Salaam and hello!

We’re Dom Idris (Chair) and Rabia (Outreach Trustee) from Hidayah LGBTQI+, and on 14th September 2025, we’ll be lacing up our trainers to run the Chippenham Half Marathon to raise £1,500 in support of LGBTQI+ Muslims.

This isn’t just a run, it’s a Run for Love.

We're running for the people at the heart of Hidayah: our service users. The people who inspire us every day with their strength, resilience and stories. For those searching for acceptance, connection and community, we run for them. We run for love.

Hidayah, meaning 'guidance' in Arabic, is more than just an organisation, it’s a lifeline. For LGBTQI+ Muslims who often feel caught between worlds, Hidayah offers a safe space to be both queer and Muslim without compromise. It’s a home for those who have been rejected, silenced or erased, and your support will help us keep building that home.

The funds we raise will go directly to supporting our service users through:

- Safe spaces and peer support;

- Mental health and wellbeing services;

- Spiritual and faith-based guidance;

- Outreach, education and advocacy.

Hidayah is a completely volunteer-run organisation and none of our incredible team receive payment for their time or dedication. Every penny raised will go directly into supporting Hidayah’s work and helping us better serve our community.

Why This Matters: The Unique Struggles of LGBTQI+ Muslims

LGBTQI+ Muslims face intersectional barriers that make their experiences distinct within the wider LGBTQI+ community. Many endure:

- Rejection from religious spaces that should offer compassion and guidance;

- Stigma or ostracisation from family and cultural communities;

- Islamophobia and racism within LGBTQI+ circles where they should feel safe.

Too often, our service users are made to feel like they must choose between their faith and their identity, between being Muslim and being queer. Hidayah says: you don’t have to choose, you can be both. You are whole, you are loved and you belong.

By supporting this campaign, you’re helping us remind LGBTQI+ Muslims everywhere that they are not alone.

Join Us - Run for Love

We’re training hard, motivated by the courage of our community. Every step we take is for the people we serve. Every mile we run is an act of solidarity and a declaration: you are worthy of love.

Please donate if you can, share widely, and help us reach our £1,500 goal. Your support fuels the movement and helps ensure that no LGBTQI+ Muslim ever has to walk this path alone.

With love,

Dom & Rabia

Part of the Hidayah LGBTQI+ team