Why a Fitra Haven?

The Meriam-webster dictionary defines the word Haven as follows: haven (noun) ha·​ven | ˈhā-vən

Definition of haven 1: HARBOR, PORT 2: a place of safety : REFUGE 3: a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions.

So why a Fitra haven? As parents we know that someday, we will send our children out in the world and we ask Allah that the upbringing we have given them will have been enough for them to live a life in His path that will bring them contentment, wisdom and inspire others to do the same. In sha Allah. This is our hope. Nevertheless the thought of our little ones out in the world with all of its deceptions and fitna is daunting to say the least.

Many times I have felt like without the proper Guidance, maturity and education; throwing my children in the world was like throwing them in an angry ocean without showing them how to swim. Of course even if they were experts in swimming, the ocean is an overwhelming place to be. Except for those who Allah SWT. guides and He is the one who Guides. These thoughts bring me to the conclusion that as their parent, my job is not to guide them in this ocean nor is it to restrict them from sailing. My job is rather to preserve their natural Fitra; to keep it safe and secure. My job is to call them and teach them the way. My job is to offer a place of safety and refuge that offers favorable opportunities and conditions. One might ask, Opportunities and conditions for what? The opportunities we want to give our children are those that instill in them deep love and connection to Allah SWT. We want them to know their Lord, know the straight path to Him and know how to create their own haven in this ocean of deceptions - the dunya. The conditions we want them to have are the ones which enable them to thrive and become a strong member of the oumma that will always strive to please Allah swt. Most people prepare their children in a way that will offer favorable conditions and opportunities for them to earn a good living, find a good spouse, travel, become famous etc. But as Mu'mins, our task is more honorable in that it is a task with eternity in mind. Our endeavor is to give the proper conditions and opportunities for our children to be of those who had enough sincerity in their hearts to be shaded under Allah's shade and who will be of those to see His face and of those to be told : enter paradise by any door which you please. In sha Allah! Fitra Haven offers resources that, from the start, require children to think about their connection and relationship with Allah SWT, with His words in the Qur'an and with Hadith. We believe children are whole people who have the ability to connect deeply in their comprehension of the deen. We believe Children aren't just meant to be sponges that retain verses that mean nothing to them, tedious and dull exercices to make them pray with empty hearts and vessels to fill with dry facts about the deen's halal and haram. We want to nurture and ignite so much love and pride in their hearts for their Creator and their deen. We pray that Allah SWT. will make us of the parents who have been blessed with wisdom and precaution in the upbringing of our children. We ask Allah to make our children be of those who grow up with strong foundations that can carry them across the harshest oceans of this life.