Updated 27 November 2013

Mentoring for the Madinah and Bab Course in 2013 has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life; the opportunities to gain, learn and serve were endless.  I thank the Almighty for the chance to have met so many talented and vibrant sisters from different backgrounds and communities around the world.

It is incredible how much can be packed into less than three weeks. The organisers did a fantastic job enabling us to visit a variety of places, benefit from inspiring scholars and spend valuable time getting to know fellow participants. From holy shrines to historical excursions, tourist attractions to swimming, the activities were endless!

The mentoring experience taught me a great deal about my own personality - my strengths, weaknesses and characteristics - but most importantly I learnt that serving others is in itself a spiritual journey. It was tough, striving to help our mentees focus their attention on aiming for lofty goals during the course, but as I stepped back to look at our progress day in, day out, I felt that we were also striving to instil the same goals in ourselves too.

To anyone who is unsure about whether the mentoring experience is for them, or who are hesitant about whether they can do it, I assure you that this is a journey of self-development and spirituality in the best of places, and one which you will never regret.

By sister Zaahida Walji of Stanmore (currently studying in Qum)