By Muhi Khwaja – American Muslim Community Foundation
Each year, millions of Muslims gather in Makkah for the sacred rites of Hajj, retracing the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), Hajar, and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Hajj is one of the most profound acts of collective worship in Islam, a pillar of our faith.
But for those of us who aren’t making the pilgrimage this year, the blessed days of Dhul Hijjah still extend a powerful invitation—one rooted in reflection, intention, and spiritual giving.
This year, I’m embarking on a different kind of pilgrimage. While it doesn’t involve the white marble of the Kaaba or the dusty plains of Arafat, it’s a journey meant to bring me closer to Allah, to myself, and to the soul of the country I call home.
Throughout the month of June—during the first ten sacred days of Dhul Hijjah—I’ll be driving across the United States from Michigan to California to Florida. It’s part road trip, part spiritual retreat. I’ll be camping, sleeping in my trusty 2011 Ford Escape, and staying with friends and family when needed.
This journey is inspired by the example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who would retreat to the Cave of Hira before revelation descended. In solitude, he sought clarity, peace, and divine connection. This road trip is my Cave of Hira.
I hope to step away from the noise, reconnect with nature, hear the rhythm of my heart again, and align it with the remembrance of Allah. I want to feel the breeze through the Redwoods, embrace the stillness of the desert, and whisper prayers beneath a sky full of stars we all share.
What You Can Expect
📲 Join the WhatsApp Group
If you’d like to follow along in real-time, I’ve created a group just for this journey:
Inside, I’ll be sharing:
- Scenic moments and reflections from the road
- People I meet and stories they share
- Behind-the-scenes snapshots of this spiritual journey
This is a shared space for connection and intention.
Take Your Own Pilgrimage—Wherever You Are
Not everyone can leave for Hajj. Not everyone can take a road trip. But we all have the opportunity to carve out sacred space in our daily lives.
Maybe your Cave of Hira is your bedroom in the quiet before Fajr.
Maybe it’s a daily walk around the neighborhood, uninterrupted by distractions—just dhikr and breath.
Maybe it’s journaling, reading Qur’an, fasting the first nine days of Dhul Hijjah, or giving to charity in the spirit of zakat and sadaqah.
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are among the most sacred in the Islamic calendar. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.”
(Bukhari)
Even if we aren’t in Makkah, we are still called to ascend—spiritually, emotionally, and through intentional acts of worship and giving.
Join Me in Prayer
As a traveler, I hold close the beautiful tradition that the du’a of the traveler is accepted. That’s why I want to invite you into this journey.
Do you have a prayer you’ve been holding in your heart? A quiet hope you wish someone else would carry to God with sincerity and love? I’d be honored to include your du’as in my nightly prayers.
Every evening—wherever I am—I’ll pause, read your prayers, and lift them up to the Most Merciful. Let’s make this a collective pilgrimage of the heart.
🛣️ Road Trip Update – June 14, 2025
Since kicking off my cross-country spiritual road trip on June 2, I’ve made my way from Michigan through Illinois, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Nevada, arriving in California on June 9. After a few days in Northern and Southern California, it’s time to head east again. I’m en route to Palm Springs, where I’ll explore Joshua Tree this weekend.
These next few days, I’m grateful to be spending time with my mentor, Jack Alotto, MA, CFRE. Jack has been in the fundraising field since the 1980s and is one of AMCF’s most generous supporters. On paper, we couldn’t be more different—he’s a white, gay, Christian, Italian American—and yet our shared belief in justice and philanthropy has created a deep bond.
We’re actually protesting together on Saturday, and he’s graciously offered his guest house to me and Good Boy. Jack has been a grounding presence in my life, especially during a difficult chapter in 2022 when I left a job, went through a divorce, and felt like everything was falling apart. He encouraged me to apply for a role at Fundraising Academy | Cause Selling Education, where I’ve now spent the last three years training fellow fundraisers.
Even recently, Jack pushed me to attend an AFP Global training that’s elevating my career. He sees my potential and actively connects me to the people and opportunities that help me rise. We first met in 2016 at the American Red Cross, and I’m so lucky our paths crossed.
This coming Wednesday, I’ll be moderating a webinar on AI & Sentiment Analysis with Josh Hirsch, MS. And I’m thrilled to share that I’ve officially returned full time to AMCF! We’re also growing—Shazeen Mufti is joining us in an internal leadership role, allowing me to focus more on external relations, new business development, and major fundraising.
If you’d like to support this journey and our work at AMCF, here’s the LaunchGood link:
We’ve raised $30,000 toward our $100,000 goal, and every $100 donation is matched with $50 thanks to a generous donor.
Los Angeles was a powerful reminder of why this work matters. I-5 exits were closed. Helicopters hovered. The police presence was heavy. What’s happening in this country—and across the world—is terrifying to witness. But I believe that through collective giving, we can help build a more just, compassionate, and safe world.
It’s been the joy of my life to help people give their money away with intention. I truly believe this is my calling and purpose.
If you want to continue following this road trip—and future reflections—join my WhatsApp group:
📲 Join the WhatsApp Group
Follow the Journey
📸 Instagram: @muhikhwaja
💬 WhatsApp Group: Join here
If this journey resonates with you, consider supporting it through our LaunchGood campaign. Your contribution helps fuel the road ahead and supports AMCF’s broader mission of intentional, faith-based giving.
I hope it inspires you to find your own path back to Allah—on the road or at home, in nature or in stillness, through movement or meditation.
May your Dhul Hijjah be full of light, love, and longing.
May your du’as be answered.
May your soul remember what it was made for.
With peace, prayer, and purpose,
Muhi Khwaja
Co-Founder, American Muslim Community Foundation
🌐 amuslimcf.org
Beautiful beautiful. Maa shaa Allah. I enjoyed reading it. May Allah make your journey safe, healthy , easy and may Allah accept all your duas. Ask sincere forgiveness and do repentance. Ask best of Iman and health for all of us. Shifa for all of us and entire Ummah. Acceptance of all duas. And so much more for all of us and everyone.
Make dua for Palestine, Pakistan, Sudan and entire Ummah.
May Allah accept all your duas.
Mashallah Muhi, is that really you by the beaten up Ford Escape. Does not look like you. Good for you for taking this special spiritual journey in the blessed days .
May Allah accept all your prayers and Duas, reflection.
May Allah keep you safe and enjoy the trip. Love to see the pictures and your interviews.
Be well