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The story
Why this fundraiser matters
Zulfah Adekunle - Raising funds towards a Nasfat GTB community centre that stands as a beacon of hope, worship, and belonging for generations to come.
Nasfat GTB Hiking Event – Seven Sisters Cliffs
A Journey of Reflection, Connection & Barakah!
We hope that this finds you in good health and good spirits.
The beauty of Allah’s creation is all around us, and walking together strengthens our bonds and deepens our gratitude. Some members of Nasfat Grays Thurrock Branch (GTB) will be hiking part of the Seven Sisters Cliffs on Saturday, 19 July 2025 (as part of the 10th anniversary program of events), taking the opportunity to reflect, rejuvenate, and raise vital funds for our community.
I will be taking part in this hike and would really appreciate your support and sponsorship.
All funds raised will go towards a community centre that we hope will be a beacon of hope, worship and belonging for generations to come.
Please see below for more information about Nasfat GTB.
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NASRUL-LAHI-L-FATIH SOCIETY (GRAYS THURROCK BRANCH), also known as Nasfat GTB, is an Islamic charity organisation based in the heart of Thurrock in Essex, United Kingdom. Our mission is "to develop an enlightened Muslim society, nurtured by a true understanding of Islam for the spiritual upliftment and welfare of mankind", and three of our eight shared values are:
- Being caring, humane and tolerant;
- Projecting the beauty of Islam in words and deeds; and
- Pursuit of knowledge
We started in Grays in 2015 with 12 members living in Thurrock looking for an opportunity to build a community where our children will feel safe in future, a community where like-minded individuals can regularly meet to uplift and empower one another, a community where law-abiding citizens can feel they belong. With no government assistance, these individuals raised funds to rent a school hall, and purchase needed equipment and furniture to start the Branch. This Branch has now grown from 12 to almost 300 members (including children, youths and adults).
Our vision as a Thurrock-based charity is to establish a welcoming centre where people of all backgrounds can feel a sense of belonging, grow spiritually and intellectually, and engage meaningfully with the community.
We provide:
- a safe place to be yourself,
- weekly face-to-face congregational gatherings with stimulating relevant seminars, lecturers and symposiums,
- counselling (including bereavement), mentoring and upskilling services for those who need it,
- secular and Islamic lessons for children, and Qur'an classes for everyone, including adults,
- Sporting activities for all,
- opportunities to celebrate the month of Ramadan, the two Eid festivals, Father's/Mother's/Children's days, and many other events and programs,
- regular food bank donations to Thurrock Food Bank, and other donations to hospitals and shelters,
- etc.
Despite our wide range of services, we currently operate from rented school halls and classrooms. These come with high costs, limited hours, and occasional last-minute cancellations, affecting our ability to serve those who need us most.
We have therefore been fundraising since inception (2015) so we can purchase a permanent premise to continue to provide these services and many others, including regularly opening our doors to feed the homeless, providing safe warm spaces in winter months, subsidised creche for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, SEND, people, etc.
FUNDRAISING PROGRESS: As of the end of May 2025, we have raised nearly £400,000 - Alhamdulilai (Praise/Thanks be to God)! However, property prices in Thurrock range between £800,000 and £1,000,000. We still need approximately £600,000 to realise our dream!
On October 18, 2025, we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary, and we would like to use the months leading up to and immediately after this celebration to raise the much-needed funds so we can do much more, serve our wider community more rigorously, and ultimately build a house on this earth for Allah!
This is more than a fundraiser - it's a shared mission. We call on every supporter, friend, and well-wisher to help us take the next bold step. Together, we can build a lasting legacy for generations to come!
We accept:
- one-off donations,
- continuous monthly donations via direct debits or standing orders, and
- Qard al-hasan (benevolent loan), an Islamic concept of interest-free lending based on the principle of helping others without expecting a financial gain.
Thanks in advance for your donations.
Jazakumullah Khairan (May God reward you all with goodness)!
For the Muslims willing to help us build this community centre and masjid, remember that Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was reported to have said:
“Whosoever shares in building a masjid for Allah SWT, even if it is as small as a bird’s nest, then Allah SWT will build for him a house in Paradise” (Ahmad)
