Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings, registrations and participations in our camps, courses and related services.

Provider:

Medina Camps

Jabir Bin Subh Al-Rasibi 3489, 42314 Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Represented by: Sherzad Kalaf Mohe

Email: info@medina-camps.com

By registering – whether via WhatsApp, email or our website – you confirm that you accept these terms.

We offer a learning and living environment in Medina. What exactly is included in each package (e.g. Arabic or Quran lessons, accommodation, shuttle) follows from the specific course or package you book and from the descriptions published on our website.

We communicate the status, scope and availability of packages transparently on the website and in personal contact. Adjustments to individual components (e.g. teachers, rooms, times) may be necessary in exceptional cases and are announced as early as possible.

Umrah

Umrah is not part of our packages and is not organised by us. We consciously leave it to each individual participant – this has proven cheaper and more flexible: everyone can choose their own timing, length of stay in Mecca and number of Umrahs, alone or together with other participants. We're happy to share tips and guidance for your planning if needed.

Our camp is a shared learning and living environment – similar to a quiet shared apartment or a student hostel with a strong focus on study. It is explicitly not a hotel, and we say so openly so you know exactly what to expect.

What that means in practice:

• The accommodation is handed over to you clean, with fresh bed linen and a ready-to-use living unit.

• During your stay there is no daily cleaning staff. You and your fellow residents take care of order and cleanliness together – this is part of the character of our camp.

• A vacuum cleaner, a broom and the usual cleaning tools are available on site; standard cleaning products are generally provided, as long as stocks last.

• The furnishing is solid, functional and designed for daily life and study: standard beds with mattresses, simple furniture, air conditioning. We consciously focus our resources on what really matters – good teaching, a smooth daily routine and a fair price-quality balance.

• Sandy climate: Saudi Arabia is a dusty country. Even in rooms that have just been cleaned, fine dust may settle on furniture and surfaces during the day – this is normal here and not a cleaning issue. Please consider regular wiping as a natural part of living on-site (see § 8 House rules).

If you expect a hotel, our camp may not be the right fit. If you value a focused learning community in Medina, you'll find exactly the right environment here.

Language of instruction: Arabic

Our lessons are taught exclusively in Arabic – with no intermediate language and no translation into your mother tongue. This immersion method is the proven approach at well-known Arabic institutes in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other countries. It enables the fastest, most natural entry into the language: from day one you start thinking and speaking in Arabic instead of falling back on your mother tongue.

Our teachers are specifically trained for this method: they teach Arabic explicitly for non-Arabs and for learners who don't yet speak Arabic. As a non-Arab you don't need to worry – you'll be guided into the language step by step by very experienced teachers. Real progress comes from daily practice, repetition and speaking – also outside class hours (see § 9 Participant duties).

Class times and number of hours

The teaching hours stated in our packages (e.g. "2 hours of Arabic per day") refer to the planned time frame for our classes with a typical group size.

Good to know:

• The actual length of a lesson may vary slightly – depending on group size, learning progress and the day's schedule.

• If a group is smaller than usual, the planned content is often covered more quickly. Lessons can then be a little shorter.

• Prayer times always come first in Medina and can shift teaching blocks accordingly.

We strive to deliver the content of each package within the agreed framework. The learning goal of the day matters more to us than a strict clock time.

Our Quran lessons follow a structure that is different from a classic front-of-class lecture, and closer to a traditional madrasa: the teacher sets an individual learning plan for each student – how much should be memorised and how much should be reviewed.

It is up to the student to fulfill that plan. There are two ways to do this:

• You use the lesson time to memorise the assigned material on the spot and recite it to the teacher at the end of the lesson.

• Or you prepare in advance (e.g. in the evening or in the morning) and recite the material right at the start of the next lesson. Once you have recited and the teacher considers the task fulfilled, your duty for that day is complete.

The hour of Quran instruction is therefore mainly the time when your teacher is available for you: for recitation, questions, new verses and corrections. You can use the full hour – or, if you are already prepared, finish your class day earlier and use the rest of the day freely. The bulk of the actual memorisation is naturally done outside the teacher's time, as is customary in traditional Quran study.

We provide a shuttle service between accommodation and study venue. The type of vehicle depends on the group size:

• For smaller groups, a car shuttle is typically used.

• Once participant numbers are correspondingly higher, we arrange a shuttle bus.

• Men and women travel in separate shuttle runs at different times – aligned with their respective class schedules.

How it works:

• Departure times are communicated to participants in advance.

• Changes are announced as soon as we know about them.

• If we are aware of a delay, we pass that information on to the affected participants.

• If the shuttle should ever fail to arrive without prior notice, please contact our on-site administration promptly – we will follow up immediately.

Our accommodation is located in Medina, in the Al-Mabuth neighbourhood.

Distances you should realistically plan for:

• To the Prophet's Mosque: about 10–15 minutes by car.

• We are therefore not within immediate walking distance of the Prophet's Mosque, but consciously located slightly outside the centre – with significantly more quiet, our own camp area, noticeably lower everyday prices than directly around the Prophet's Mosque (a benefit for students when it comes to groceries, restaurants and daily needs), and good access to supermarkets, pharmacies and restaurants.

• Trips to and from the Prophet's Mosque are organised by participants themselves (e.g. by taxi or app service). On request and for an additional fee we can also arrange a separate shuttle to the Prophet's Mosque – just let us know.

• Our regular shuttle service (see § 6) only runs between accommodation and study venue, not to the Prophet's Mosque.

Please factor this location into your planning – it is part of our concept and allows us to keep the overall value of the camp fair.

So that everyone feels comfortable, please pay attention to the following points:

Careful use of resources

• Please switch on lights, air conditioning and fans / extractors only when they are actually needed – and turn them off when you leave the room.

• When you leave the accommodation (e.g. for class), please turn off any appliances you don't actively need.

• We see this as a matter of course – also from an Islamic perspective, where wastefulness should be avoided.

Beds and wardrobes

• Please only use the bed and wardrobe that have been assigned to you.

• Some beds have a protective film over the bedding. The film keeps the bedding fresh, dust-free and ready for use. Please remove the film only on the bed assigned to you; please don't remove film on other beds.

Separation of men's and women's areas

• The camp has clearly separated areas for men and women – both in the accommodation and in the learning environment. This separation is part of the character of our camp and a basic condition for respectful coexistence.

• Men do not enter the women's area; women do not enter the men's area.

• Encounters outside the respective areas (e.g. for family bookings or in contact with the administration) take place in the designated shared zones and in a respectful manner. The shuttle itself runs separately for men and women at different times anyway.

Shared use of common rooms

• Hallways, the kitchen, the fitness area, the bathrooms and other shared rooms are used jointly by all residents.

• Please don't claim any shared space exclusively for yourself without first agreeing with the other residents.

• If you arrange an internal allocation among yourselves (e.g. who preferably uses which bathroom), that is of course possible – on the basis of mutual agreement.

Quiet and consideration

• The camp is a place for studying, reading, sleeping and resting. Please keep a quiet volume, especially during study and sleeping hours.

• Please listen to media (videos, calls, study material) through headphones – so that neither neighbours nor other residents are disturbed.

• Playing music is not permitted anywhere in the accommodation – neither through loudspeakers nor at high volume through headphones.

• The living area may be a little more lively than the bedrooms; even there, the principle applies: mutual consideration and a respectful volume.

• Please do not use noisy appliances (e.g. vacuum cleaner) during typical sleeping hours.

Care and cleanliness

• Please treat all furniture and equipment with care.

• Keep your area, the kitchen and the shared spaces clean and tidy. A vacuum cleaner and broom are available on site; standard cleaning products are generally kept in stock for you – once they're used up, each resident kindly helps out by picking up a refill from the nearby supermarket.

• Due to the sandy climate in Saudi Arabia, fine dust settles on furniture and surfaces every day (see § 3). Please wipe tables, bedside tables, headboards and other surfaces regularly – that keeps your area pleasant.

• The accommodation is to be left in the same condition in which it was handed over – clean, tidy and ready for the next participants.

Kitchen

• Please wash dishes, pans and pots straight after use. Let them dry on the drying rack and then put them back in their place – that way the sink stays free and inviting for the next person.

• Every utensil has its place. Please don't leave anything lying around.

• At the stove, please follow the usual safety practices: never leave it unattended, keep flammable items away, switch off burners and plates immediately after cooking.

• Please switch the extractor fan on while cooking, so that smells don't travel to other living areas – and switch it off again once cooking is done.

• Please only run the air conditioning in the kitchen while someone is in there; when you leave the kitchen, turn it off.

• Coffee machine: please do not pour used coffee grounds into the sink – empty the grounds container regularly and clean the filter. If the water tank is empty, please refill it with fresh water so the machine is ready for the next person. Cups go straight from use to rinse to back into the cupboard.

• Fridge and freezer: please store your food in a clearly identifiable own area and don't mix it with that of others. Please don't take food belonging to other residents – only use what is yours.

• Drinking water: in Saudi Arabia, tap water is usually not used for drinking. Drinking and cooking water is brought in as bottles from the supermarket. The water from the taps is meant for showering, hand-washing and rinsing dishes – not for drinking.

Bathroom and toilet

• Please do not throw toilet paper into the toilet – the Saudi sewage system is not designed for it and blockages occur quickly. Use the bin provided in the bathroom instead.

• Please leave the bathroom clean after every use: rinse the sink, no toothpaste residue, wipe down surfaces where needed. That way the next housemate finds a pleasant bathroom.

• Please also take care not to leave any unpleasant smells behind – that way the bathroom stays pleasant and welcoming for all housemates.

Laundry and washing machine

• As soon as a wash cycle is finished, please take the laundry straight out and hang it on the drying racks provided. That way the machine is quickly free for the next housemate.

• Please do not hang laundry inside the bedrooms, over wardrobe doors, on the bed, the bedside table or any other furniture – only on the drying racks.

• Once the laundry is dry, please take it down promptly and put it away in your wardrobe, so the next residents have space to hang up their own.

• Please pick a sensible, ideally short cycle – not an unnecessarily long mode that blocks the machine longer than needed. This avoids conflicts and lets everyone get their turn.

Living area and furniture

• Sofas and seating areas are arranged so that they feel welcoming for everyone. Please put cushions back in their place after use.

• Please do not rearrange or swap the layout of the sofa or the backrests on your own – the room stays in the condition it is meant to be in.

Fitness area

• The equipment in the fitness area may only be used if you confidently know how the respective exercise works. If unsure, please ask briefly beforehand.

• For safety reasons, please only set weights that you can actually control – not more than you can safely move yourself.

• Please always use your own towel during training (hygiene and protection of the upholstery). Use without a towel is not permitted.

• Weights, dumbbells and accessories belong back in their place after use, so the next user finds everything in order.

• Please apply general athletic caution: warm up sufficiently, listen to your own body, stop if you feel pain or unwell. Use of the fitness area is at your own responsibility.

Waste and disposal

• Please take the waste out regularly to the public bins on the street – the usual city bins in Saudi Arabia can be used, any of them is fine.

• Please don't accumulate waste in bedrooms, the kitchen, hallways or shared spaces. Prompt disposal prevents smells and pests and keeps everything tidy.

Courtyard and outdoor areas

• In the courtyard and on the outdoor areas of the building, please do not leave or throw down any rubbish, food remains or other waste. Waste belongs in the bins provided.

Non-smoking accommodation and no pets

• Smoking is not permitted anywhere in our accommodation – this includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes and shisha.

• Out of consideration for other residents and for hygienic reasons, pets are not allowed in the accommodation.

Consumables

• On arrival we provide a limited starter set of consumables (e.g. one roll of toilet paper, basic cleaning supplies to get started).

• Once this starter set is used up, each resident is responsible for restocking – e.g. toilet paper, washing-up liquid, soap and personal hygiene items. Supermarkets are within walking distance.

• As mentioned, we do not run our camp as a hotel; ongoing restocking of consumables by us is not part of the service.

Water dispenser

• A water dispenser is provided in the men's accommodation for free use.

• The water bottles that fit the dispenser are a consumable item and are purchased by the residents themselves. They are available at any nearby supermarket.

Safety and emergencies

• The fuse box and other technical installations of the accommodation may not be opened or modified without written permission from the camp management.

• In case of hazardous events – e.g. fire, water damage, technical defects or other emergencies – the camp management must be informed immediately (via WhatsApp/phone). This allows us to react quickly and minimise damage.

Entrance key locker and access information

• At the entrance of the accommodation there is a key locker in which the key bunches are stored. The code of this locker is only meant for taking out or returning the respective bunch.

• The locker code must not be changed under any circumstances.

• After every use – both when taking the key out and when putting it back – it is mandatory to close the locker correctly right away and scramble the digits of the code, so that the correct code is not visibly displayed on the locker.

• All access information we entrust to participants (locker code, Wi-Fi password, further internal information) is confidential and must not be passed on to anyone who is not themselves a participant in the camp.

Right of access for the camp management

• The camp management and team have access to the shared areas of the accommodation at any time (hallways, kitchen, living areas, shared bathrooms). This is necessary for safety and organisational reasons.

• Participants' bedrooms are not entered without good reason. We do, however, reserve the right to enter individual rooms in justified cases – e.g. in safety and emergency situations, for urgent repairs, when changing bed linen or when a resident changes within a shared living unit.

• Under normal circumstances we briefly announce such visits in advance whenever time allows.

Keys, guests and subletting

• The keys to the accommodation, or the code of the key locker, are intended exclusively for registered participants and may not be passed on to third parties.

• People who are not themselves participants in the camp (e.g. acquaintances, family members) may not enter the accommodation without prior written permission from the camp management. If you'd like to invite someone, please get in touch with us in advance – we'll find a solution together.

• Subletting the bed, the room or the living unit – even just for a day – is not permitted.

As a participant, you commit to

• observing the house rules (§ 8),

• treating other participants, teachers and the administration with respect,

• handling the furnishings of the accommodation with care,

• completing the tasks set in class on your own (in particular memorisation in the Quran lessons),

• following instructions from the administration in matters of safety and organisation,

• helping to keep the accommodation generally orderly.

Personal learning responsibility

• Your success in the camp depends significantly on your own effort. We provide teachers, materials, rooms and an environment in which learning works particularly well – the daily work itself is up to you.

• That includes: completing homework properly, following the teachers' instructions, reviewing vocabulary regularly, and using what you've learned directly in Medina – in everyday life, on the street, at the supermarket, at the mosque.

• Without this personal effort, even the best programme will not deliver strong results. We don't mean this strictly, but as an honest expectation: those who engage and work along progress remarkably fast.

Respectful coexistence

• Our camp welcomes participants from a wide range of countries, cultures and language backgrounds. We expect a respectful and friendly way of dealing with each other – regardless of origin, skin colour, language or background.

• In line with the educational nature of our project, conduct is kept in accordance with Islamic guidelines: polite and honest interaction, respect for the privacy of housemates, avoidance of anything that disturbs the shared atmosphere.

Applicable law and local rules

• During your stay, the laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and local regulations in Medina naturally apply. Please observe them, avoid violations and follow any instructions from Saudi authorities where relevant to your stay.

• Violations of applicable law remain in the sole responsibility of the participant.

Damage to the accommodation, its furnishings or shared facilities that a participant causes intentionally or through gross negligence is to be reimbursed by the person who caused it.

We trust that all residents and participants will observe these terms and especially the house rules. If you notice a violation of the house rules or of these terms – whether by a fellow resident or in some other way – please report it to the camp management in good time. That way we can react and protect the good atmosphere for everyone.

In case of a serious or repeated violation of the house rules or of these terms, the camp management reserves the right to take the following steps:

• A reminder with a clear request to correct the behaviour.

• In case of continued or particularly serious violations: exclusion from the accommodation.

• In particularly grave cases: termination of participation in the entire programme, including cancellation of the booked package.

What counts as a serious violation is determined case by case – e.g. ongoing disregard of the separation of men's and women's areas, intentional damage to property, harassment of other residents, theft or a violation of applicable Saudi law.

Our approach is clear: we first try to clarify, then to mediate, and only resort to stronger measures when there is no other way.

We want your stay to work well – and we rely on your cooperation to make it so.

• If you notice something that's not right (e.g. faulty equipment, shuttle issues, unclear points about the lessons), please let us know as early as possible. That way we can react and solve the issue while you're still on site.

• Defects or complaints that are only communicated after departure, or only after the stay has ended, can unfortunately no longer be considered – simply because we then have no way to clarify or correct them.

• Your point of contact is our on-site administration, reachable via WhatsApp / phone (see the contact section on the website).

The same applies if anything about these terms is unclear: please ask – we'd rather clarify once too often than too rarely. We take the time to address everything personally.

We are liable without limitation for intent and gross negligence, as well as for damage resulting from culpable injury to life, body or health.

For slight negligence we are liable only in case of a breach of essential contractual obligations and only up to the amount of foreseeable damage typical for this type of contract.

For personal items brought along (e.g. cash, valuables, electronics) we accept no liability. Please make sure they are stored safely; in some living units lockable storage is available.

We are not liable for events outside our sphere of influence – e.g. force majeure, government measures, traffic situations or natural events.

We're glad about every registration. Because the number of places in the camp is limited and our programmes are often fully booked, the following rules apply for booking and payment:

Securing your spot

• A binding reservation is only made once a deposit has been received.

• Without a deposit we cannot guarantee or reserve a spot; in that case no registration is processed.

• The amount of the deposit is agreed individually with you and forms part of the overall package price.

• The deposit is generally non-refundable. A refund is only made if the booked course cannot take place as scheduled and is cancelled by us – in that case we refund the deposit in full.

Full payment in advance

• The full amount for the booked package must be paid in advance, before arrival.

• Only once the full amount has been received is the spot finally confirmed; access to the accommodation requires complete payment.

Payment methods are arranged together during the booking process – just contact us via WhatsApp or email and we'll find a workable solution.

Should individual provisions of these terms be or become invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected.

The law applicable at the provider's place of business shall govern our contractual relationship. The place of performance is Medina.

Images on the website

The images of rooms, equipment and consumables shown on our website are illustrative and serve to give an impression of what we offer. In individual cases, specific items (e.g. particular consumables, furniture details, colour shades) may differ from the photo or no longer be present at the time of your stay. This is not a defect, but part of the natural evolution of the camp.

Updates to these terms

We reserve the right to update these terms from time to time – e.g. due to organisational changes, new experiences or legal requirements. The currently valid version is always published on our website. It is the responsibility of participants, interested parties and people who have booked to inform themselves about the applicable version before and during their stay. For any questions about changes or news, feel free to reach out at any time via email or WhatsApp – we are happy to take the time for a brief clarification.