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Organized by Faatimah Knight

The Ghazali Children's Project by Fons Vitae & Hamza Yusuf

$71,851

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Impact: United States

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This campaign will collect all funds raised by February 21, 2016 at 12:00 PM EST

It will change the way we teach our children.


The Ghazali Children's Project Has Arrived. 

Be First to Support this Amazing Labor of Love.

"The Ghazali Children’s Project is nothing less than a revolution in developing humane, ethical, and committed Muslim youth, who are in dire need of guidance in these troubled times. Imam al-Ghazali is the "Proof of Islam," and these teachings, presented in a beautiful life-affirming way, will prove to be a major shift in the way Islam is taught to young people. As a community, we owe much to Fons Vitae for bringing them to fruition. Let the transformation begin!"  -Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

  • Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and A. Gray Henry had an ongoing concern that religious education for children was not speaking to the heart of faith. Yusuf and Henry, who heads Fons Vitae, a nonprofit, interfaith publishing house embarked on a project to change that-- The Ghazali Children's Project was born. This may be the most ambitious book project on the market today. It is certainly an historic development for Islamic education in the English-speaking world.

  • Many scholars consider Ghazali’s Revival of the Islamic Sciences (Ihya Ulum Al-Din), to be the most important literary contribution for Muslims after the Qur'an and the compilation of Hadith. By presenting Ghazali's teaching, The Ghazali Children's Project seeks to inculcate prophetic character and values in children through storytelling, guided reflection, and instruction. It reimagines it for children, teaching them how to preserve the pure hearts they were born with. 

  • A team of Ghazali experts have been carefully translating his work into readable English for both parents and teachers. These volumes will accompany the beautifully illustrated children’s books and workbooks. Also included are parent-teacher manuals of enjoyable games and activities, which reinforce Ghazali’s teachings.





Our Journey 

  • Fons Vitae has been translating and publishing the work of Imam Al-Ghazali for many years. We believe that English-speaking Muslims deserve the best our tradition has to offer. What we know for sure is that knowledge of self, in this case, knowledge of one's own religion is the key to a bright and meaningful life. Our communities have often righteously struggled to use the limited resources in the English language to teach ourselves and our children what it means to be a Muslim. Fons Vitae believes that our children should have the best and that's why for the past decade we have embarked on the huge task of translating all 40 volumes of Ghazali's Revival of the Islamic Sciences, as well as re-crafting those books into a children's book series so that our children can discover what's at the heart of their faith. We hope to hand back to our children the ownership and inner dignity of their spiritual lives, making it possible for them to be self-observant and self-correcting.

Meet the Publisher: Fons Vitae

  • Fons Vitae ("al-Kauthar" or “fountain of life”) is a non-profit academic publishing company based in Louisville, Kentucky, that publishes interfaith scholarly works focused on world spirituality. It is known for its significant English translations of Arabic and Persian works, especially in the field of Islamic spirituality, Tafsir and Jurisprudence. Its award-winning books and DVDs are used throughout the world in university classrooms and by the general public. Fons Vitae was founded by A. Gray Henry, who co-founded the Islamic Texts Society (ITS) in 1980 after studying at al-Azhar University for 10 years. She has known Shaykh Hamza Yusuf for decades. The Ghazali Children's Project has been a collaborative work between Fons Vitae and Shaykh Hamza (who has written an Introduction for both the adult and children’s versions of this prestigious series). 

Where We Are Now & Where We'd Like To Be

We need your help to bring this project to fruition so we can launch the first two book sets at the Revival of the Islamic Spirit (RIS) convention in Canada in late December. We need to raise $100,000 (half by November 20th and the rest by January) to cover our printing and production costs. Through your generous donations we can print 2,000 book sets of the following: 

  • The Book of Knowledge for Children with accompanying workbook, and companion teacher-parent volume.
  • The Book of Belief for Children with accompanying workbook, and companion teacher-parent volume.

E-book versions of both sets are expected to be available in the New Year.

Go to: GhazaliChildren.org (in development)

*Donor Acknowledgement*

Contributors in all giving levels will be acknowledged on the new GhazaliChildren.org interactive educational website, intended to be a global network. Contests for children and other activities will be announced here. It is hoped that children, parents and teachers will meet one another on this site where there will be an opportunity to post contributions and much more. E-books will be available on this site for downloading. 

We are inviting the community, whom Fons Vitae has long served, to now become an integral part of  a global family working together to make the timeless message of Imam al-Ghazali available for us all. Before you is an amazing opportunity to invest in the continuity of knowledge for future generations of Muslim children.

*When purchased using the PayPal option on fonsvitae.com, or check.

Check us out on:

Facebook & YouTube

With immense gratitude, 

The Fons Vitae Team

Contact Us

If you are an editor, illustrator, teacher, curricula expert, educator, or interested in contributing to the project in general, we welcome your suggestions and guidance. Contact: gray101@aol.com

For any other questions about this campaign. Contact: fonsvitae.ghazali@gmail.com

Educating our children for generations to come.

Like our Facebook page to stay in touch and get updates on the project. 



Your giving amount

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Friend of Children's Ghazali

Donate $50 to the Ghazali Children's Project and get 10% off your next Fons Vitae order.* Plus we will notify you as soon as The Children’s Ghazali is available for purchase.

110 claimed

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Champion of Children's Ghazali

Donate $100 to the Ghazali Children's Project and get 10% off any Fons Vitae order. Plus get Book 2 (The Book of Belief for Children and work book, 200 pages all together).

92 claimed

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Pioneer of Children's Ghazali

Donate $250 to the Ghazali Children's Project and get a 10% discount on your next Fons Vitae order.* Plus get book set 1 (The Book of Knowledge for Children, and accompanying workbook, 400 pages all together).

40 claimed

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Benefactor of Children's Ghazali

Donate $500 to Ghazali Children's Project and get 10% off your next Fons Vitae order.* Plus get book set 1 (The Book of Knowledge for Children, accompanying workbook AND mentor book, more than 400 pages all together).

20 claimed

0

Patron of Children's Ghazali

Donate $1,000 to Ghazali Children's Project and get 10% off your next Fons Vitae order.* Plus get both book sets 1 & 2 (The Book of Knowledge for Children, accompanying children’s book and mentor book, and The Book of Belief for Children, accompanying children’s book and mentor book).

18 claimed

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Sponsor of Children's Ghazali

Donate $2,500 to Ghazali Children's Project and get 10% off your next Fons Vitae order.* Plus get 2 copies of both book sets 1 & 2 (The Book of Knowledge for Children, accompanying children’s book and mentor book, and The Book of Belief for Children, accompanying children’s book and mentor book).

2 claimed

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Guarantor of Children's Ghazali

$5,000 to Ghazali Children's Project and get 10% off your next Fons Vitae order.* Plus get 3 copies of both book sets 1 & 2 (The Book of Knowledge for Children, accompanying children’s book and mentor book, and The Book of Belief for Children, accompanying children’s book and mentor book), and 3 copies of the “Al-Ghazali” beautiful biography for children.

2 claimed


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Updates 6

Faatimah Knight8 years ago

I said I wouldn't write again...

I said I wouldn't write again, but this is just to apologize for my previous typo-littered email! We rely on computers too much to catch our mistakes, and sometimes they fail us :) 

My best, 

Faatimah 

https://www.launchgood.com/project/creative_minority_startup_grant#/

Faatimah Knight8 years ago

A New & Exciting Project Worth Your Support

Blessings, 

This is Faatimah and I'm one of the volunteers who helped raise funds for the Ghazali Children's Project. I'm writing to tell you about another exciting project that's worth your support. The Creative Minority Grant is an education fund inspired by the idea that it only takes a minority of people to change the world for the better- people like you. https://www.launchgood.com/project/creative_minority_startup_grant#/ If you don't know me, I am a New York native and graduate of Zaytuna College. I also recently completed a Masters in Religious Studies. One of the most important things I've gained from my education thus far is the importance of discussion and contemplation to change the way youth interact with their world and improve their self-esteem. Nothing gives a young person confidence in their ability to think like a teacher or mentor giving them a safe space and a long time to develop thier ideas. Likewise, their are few things more effective in our world than a person who can clearly and skillfully articulate their ideas. Armed with an expansive view of the Islamic Tradition, such youth could play a very important role in uplifting thier peers and thier community at large.  

I'm asking for funds that will give me ample time to mentor youth for free and allow me to continually develop effective programming for them for years to come. It will be a program that grows as I grow and I am confident that it will make a difference in people's lives.  

Please follow the link below: 

https://www.launchgood.com/project/creative_minority_startup_grant#/

Many thanks, 

Faatimah Knight

If you have questions: faatimahknight@gmail.com

P.S. This will be the only email I send, so don't worry about spam :) 

Faatimah Knight8 years ago

Gifts to donors are shipping!

Asalamu Alaykum, 

We are pleased to inform all of our wonderful donors that the gifts promised to you in return for the gift of your support are currently shipping! Some of you should have already received your books and for those of you who haven't yet we can't wait for you to flip through the Ghazali Children's books for the first time. To finally have these books printed and in the hands of children, parents and teachers is miraculous to us. Please stay tuned for more news on the project. Tell your friends about the Ghazali Children's Project and continue to spread the gift of knowledge so that all can benefit. 

Visit us at http://www.ghazalichildren.org/ where you can find and purchase books, interacts with a global community of parents, teachers and children, find art and writing contests for children, and learn about our pilot school program. 

With gratitude,

Fons Vitae 

Faatimah Knight9 years ago

Raising the Goal

Gratious Donor,  

Because of you we are more confident about the possibilities for the Ghazali Children’s Project! Although our first goal was ambitious, it was modest when one considers the magnitude and intense labor required for this project. We started modestly so that we could be realistic about our expectations, but the community through individuals like you, have shown us overwhelming support and reminded us of why this project is so important. You have given confidence to raise the goal. In order to complete what will eventually be a forty-volume series based on the teachings of Imam Ghazali we do need your continued encouragement and financial support.   


Help us bring the best of our tradition to our children. 


With gratitude, 

The Ghazali Children’s Project Team 

Faatimah Knight9 years ago

You've made a difference!

Your contribution to this project has made a remarkable difference. This project is close to our hearts because we believe in the value of children's education to change the course of a child's life for the better, and we know you do too. We believe that education can bring more hope, opportunity and compassion to the world. Thank you for standing with us. 

Sincerely

Fons Vitae

Faatimah Knight9 years ago

Thank you blessed friend

Blessed friend, we cannot express the gratitude and joy we feel in our hearts, having you participate in this huge undertaking for our children now and for generations to come. Fons Vitae has worked alone for so many years in an attempt to serve the Muslim community with books of substance, but this project required a REAL Family….!  So you have joined us and we are relieved and enthused in our work and we are very happy to meet you and have your greatly needed support.

We would be so grateful if you would share this project with your friend and family. 

Sincerely, 

Gray Henry 

Director of Fons Vitae


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