This was the best participant among the brothers for Al Khaadem Youth Camp 2023: 16-year old Muhammad Al-Fatih. Among one of my students in the 16 Leads classroom. My man! 💪🏽
These are five of my personal observations of him throughout the camp, and why I fully support him as the Best Participant:
1. Embodying Valor: Confronting his fears. Very early on in the first module session, I set the tone for the camp on what it is to have Courage and "Valor" (the theme of the camp): Courage isn’t absence of fear, but triumph over it. To confront our fears (through seeking help and putting our Trust in Allah), instead of being defeated or paralyzed by fears.
Since he was homeschooled all his life, and admittedly a shy introvert, he doesn’t know how to socialize, and was terrified to speak in public. During the group presentations towards the end, I told the 16 Leads - since you’re all leaders, I give you guys total freedom to sort out among yourselves, what topics you want to talk about and who are your speakers, given the presentation time.
Guess who stepped up?
Five people stepped up - and they weren’t even the loudest people in the class. And among them, one of them was this dude: my man, Fatih, who wanted to step up to challenge himself, and confront those fears head on.
He later told me that the experience was terrifying - yet satisfying all the same. Now that you’ve confronted that fear once, the next time isn’t going to be so scary. You’ve pushed your boundaries just that bit further.
And that’s what courage looks like to me.
2. Implemented the lessons - In addition to socializing and public speaking, Fatih also confronted another fear: Darkness.
During one of the most intense activities of the camp, where participants went hiking at 2:00am with only one headlight in the team (given to the team leader in front), Fatih’s group was the one furthest behind among the boys. And of all people, he was assigned as the sweeper of the team - walking at the back, just in front of the sisters. As time passed by, the gap with the sisters grew bigger and bigger - and eventually they were lost on his trail. And that was it. There was no person in sight behind him. Total, pitch black darkness, with no one behind you. For a hike that lasted 2 hours, this was terrifying.
What he do?
He implemented the lessons he learnt in our module session, "you are not alone": Keep on reciting surah al-falaq & surah an-nas. As terrified as he was, remember what he learnt and put our trust in Allah. He made it through the activity with zero incidents, a wiser man
3. Responsibility: Stepping up as a leader - Officially, he isn’t the group leader of his team. But his group leader suffered a medical condition that always made him unavailable to be with the team. Without whining, second-guessing, blaming the “unfair circumstances”, or just giving excuses, Fatih voluntarily stepped up to take up the role as group leader. Remember the context: this was someone who was terrified of socializing and speaking up. Stepping up to be a leader was kind of a big deal. When I asked him “why did you step up?” - he said, “seemed like the reasonable thing to do. Who else would do it?”
To him, being responsible - taking accountability - was embedded in his DNA. It is often said that masculinity is taking responsibility. If that were true, you the man, bro.
4. Great student - He was consistently attentive from start to finish. Throughout all 4 module sessions we had together as the 16 Leads, never did I see him doze off or fall asleep, despite the tiredness and late-night timings. Even in the supplementary modules of leadership that ended at 1:00am, Fatih was attentive to the last minute.
5. Took care of the young guy in his group - Early on in the camp, I briefed my 16 Leads: you guys are my abangs (big brothers) of the camp. How you treat your younger brothers in your respective teams, they will remember it. If you treat them with kindness, generosity, respect, and show them encouragement and support, this might be the one event that inspires them and change the course of their lives, because of you. Fatih shared with me that throughout the camp, he really put in the effort took care of the younger group members. And towards the end of the camp, before they all went their separate ways, the younger boy secretly passed a letter to Fatih which read: “I love you”.
Wow. Until that moment, I never knew that 9 or 10-year olds were capable of bromance.
Again, notice a consistent pattern of his behavior: He takes the knowledge to heart, puts it to action, by immediately implementing what he learns.
And that, my friends, is what “best participant” looks like. Well deserved, my brother 🏅
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