My Homeschooling Journey

My journey thus far has been nothing short of remarkable, alhamdulillah.

It all began with my introduction to the concept of home education. Prior to marriage, I had heard about it and thought it was a good idea. However, with a three-year-old and a one-year-old in the mid-nineties, the idea seemed far-fetched, and the allure of nursery school proved enticing. I discovered a Montessori nursery school nestled on a farm, offering a wealth of authentic experiences.

Our eldest embarked on his nursery school journey and I believed our path towards education had begun. As an engaged parent, I immersed myself in the Montessori method, even contemplating a career as a nursery school teacher.

But life had other plans in store.

Our eldest started reception year at school and quickly gained a reputation as a troublemaker. How can we blame a child for yearning to play when he already knew how to read and had experienced the revolving door of three teachers in a single term?

Meanwhile, our second eldest enrolled in the Montessori nursery school, only for my husband’s job to whisk us away to a foreign land.

Adjusting to our new lives abroad, our eldest attended an Arabic-medium school, while I taught English at a nursery where our second eldest would also attend.

However, fate had its way. Our second eldest adamantly refused to attend his classes, prompting us to give him a year’s respite. During that time, we began learning at home, engaging in alphabet studies, basic maths and arts and crafts, all while patiently waiting for him to acclimate to his new surroundings.

Eventually, we found ourselves back in the UK, now with a new addition to our family, uncertain about our schooling choices.

We decided to temporarily continue home education until we settled into a new area. And so, by the divine decree of Allah, our journey in home education began.

In due course, we did relocate to a new community, but we had grown accustomed to the rhythm of home education. Our children thrived and found happiness in their learning, compelling us to extend our home education journey for another year before reassessing.

Alhamdulillah, we never wavered from that decision and have been successfully home-educating our children up until their GCSE years for over two decades. Our family has blossomed, now consisting of five children, and we have actively participated in various home education groups, as well as establishing a community interest company to facilitate our children’s education.

Today, our eldest two sons have completed their postgraduate studies and are gainfully employed. Our middle child is on track to complete a degree in Mathematics, while our second youngest son is about to embark on his A-levels. As for our youngest son, he continues to flourish in his home education journey. Alhamdulillah.

These remarkable individuals have grown into well-adjusted, confident, intelligent and capable individuals. While I cannot definitively attribute their successes solely to home education, I do know that the most vital element—the journey and experience itself—would have been sorely missed.

Home education has been a profound blessing that continues to enrich our lives. It is a conscious choice that liberates us from the confines and drawbacks of traditional schooling, granting our children a genuine childhood and tailored learning opportunities that align with their unique readiness, aptitude and abilities, rather than conforming to a standardized curriculum and external pressures.

Throughout my voyage in home education, a deep passion for holistic growth and development took root within me.

Nurturing the complete person—mind, body and spirit—became my driving force, compelling me to share this approach with those around me.

As my fervor for holistic growth and development intensified, Allah opened doors for me to learn and serve, allowing me to expand my knowledge and refine my skills. I pursued a degree from the Open University, focusing on childhood and youth studies, recognizing that formal education would enhance my own growth.

Simultaneously, I actively participated in a home education cooperative, supporting new mothers as they embarked on their own home education journeys and organizing classes for our children.

For over 15 years, I have had the privilege of working with Muslim women, and since 2015, I have served as a lead mentor at the highly successful holistic nurturing programme at Sabeel.

Through my coaching experiences at Sabeel, I witnessed how conflicting narratives caused confusion and misalignment in the lives of these sisters. However, due to time constraints, I was unable to provide them with the comprehensive support they needed to fully realize their potential.

This weighed heavily on my heart; witnessing so many talented and capable women unable to reach their full potential was a tremendous loss for us all. The impact on families and communities was evident. If only I could learn more, perhaps I could be part of the solution that could transform these women’s lives.

As I conversed with an attendee during one of the Sabeel retreats, a profound realisation struck me.

In our conversation about who we were and what we did, she expressed her frustration by saying, “Why is everyone so selfish in keeping knowledge to themselves? Where are the courses for me to sign up for?” Although she spoke without malice, her words resonated deeply within me. I had never viewed myself from her perspective; I was still working with passion and striving for mastery, while she saw me as an expert!

In that moment, it became clear that I needed to step up and serve Muslim women in a greater capacity. I realized that I was already coaching and mentoring, even though I hadn’t fully recognized my own expertise.

Suddenly, all my experiences and encounters fell into place, connecting like a well-woven tapestry. From a young age, I had always been guiding and nurturing others. I distinctly remember my cousin telling me when I was around ten years old, “You are destined for something significant because everyone comes to you with their problems and you know how to help them.”

That moment remains etched in my memory, sitting on the back steps of my cousin’s house. My experiences in home education and supporting my husband’s work, which led to managing retreats and handling the associated stresses, all contributed to honing my talents and further developing them by the grace of Allah.

And so, ‘Spiritual Gradient Ltd.’ was born, allowing me to pursue this work with unwavering focus and intention. I transformed my unconscious efforts into deliberate ones.

Through organic and straightforward strategies, I nurtured women towards stability and growth, always firmly rooted in Islamic teachings.

Those who know me well are aware of my affinity for simplicity.

You will see how my company’s tagline – Simplifying Guidance | Sparking Greatness | Sustaining Growth – aligns with my approach once you embark on this transformative journey with me.

As I mentored sisters, my tools and methods began to take shape, each new client refining and solidifying the previous efforts and ideas.

Gradually, my coaching became more structured, evolving into an effective and distinct framework with strategies that underwent constant scrutiny, testing and refinement.

Alhamdulillah, I began to witness the fulfilment of my initial aspirations in a profound way. Spending time with these sisters, nurturing and guiding them, has been an immense honour and privilege. I have witnessed their remarkable growth and observed the transformations they sought. Many sisters approached me feeling lost and confused, but through our work together, they gained clarity of mind, purpose and direction.

Initially, they believed they needed assistance in addressing specific isolated issues. Still, ultimately they realized the value of working on their overall selves, their goals and the path to reach those goals.

Some sisters even found the strength and guidance to save their marriages from the brink of divorce, transforming them into fulfilling and harmonious relationships. These are just a few examples of the successes that the sisters I have had the privilege of working with have achieved and I attribute all success to the blessings and guidance of Allah.

Being an instrument of positive change for these sisters has been an incredibly gratifying experience, fulfilling my mission of unlocking their potential and witnessing the ripple effects that this creates. I genuinely feel as though I have entered a new phase of credibility and significant contribution.

May Allah accept this humble endeavor from me and continue to bless my efforts as I strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Muslim women.

It is my steadfast belief that each one of us possesses immense potential, waiting to be awakened and nurtured. Together, let us embark on this transformative journey of growth, empowerment and spiritual elevation.

With gratitude and a deep sense of purpose,

Sara Umm Safwan