A group of five British Muslims are nearing the end of a remarkable 7,400 km sea voyage from the UK to Makkah to perform Haj, reviving a long-forgotten pilgrimage route while raising funds for orphan care.
The group, aged between 27 and 47, set sail from the English Channel on April 1 and are expected to reach Jeddah later this week. The adventurers — Abdul Wahid, Tauseef Ahmed, Jody McIntyre, Dobbir Uddin, and Taher Akhtar — began the journey with no previous sailing experience, undergoing six months of intensive training before departure.
Docking recently in Ismailia, northeastern Egypt, the crew reflected on the highs and lows of their 55-day voyage aboard their 1978 Westerly 33 Ketch. Their path included the English Channel, the Port of Marseille, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, the Strait of Messina, the Suez Canal, and finally the Red Sea toward Saudi Arabia.
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Speaking to Arab media, 38-year-old Abdul Wahid shared the spiritual and cultural inspiration behind the journey. “It is kind of merging our religion, Islam, with the country we are residing in, and reviving this long-forgotten way to Haj,” he said.
The journey hasn’t been without challenges. In France, a 24 km canal blockage forced the group to lift their boat onto a truck, causing a four-day delay. They also faced a terrifying leak onboard, which was fortunately repaired in time. Despite such hurdles, the group has embraced the adventure with gratitude and determination.
“We dreamed of a journey at sea — and made it a reality,” Wahid said. “It was a terrifying challenge, but alhamdulillah, we had a great reward and we are safe.”
The group has been documenting their journey on social media, capturing stunning seascapes, stormy weather, and even encounters with dolphins. Through this expedition, they have also managed to raise over £200,000 ($266,000) for Global Helping Hands, supporting orphans in Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Uganda, and among Syrian refugees.
“This amount will support orphans in many places,” Wahid added. “The second goal of this journey is for Da’wah — to showcase the beauty of pilgrimage in Islam in its original essence, in ancient ways whether it was walking, horse-riding, or in this case sailing.”
Their final leg — from Port Suez to Jeddah — is being undertaken in coordination with BWA Yachting Club KSA, the Red Sea Authority, and supported by JYC facilities.
As they near the sacred city of Makkah, the British sailors are not only fulfilling a personal and spiritual goal but are also sharing a powerful message of faith, resilience, and unity with the world.
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