When I started university in the UK back in 2016, I was excited to embark on this new journey. However, on my first day, I was taken aback when I saw young students heading to clubs with beer in hand, celebrating their new life. I was handed a fresher's pack that included a beer and other things, I felt a sense of shock and confusion.

As a Muslim, I faced many challenges, including being questioned about my religious practices and beliefs, and encountering jokes and ideological agendas. It was difficult to navigate these situations and these do not even cover 1% of the issues Muslims face at university. Many local and international Muslim students who study at university have little or no foundational Islamic knowledge making them an easy target for temptations and idealogies.

Fortunately, I found solace in the Islamic Society. As part of this group of students, I was able to find support and guidance from my fellow Muslim students. I witnessed some students leaving Islam and others struggling with their faith, but being part of the Islamic Society, we made it our mission to provide assistance and support to our fellow Muslim students. Alhamdulillah, we were able to make a positive impact on their university experience as we were able to provide them a feeling of home away from home and able to be a strong community for them protecting their faith. 

When I left university in 2020, I joined Roots Academy to establish an organization that helps Muslim students learn more about their faith via the Islamic societies across the UK

Roots Academy is a unique organization that provides a structured education to students for free. This service is available at 15 universities across the nation, and we also offer a confidential platform to address their queries. Our team of 45+ volunteers, by the grace of Allah, has taught over 1,000 students on a weekly basis, with face-to-face interactions. The impact of our efforts has been incredible, with people re-entering and even embracing Islam during the process.

However, there is a lot of work to be still done! There are 130,000 Muslims at university in the UK. Despite our progress, we still have a significant way to go. Over 100 universities in the UK are yet to have a program like ours, and the expenses required to run this organization are not insignificant. 

Therefore, this Ramadan I would like you to donate for the sake of our future generations and to invest in our mission! We are a volunteer-led organisation so all proceeds go to operational expenses.

The total shown above includes the total for both one-off and recurring monthly donations

What does Roots Academy do?

University is a crucial time in the lives of over 130,000 Muslim students, many of whom question their belief in God or don't have a basic understanding of their faith. We are the first and only educational provider catering for this audience at scale, with a comprehensive programme that aims to positively transform their lives, entirely for free.

What do we need your money for?

As we grow, the running of multiple sites comes with increasing demands and strain on our existing operation. A limited budget also holds us back in the quality of our output.

Funds would allow us to:

Want to learn more about us?

If you would like to learn more about our curriculum and find detailed answers to any questions you may have about what we do, click here.

Student Testimonials