Trump, Ibn Battuta, and The Future of Muslim Travel

Hadi Shakuur 🚀
Muzbnb
Published in
3 min readJan 11, 2017

How one start-up seeks to change the way Muslims travel and live.

“Now is the perfect time for Muzbnb. We owe it to ourselves, Muslims and other people of faith and moral conviction to open our hearts and our homes with Muzbnb. This venture is on the ball. I am listing my vacation home in Barbados on Muzbnb. Remember your either part of the solution or you’re part of the problem. Muzbnb you’ve got my full support!” — Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, Outreach Director of Dar al-Hijra Islamic Center of Northern Virginia

Traveling while Muslim can be complicated. Let’s face it — in the current climate, Muslims are subjected to a barrage of stereotypes and sometimes even harassment. When we travel we represent our religion and way of life (and all its baggage). Travelers of all kinds want to feel welcome and connected with the community — and Muslims are no different.

Besides the threat of Islamophobia, we Muslims have particular things to consider when we travel, like:

  1. Where to offer Prayer,
  2. Where to find Halal food,
  3. Finding religiously acceptable events/activities, and finally
  4. Locating Muslim friendly lodging.

Thinking about where you will get your snooze on should be the least of your worries. Unfortunately, it’s not. See here, here, and here.

I highly believe that for every issue we face there is a solution. Over the past few months I have been working diligently on a project with two close companions of mine to solve this problem. This project is something that we hope will alleviate the undue discrimination Muslims have faced when traveling, and also allow Muslims to travel and explore freely like the legendary Ibn Battuta, whose curiosity led him to travel during a time when few had the means or the courage.

Introducing the Muslim homestay experience of the future: Muzbnb!

“Muzbnb is all about pushing the envelope, and being innovative and resilient in the face of doubt and bigotry. Muslims have contributed to countless successful companies throughout this nation, and now it’s time for us to create something of our own. A platform that not only serves this faith-based community, but ALL faith-based communities. It’s going to be awesome.” — Hadi Shakuur, Co-Founder/CEO, Muzbnb

Muzbnb is a faith-based peer-to-peer online marketplace & homestay network which seeks to encourage travel, adventure, and the building of a global community where Muslims feel comfortable and accepted while traveling. Muzbnb allows Muslims the ability to host and book halal accommodations for leisure or business travel anywhere in the world.

#DidYouKnow: The United States is the biggest beneficiary of global Muslim tourism?

What Makes Muzbnb Unique?

Aside from the typical amenities you may find in one of our homes such as wifi, stocked kitchens, complimentary breakfast, and personalized city tours — we also have search filters that highlight homes that are;

  • Close to Mosques or halal eateries,
  • Stocked with Qurans or Islamic literature,
  • Equipped with dedicated prayer spaces,
  • Alcohol-free + Drug-free,
  • Safe for women traveling alone,
  • Child-friendly, and much more!

Guests can also expect to experience a non-Islamophobic stay — feeling completely welcome from check-in to check-out!

We want you to feel at home even when you are hundreds of miles away from it.

Travelers can book single rooms, entire apartments, houses, resorts, villas, and more. Hosts can also be at ease knowing they are renting to verified travelers, who value the sanctity of their home just as much as they value the needs of their guests.

“Muzbnb is an exciting venture catering not only to the needs of Muslim travelers but also anyone who wants a family friendly environment. As someone who constantly travels I’m looking forward to being able to land in a strange place and be welcomed by hosts who understand my needs!” — Rabia Chaudry, NYT Best Selling Author & National Security Fellow at the New America Foundation

As Muzbnb grows, so will our impact. Embedded in our organization is a promise to help charitable and relief causes with a portion of our earnings. A new day is amongst us and with your support we hope to make it brighter than ever !

How Can You Get Involved?

At Muzbnb, Make The World Your Home!

“Muzbnb affords Muslims the blessing of travel while ensuring that the places they stay conform to religious dictates. Additionally, it is a great way to keep the dollar in our community. As a frequent traveler, I look forward to using Muzbnb.” — Imam Suhaib Webb, American Islamic Scholar

The Founders of Muzbnb, Hadi Shakur, Irfan Aziz, & Muhammad Oda have expert ninja skills in Business Development, Storytelling, and Adventure. Their powers combined helped build Muzbnb. With a diverse set of skills and abilities, this team is dedicated to delivering a platform that Muslims could truly be proud of. Join us today as we revive the tradition of exceptional hospitality and adventure.

**Muzbnb is currently in pre-launch mode and is scheduled to fully launch in April 2017.

For more information please email: salaam@muzbnb.com

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Hadi Shakuur 🚀
Muzbnb
Editor for

Entrepreneur + Designer | Founder + CEO of @Muzbnb | @Redskins + @Lakers Fan | #Washingtonian | Proud #Muslim + #Father 👑 ✨