations that went on late into the night, which led to sketching cross-country maps from various parts of the Earth, which then somehow led to the formation of a team whose sole intention and goal is to perform the sacred ritual of Hajj in a very unique way…

The Adventure of a Lifetime

Al-Rihlah is a project that was inspired by the stories of people in the past traveling to the holy city of Mecca to perform the sacred ritual of Hajj. We are a group of young American Muslims who wish to perform Hajj by riding our bicycles from Rome, Italy to Mecca.

Due to the modern forms of transportation and luxuries we enjoy today, we feel that a big part of the Hajj experience is missing. We hope to revive the traditions of the past by embarking on this physically challenging and spiritually rejuvenating voyage. Plus, young people are always looking for an adventure!

The Plan

God willing, in July 2015 we will set out on our 60 day trip from Rome and cycle over 3,000 miles to the holy city of Jerusalem. From there, we will put on our ritual garments and travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. In between we will cross various countries. It is our hope to regularly share our experiences throughout the ride through blog entries, photography, video, etc. to inspire the Muslim Ummah (community) to do amazing things in their lives.

Our bicycles will act as our horses as we prepare for the many challenges Mother Nature has to offer. As it has been done in the past, we will be carrying our luggage and equipment on our backs, relying on the resources God has provided us on Earth to sustain ourselves as well as the assistance of people we meet along the way.

Meet the Team

Click on the images below to learn more about the team behind Al-Rihla:

Our Goals

We hope to accomplish two simple things by embarking on this journey:

1. To cause a reform in the way Hajj is performed, one that allows more spiritual preparation through contemplating the majesty of Allah’s creation and meeting new people on this journey.
2. To do something, with the support of our community, to inspire the Muslim Ummah that when we work together we achieve amazing things.

Connect With Us!

As we prepare for our epic trip we hope for your prayers, words of advice & encouragement, and spreading of the word. The following are ways you can help us achieve our dream:

• Al-Rihlah is currently running an online crowd-sourcing campaign to help fund it.  Information about the project, and how to support, can be found at https://www.launchgood.com/projects/project_detail/al-rihlah
• Use the social media sharing tools under our video to spread the word!
• Stay up to date on our journey by liking us on Facebook and following on Twitter.
• Join our emailing list and visit our website at  www.alrihlah.org.
• Tweet, message, or email us your words of encouragement and support. It’s going to be a tough ride!