A Bradford jeweller is to gift a family the opportunity to perform Umrah after returning from an emotional pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah with 19 members of his own family.
Mukhtar, owner of Mangla Jewellers on Horton Grange Road, made the journey alongside members of his family, including his four siblings and 92-year-old father.
It was Mukhtar’s 49th Umrah, but travelling together as such a large family made the latest pilgrimage particularly special and gave him an opportunity to step away from the pressures of business, reflect on life and appreciate how fortunate he had been.
Now, after returning to Bradford, Mukhtar wants another family to have the opportunity to experience the same spiritual journey and blessings by gifting them an Umrah pilgrimage.
“Going to Umrah is one of the most special experiences of my life and I am so blessed that Allah has given me a thriving business,” said Mukhtar.
“I now want to give something back to the community who supported me and help them gain the same blessings and experience.”
For Mukhtar and his family, the recent pilgrimage offered a rare opportunity to leave behind the hustle and bustle of everyday life and spend time together in two of Islam’s holiest cities.
Umrah is a pilgrimage to Makkah which, unlike Hajj, can be undertaken at different times throughout the year. For Muslims, it is an important act of worship and an opportunity for prayer, reflection and spiritual renewal.
The family also visited Madinah, home to the Prophet’s Mosque, during their journey.
For Mukhtar, having his 92-year-old father alongside him, as well as his siblings and other members of the family, added another dimension to an experience he has undertaken many times before.
Surrounded by Muslims who had travelled from across the world, the journey provided an opportunity to slow down and reflect on faith, family and a business which has been supported by Bradford’s communities for more than half a century.
Mangla Jewellers first opened in 1971 and has since become an established name on Horton Grange Road, specialising in Asian gold jewellery.
Over the decades, the business has served generations of families, often seeing customers return at different stages of their lives.
People who once visited the jewellers for pieces to mark their own weddings have returned years later when their children are getting married, while generations of families have bought jewellery to celebrate engagements, weddings, Eid and other significant occasions.
It was that relationship with generations of customers which Mukhtar found himself reflecting on during his latest pilgrimage.
Despite having performed Umrah 48 times previously, stepping away from the day-to-day demands of business with his family gave him time to consider the success he has enjoyed and the people who have helped make it possible.
The experience left him wanting to turn that gratitude into something meaningful for someone else.
Rather than simply thanking customers for their support, Mukhtar now wants to give a family an opportunity to make the same spiritual journey that has meant so much to him.
For Muslims, the opportunity to perform Umrah can hold considerable spiritual significance, but the cost of international travel, accommodation and other expenses can mean making the journey is not always within reach for every family.
By covering the cost of Umrah for another family, Mukhtar hopes they will have the opportunity to experience Makkah and Madinah and create their own special memories.
The gesture comes more than five decades after Mangla Jewellers first began serving Bradford, and for Mukhtar, the longevity of the business is intertwined with the loyalty of the communities around it.
After years spent helping customers choose gold jewellery to mark some of the most important moments in their families’ lives, he now hopes to mark that relationship in a very different way.
And despite completing Umrah 49 times himself, Mukhtar says the spiritual significance of making the journey has not diminished.
This time, travelling with 19 members of his family served as a reminder of what he values most – faith, family and gratitude.
Now he wants another family to be given the chance to experience those same blessings for themselves.
Mangla Jewellers will be announcing further details on how a family will be selected and arrangements for their Umrah pilgrimage in due course.
