I’m Walad, the youngest in the Foulane family. I had been dreaming of my first trip to Madinah with my eyes wide open. But summer there is no joke: the sun beats down, and at the Awlad School camp you have to concentrate. Between my prayers and my urge to run, play football and explore, let’s just say the “Rocket-Engine Lion” finds it hard to sit still.
Everything changed when I met Soufyan, the young keeper of the palm grove next door. Proud and a little stern, he wasn’t pleased to see us city kids arriving. But I discovered the weight on his shoulders: an unprecedented drought was threatening his family’s harvest. For the first time, they might lose their greatest privilege — supplying dates for Ramadan iftars at the Prophet’s Mosque ﷺ.
So, without thinking too hard, I made a promise from the heart. We shook hands: “I’m ready for the challenge. Are you?” — “All right, Walad… in sha Allah!”
The problem is that looking after hundreds of palm trees is not something you can improvise. To finish before the first day of Ramadan, we had to build a team: Enes, the always-connected tech enthusiast; Karim, the neighbourhood rebel; Kepa, the shy Indonesian boy; and Soufyan, who didn’t even want us there. Luckily, my big sister Binti — the family’s brains — always had an idea to get me out of trouble.
Together, with Oustadh to guide us, we learned what Tawakkul, trust in Allah, means: patience, effort and supporting one another.
If you’re ready, come with me on this unforgettable adventure… in sha Allah!