Assalaamu ‘alaikum!!
We pray this post reaches you in the best of health and at the peaks of piety!! Ameen!!
Alhamdulillaah, 2014 has been a great year for Inspirited Minds. We first initiated in October 2013 – where we launched our website and opened our services to the public.
Early on in the following year, on the 28th of February, Inspirited Minds held our Launch Event – The Battle of the Mind, which took off with great success, tabarakAllaah! The tickets were fully sold out, the topics covered were captivating and the atmosphere was live! The reviews of the event can be read here and videos taken during this event can be viewed here.
It was immensely difficult starting up Inspirited Minds, as we faced a lot of trials during setting up – but we knew our intentions were sincere, our aims were clear and our focus was to aid those who require it. With all this in mind, thankfully, we were able to announce on our launch event that we became officially registered as a charity on the 27th of February 2014!! The timing just couldn’t be any better – alhamdulillaah!
Less than half a year in, we thought our honey-moon period may be over. But alhamdulillaah, things were just going from strength to strength – which is what we were least expecting so early on our launch.
Inspirited Minds were introduced to a number of notable speakers, and here’s what they had to say:
I’m happy to be with Inspirited Minds and I am a supporter of the organisation [Shaykh Khaled Fekry].
I have recently come across Inspirited Minds. This new organisation is working to aid those who suffer from mental health issues. There are currently no organisations specifically helping Muslims who are suffering from these issues even though research shows that the numbers suffering silently are extraordinarily high. This is something that must be supported and those of us who are teachers, lecturers, khateebs must raise more awareness. May Allah reward the great men and women of Inspirited Minds – Alhamdulillah it makes me so happy to know there are Muslims who are active in such important matters [Dr. Uthman Lateef].
“This is an important initiative,” as God and His Messenger (peace be upon him) call up to stand clearly against all injustice and oppression, and to assist the oppressed and wronged, in dignified and beneficial ways” [Faraz Rabbani, Executive Director, SeekersGuidance].
Further to this, alhamdulillaah we celebrate our partnership with the Muslim Doctor’s Association and Maytree. More information of both organisations can be viewed here.
Our spokesperson has also represented Inspirited Minds in a number of events. She appeared on Spice FM, which can be heard here. She has also attended a Domestic Violence event, called Ladies Night, where she spoke about the effects on one’s mental state.
Inspirited Minds also got involved in World Mental Health Day on the 10th of October. Many people got involved in our online campaign, which was intiated by one of our volunteers to raise awareness of mental health. The idea behind the campaign was to get the Muslim community engaged and focused on a matter which we are too silent about and act oblivious toward
To compliment this engagement, we got people to send in their personalised quotes regarding mental health, in an attempt to get people speaking supportively, and providing some form of comfort and solace to those who may be suffering from an illness. Alhamdulillaah, we had some amazing entries, which we still use today!
Our focal point in our first year was to get our team together, to have adequate services available for our clients and to ensure that our services are being reviewed regularly, and made better. We’ve had teething problems, we’ve had a number of hurdles to tackle (and still do!) but alhamdulillaah – we have an amazing team of 14 members – which consist of both dedicated, hard-working, passionate advisors and volunteers who’ve made Inspirited Minds as successful as we are today – and may He ‘azza wa jal bless them immensely – ameen!
We’ve had almost 100 clients in our first year. Our volunteers have raised intense awareness of IM, raking in many people who have braved out seeking help and support. These incredible volunteers dedicate their time to attend events and speak in support of IM, they host and plan successful events, they regularly keep our social media platforms active and engage with our followers, they liaise attentively with those who approach us and do a lot more behind the scenes!
Alhamdulillaah we have an amazingly talented sister who liaises with our clients and signposts them to their required help. She works relentlessly to provide them with the help and support they require. Though our services have been initiated to support Muslim sufferers, we have many non-Muslims who have sought help from us too – alhamdulillaah. We’ve had males and females, young and older people, UK residents as well as those outside of the UK. This is one of the many benefits of being online based – where help can be offered, wherever the clients may be.
Here’s just one comment made by one of our clients:
Yesterday I spent a day and night inside a ward in … I’m getting the help I need now. Thanks for helping me get in touch with the crisis team; you probably saved my life.
We are truly grateful for the amazing team that we have. It is incredibly difficult working with IM, as the time offered is any free time our volunteers have – but they perservere, they are passionate and they strive to aid because they genuinely care. We are forever in debt to Allaah azza wa jal, for His Kindness and His Guidance, for it is with His will, His Love and His approval that we have such a doting, honest team of a ray of talents, to help those who are in need of our time.
2015 will, in shaa Allaah, be bigger, better and much more successful in shaa Allaah. We are planning our roadmap as we speak – and in shaa Allaah we have much more coming your way – so watch this space!
When you raise your hands and whisper your prayers to He who is most Merciful, please spare a mention of those who are suffering from a form of mental illness. We ask that you spare a mention of our beautiful team – who are doing all they can to make IM successful and to ensure that help is always available for our clients. May He remind us that all work we do is for His sake, and to attain His pleasure. May He accept from us, bless us and protect us always.
Ameen!
