{"id":30,"date":"2026-03-07T04:20:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T04:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/server.stagingweb3.net\/jasminetree\/?page_id=30"},"modified":"2026-03-13T09:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T09:29:13","slug":"our-roots","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/server.stagingweb3.net\/jasminetree\/our-roots\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Roots"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

OUR ROOTS<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

About the Author<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRaghad Bushnaq<\/strong> is the Founder and Executive Director of Mozaic<\/strong>, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive support to refugees, families, and vulnerable communities within and beyond the DC\/MD\/VA region. Her leadership is rooted in a lifelong commitment to service, education, and community empowerment, particularly in addressing the complex and evolving needs of displaced and marginalized populations.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWith over three decades of experience as an instructor and community advocate<\/strong>, Raghad\u2019s work reflects a rare integration of Islamic scholarship, humanitarian practice, and lived responsibility. Her academic journey began with the study of Islamic Education in Syria<\/strong>, where she learned under some of the most respected scholars of the region\u2014teachers who authored foundational works in their respective disciplines. Under the guidance of her sheikha, her growth was nurtured intentionally and step by step, grounding her learning in discipline, ethics, and responsibility.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBeyond religious studies, Raghad pursued Agricultural Engineering in Damascus,<\/strong> developing a deep understanding of land, sustainability, and systems of care. Her studies later extended to Islamic Economics<\/strong>, equipping her with a framework that connects faith, social responsibility, and economic justice.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAt the age of nineteen<\/strong>, Raghad left Damascus and settled in Washington, DC<\/strong>, where she continues to live. There, she built her life and family\u2014raising five children<\/strong> and today embracing the role of grandmother to five grandchildren<\/strong>\u2014while carrying with her the mist of Damascus: its values, rhythms, and spiritual foundations, sustained through a deep connection to the women who shaped her early life\u2014her sheikha, her aunt, and above all, her mother.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHer mother nurtured in her a love for beauty, care, and intentional living, while her father fostered courage, independence, and responsibility. With his support, Raghad undertook an ambitious beekeeping project<\/strong> at a young age\u2014managing over 200 hives.<\/strong> The project produced high-quality wildflower honey, never sold commercially, but offered as gifts to family, friends, and individuals undergoing healing, reflecting an early embodiment of service, generosity, and ethical stewardship.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLife in the United States added a formative layer to her character and leadership. Living in America sharpened her respect for time, organizational discipline, teamwork, and the effective use of technology<\/strong>, while also opening doors to freedom of expression, civic engagement, and advocacy<\/strong> that were difficult\u2014often impossible\u2014to access under Syria\u2019s former dictatorship. These experiences strengthened her ability to translate values into systems, ideas into action, and compassion into sustainable community work.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThese scholarly, familial, and cross-cultural experiences shaped a worldview where faith and life are inseparable,<\/strong> and where knowledge naturally leads to service. Through Mozaic, and through her writing and educational work, Raghad continues to advance a holistic vision that integrates Islamic values with modern professional life, innovation, and community care\u2014without compromising foundational principles.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Jasmine Tree emerges from this lived experience: a space where learning, worship, service, beauty, and responsibility converge\u2014rooted in tradition and lived with purpose.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Damascus is known as the City of Jasmine.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIts mornings carry a particular gentleness-the breeze of jasmine drifting through open windows, mingling with the aroma of coffee infused with cardamom. In the old Damascene home, al-bayt al-\u02bfarab\u012b as Syrians call it, life unfolds inwardly. The courtyard fountain stands at the center of the house, the heart of family and social life. It gathers voices, laughter, reflection, and stillness. It teaches patience, rhythm, and belonging.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlongside this rich way of living, Damascus has long been a city of deep religious life and Islamic knowledge.<\/strong> Among Allah\u2019s greatest gifts to the city was a women-led da\u02bfwa-quiet, rooted, and transformative. A remarkable sheikha carried a vision that brought Syrian society together by centralizing life around a divine purpose. Her work strengthened kinship, elevated family relationships, and shaped a generation of women whose ambition was to learn Islam from solid foundations while pursuing secular knowledge alongside it. Learning was never detached from life.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFaith was never isolated from responsibility. Giving back to society was a natural outcome of knowledge, not an obligation imposed from outside. These women offered their efforts entirely on a volunteer basis, seeking nothing but the acceptance of Allah. Years later, those women did not disappear-they were spread by destiny across the world. Wherever they went, they carried the am\u0101nah with them. As a trust placed upon their shoulders, they became ambassadors-teaching Islam in small towns and large cities alike. Today, the legacy of that sheikha\u2019s work lives quietly across the globe. You may be surprised to know that even in Alaska, a student of hers continues to teach Islam and spread da\u02bfwa.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMore than sixty years of devotion-from the sheikha and her students-resulted in a living presence of her work in nearly every country, all accomplished away from fame, recognition, or credit. The intention was singular: seeking Allah\u2019s pleasure alone.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis blog, however, is not written from a distance.<\/strong> It is written from the life of a Syrian woman who lived close to that sheikha\u2014both as a student and as a relative-and who was raised by her own mother, a woman whose presence shaped everything that followed.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy mother added love and beauty to every aspect of life. She infused meaning into the ordinary-from her kitchen to her garden, from her gentle gatherings to the way she held family together. She carried warmth, generosity, and quiet strength, and she gathered an ever-growing family around her with tenderness and grace.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThrough her, I lived the Damascene way of life not as a concept, but as a daily reality-one that reflected Islamic values naturally, without performance. Her home embodied the balance between faith and beauty, discipline and mercy, purpose and joy. She lived in alignment with the sheikha\u2019s vision, and through her I learned that d\u012bn and duny\u0101 are not opposites, but companions meant to elevate one another.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Within The Jasmine Tree, you will find parts of that life:<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/g><\/rect><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJasmine Guide\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFor rooted Islamic learning and trusted knowledge\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/g><\/rect><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJasmine Mist\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFor inner life, worship, and spiritual cultivation\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/g><\/rect><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJasmine & Cardamom\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhere food, ritual, home, and beauty meet\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/g><\/rect><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJasmine Letters\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHolding memory, identity, and personal reflection\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/g><\/rect><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRamadan Garden\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA seasonal space for intentional worship\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/g><\/rect><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJasmine Studio\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOffering tangible expressions of meaning and care\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis is not a blog seeking attention or authority.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIt is a space shaped by inheritance, memory, and lived faith-where jasmine still blooms, even far from Damascus.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Subscribe Now Our Newsletter<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n