About the Author
Raghad Bushnaq is the Founder and Executive Director of Mozaic, 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.
With over three decades of experience as an instructor and community advocate, Raghad’s work reflects a rare integration of Islamic scholarship, humanitarian practice, and lived responsibility. Her academic journey began with the study of Islamic Law in Syria, where she learned under some of the most respected scholars of the region—teachers 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.
Beyond religious studies, Raghad pursued Agricultural Engineering in Damascus, developing a deep understanding of land, sustainability, and systems of care. Her studies later extended to Islamic Economics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, equipping her with a framework that connects faith, social responsibility, and economic justice.
At the age of nineteen, Raghad left Damascus and settled in Washington, DC, where she continues to live. There, she built her life and family—raising five children and today embracing the role of grandmother to five grandchildren—while 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—her sheikha, her aunt, and above all, her mother.
Her 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 at a young age—managing over 200 hives. 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.
Life 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, while also opening doors to freedom of expression, civic engagement, and advocacy that were difficult—often impossible—to access under Syria’s former dictatorship. These experiences strengthened her ability to translate values into systems, ideas into action, and compassion into sustainable community work.
These scholarly, familial, and cross-cultural experiences shaped a worldview where faith and life are inseparable, 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—without compromising foundational principles.
The Jasmine Tree emerges from this lived experience: a space where learning, worship, service, beauty, and responsibility converge—rooted in tradition and lived with purpose.