In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

fi Rihla means “on a journey” in Arabic. It is also woven into my own name, Rahela, which carries the meaning of travel and journey. fi Rihla is a space for those who move through the world slowly, intentionally, and with quiet faith.

This is a travel journal for people who want more from a journey than a checklist of landmarks. It is about traveling gently, listening more than speaking, and trying to leave a lighter footprint. It is especially for those who care deeply about traveling as Muslims, with consciousness and respect.

A journey that began with a name

My grandfather named me Rahela. He was a traveller himself, who journeyed from Bangladesh to London as a child and built a life rooted in faith, community, and service. He passed away in the middle of Ramadan, on the floor of his local masjid, with the shahada on his tongue. His life was a quiet testament to moving with purpose, always oriented towards Allah.

O Allah, forgive him and elevate his station among those who are guided.

fi Rihla is one way of walking the path he modelled: exploring Allah’s creation with conscious intent, trusting that every road and mountain is part of a journey written long before it is booked. It is an attempt to see every landscape, every city, and every fleeting moment of kindness as a sign: a reminder that this world is temporary, and that all roads ultimately lead back to Him.

Travel as reflection, not escape

My solo travels have not been perfect or polished. There have been language barriers, moments of fear, compromises made out of convenience, and long stretches of solitude. But in between, there have also been congregational prayers in unfamiliar cities, desert skies heavy with stars, and corners of mosques where the heart softens without asking permission.

Travel, for me, is not about performing sustainability or spirituality. It is about the attempt. It is about trying to leave a place as found, and noticing how that effort slowly changes you. It is about remembering that this earth, with its mountains, deserts, oceans, and small alleyways, is not just beautiful decoration but a layered invitation to reflect, give thanks, and return to ourselves.

This is an invitation to journey inward, as much as outward

fi Rihla is not a promise of perfect travel. It is simply an honest record of trying—trying to consume less and witness more, to see Allah’s signs in every landscape, and to move through the world as a traveller in every sense of the word.

The stories live in Diaries.

The visual moments are found in Galleries.

A collection of spiritual reflections is in Prayer & Place.

Practical guides will be available soon.