Salaam,

 

I'm Saba and I got bipolar a long time ago. Learning about the disorder was easy but getting support for it wasn't. I felt alone in my struggle and misunderstood. Sure the doctor, family and friends helped but no one really *understood* what I was going through.

 

Then, I shared my mental health challenges through my first blog in 2008. That's when my life changed. Alhumdulillah so many different Muslims came forward and shared their own experiences. I didn't feel alone anymore and my healing started.

 

There are a lot of Muslim organizations out there offering mental health services and education but an advocacy group for Muslims with mental illnesses is very uncommon. My hope with Mentally Fit Muslims is to have a peer-to-peer support system where people with depression, bipolar, anxiety, OCD and other disorders can meet others just like them.

 

There is power in stories and hearing about your brother or sister's struggle makes you feel less alone. You know that you're not the only one that feels like this. And that can make all the difference. I'm living proof of that and so many other amazing souls I've met along the way.

 

I've tried twice to start an advocacy organization and "failed" both times. Unfortunately, I didn't think about how I could sustain my work financially. So, I'm starting again, for the third time, and this time I've set up Mentally Fit Muslims as an official non-profit with 501(c)(3) status with the IRS. It's a big deal for me mashaAllah because it means that this organization can continue long after I leave this earth. 

 

This cause is bigger than you and I. You might be suffering right now and helping someone else in their struggle will ease your pain inshaAllah. I have no numbers to prove that (not yet) but it's kinda of an unsaid universal law I've found to be true in my experience.

 

Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“If anyone relieves a Muslim believer from one of the hardships of this worldly life, Allah will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. If anyone makes it easy for the one who is indebted to him (while finding it difficult to repay), Allah will make it easy for him in this worldly life and in the Hereafter, and if anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah helps His slave as long as he helps his brother.” Related by Muslim.

 

So please give generously to make sure I can keep raising awareness and giving a voice to the Muslims suffering silently. 

 

So far, I've been funding all my work through my own pocket and have volunteered all my time and I'll be honest, it's exhausting. A 20 min podcast episode takes me about a month to produce. I do it part-time as I raise my kids so it does take me long. I want to change that and hire more help so this work is not all on me. 

 

I made that mistake before with my last two blogs and I'm determined to learn this time inshaAllah. Some people also make fun of me that I start a project and then stop. I let them because with MFM I'm going to prove them wrong! And I need your help for that :) Read on for some info about our organization (currently it's just my husband and I) below. You can also see what expenses I have covered for MentallyFitMuslims.org this year and what future things I need help in sustaining.

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Mentally Fit Muslims is a non-profit organization that advocates for the mental health of Muslims. We are looking for your support to sustain our work and continue advocating for those who need us most.

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Our mission is to advocate for the mental health of Muslims, provide education on how to recognize signs of mental illness in oneself or others, and connect people with resources that can help them achieve their goals. We do this through podcast episodes, ebooks and videos.

 

You can make all the difference in someone’s life by donating today! Your donation will go towards helping us continue and sustain our advocacy efforts so we can reach more Muslims who need us right now. Every little bit helps! Also, inshaAllah we will post MFM's budget and financial report soon so you can see exactly where your hard earned money is invested in. We need your patience and prayers. 

 

All donations are securely processed and handled by an independent third party (Donorbox). Click HERE to see our financial report.