By Professor Dr Atif Amin Al Hussaini
“He gave his wealth in charity to purify himself. Not as payment for favours received, but longed for the pleasure of His Lord, the Highest…”(Al-Layl: 18-21)
Under the celestial guidance of the Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH ﷺ, Hazrat Dr Pir Syed Lakhte Hassanain, the visionary founder and chairman of Muslim Hands UK, has embarked upon a soul-stirring journey through West Africa a radiant testament to transforming Divine Love into earthly mercy. With the celestial fragrance of Ihsan (excellence in devotion) and Rahma (universal compassion), his historic road pilgrimage through Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and The Gambia heralds a groundbreaking 360° Transformation Roadmap designed to liberate West Africa from poverty’s chains through sacred economics, digital enlightenment, and educational revival.
The spiritual caravan: First steps on West African soil
In an unprecedented act of solidarity, His Highness traversed the red-earth roads connecting Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and The Gambia—the first Muslim Hands chairman to journey thus. This terrestrial suluk (spiritual path) symbolised unity with the marginalised. In Guinea-Bissau, his arrival ignited luminous engagements: – Diplomatic Illumination: Meetings with the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, and tribal elders forged covenants of cooperation for sustainable development.- Nourishing Bodies and Souls: Distribution of 600+ sacks of blessed rice to famine-afflicted families, embodying the Prophetic tradition of it’am al-ta’am (feeding the hungry) . – Seeding Joy and Talent: Gifting footballs to youth academies—recognizing sport as jihad al-nafs (struggle for self-purification) against despair. Meanwhile, Muslim Hands country directors from Niger, Nigeria, The Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, France, and the UK convened in sacred council (majlis al-shura), crystallising localised strategies to ignite His Eminence’s visionary roadmap.
The four pillars of West Africa’s sacred renaissance
I. Tazkiyah Through Economic Empowerment: Breaking Poverty’s Chains. Guided by the Qur’anic imperative to “break the shackles of debt” (Al-Balad: 11-13), Dr Hassanain launched initiatives to transmute subsistence into self-sustenance: – Fishing communities’ resurrection: Bestowal of artisan-crafted boats upon Gambian, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania coastal families, tools for halal sustenance (rizq) and engines of entrepreneurship. – Women’s marketplaces of hope: Construction of solar-powered market hubs in Senegal where women vendors access microloans, refrigeration, and fair-trade networks—manifesting Amal Salih (righteous action) through commerce. – Agrarian mercy: Distribution of packets of drought-resistant seeds alongside training in prophetic agricultural practices.
Table: Economic Empowerment Targets (2025-2030)
IT entrepreneurship:
Recognising technology as this century’s greatest (blessing), His Eminence declared: “Our youth must wield coding as a sword against ignorance—transforming digital threats into opportunities for Ummatic renaissance.” -Pilot Tech Incubators: Launching IT entrepreneurship hubs in Nigeria and Senegal, offering robotics, AI ethics, and e-commerce training anchored in Adab al-Ikhtilat (ethical engagement). – Solar-Powered Digital Madrasas: Converting existing schools into e-learning centers across Mali and Niger merging ‘ilm (knowledge) with innovation.
Tarbiyah complexes: Citadels of light.
Inspired by the Prophet’s ﷺ maxim “Seek knowledge from cradle to grave,” Dr Hassanain unveiled plans for Educational Cities in Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, The Gambia, and Nigeria, while elevating Mauritania, Mali, and Niger’s Schools of Excellence into holistic ecosystems. Each complex embodies: – Integrated Quranic/Academic Curriculum. – Vocational training centers (fard kifayah skills) – Sports academies nurturing bodily khilafah (stewardship). Mobile Mercy: Doorstep Healthcare Revolution. Echoing the Motherkind clinics that saved 176,000 lives in Afghanistan and Somalia, His Eminence decreed: “No mother shall die birthing life, nor do children perish uncare for, even if we must carry hospitals on wheels!”- Caravan Clinics: Mobile units delivering prenatal care, vaccinations, and nutrition screening to remote villages—prioritising the mustad’afeen(oppressed) . – Tele-Fatwa Medicine: Partnerships with Al-Azhar tele-medics providing spiritual-psychological healing (shifa al-qulub) alongside treatment.
The Sufi diplomacy: Unity beyond borders.
His road journey, the first by any Muslim Hands leader across three West African nations, epitomised the Sulh-i-Kul (universal reconciliation) ethos. By gifting fishing boats to Christians in Bissau, seeds to animist farmers in Casamance, and footballs to Muslim youth in Bakau, he embodied the Divine Attribute Al-Rahman mercy embracing all creation.
A blazing tribute: To the Architects of Mercy
“If one relieves a believer of distress in this world, Allah will relieve him of distress on the Day of Resurrection.”(Sahih Muslim) Dr Hassanain’s celestial gaze turned toward the unseen heroes: Donors: Whose £30 million/year generosity (2019-2020) fuels this mercy —especially Gaza’s £8.5 million lifeline.
The eternal wellspring: A legacy carved in light
As the caravan advances toward Mauritania and Mali, the chairman’s soul whispers the dhikr of his forebears: “Be a spring to the thirsty, a refuge to the frightened, a lamp in the darkness.” From Nottingham’s humble mosque where Muslim Hands was born in 1993, to the construction of more than 3,837 wells across Asia/Africa Dr Hassanain’s life embodies Sadaqah Jariyah. Now, West Africa becomes the new canvas for his Quranic vision: lifting the mustad’afeen into khulafa al-ard (earth’s stewards). “Our feet walk the earth, but our souls touch the Throne every clinic built, every seed sown, every child taught is a prostration before the Divine,” Dr Pir Syed Lakhte Hassanain.
Biography: Dr Pir Syed Lakhte Hassanain, recipient of Pakistan’s Sitara-e-Imtiaz (2020), founder of Muslim Hands (1993), oversees £30 million/year in humanitarian projects across 40+ countries. His lineage traces to the last holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through his father, Pir Syed Bashir. To support, visit muslimhands.org.uk.
