Letters From My Lord | Weekend Retreat 2025

Retreating to reconnect with oneself and Allah is necessary no matter the state of the world. 

We at EMMA Foundation, in collaboration with MECCA Center, see this need and are honored to provide this space, insha Allah. 

Retreating is not a luxury, but a necessity. We retreat while taking cues and direction from the Sunnah (mannerisms, life and teachings) of the most amazing human, Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He would retreat to Cave Hiraa for spiritual reflection and connection to his and our beloved Lord: Allah, the Most Merciful. Allah also provided us with other ways of retreating to Him in Umrah and Hajj, the smaller and greater pilgrimages. 

In that retreat in that cave is where the Prophet received the most miraculous revelation: The Noble Quran. 

Letters From My Lord – Divine Words, Eternal Message

Step away from the noise of the world and into a space of stillness, reflection, and connection. Letters from My Lord is a spiritually immersive weekend retreat designed exclusively for Muslim women, centered around rediscovering the Qur’an — not just as a holy book, but as a personal, living message from Allah to you.

Every verse of the Qur’an is like a letter from our Lord — a divine communication gifted to us with infinite wisdom, love, and mercy. Through this retreat, we will reflect deeply on what it means to hold in our hands words sent directly from The Creator of the heavens and the earth. If the Qur’an is that special, then the ones it was sent to — you — are also incredibly special in His eyes.

This retreat is a heartfelt invitation to realign your heart with Allah by embracing the Qur’an as a daily anchor in worship. Whether you’re beginning your journey with the Book of Allah or seeking to renew your bond with it, this weekend will guide you toward understanding the Qur’an not just with your intellect, but with your heart. Insha Allah.

You will experience:

🌿 Quiet, reflective moments in nature and solitude to reconnect with Allah
🕯 Guided Qur’anic reflections to explore the messages from your Lord
🤲 Heart-softening worship sessions to deepen your connection to The Divine
💬 Intimate, uplifting sisterhood circles filled with laughter, stories, and healing
🎉 Festive gatherings that bring us together as Muslim women

Let this weekend be a turning point — a spiritual reset where your soul feels seen, heard, and nourished. Come away with a renewed sense of purpose, a deeper love for the Qur’an, and a heart tethered firmly to The One who revealed it to His Prophet (pbuh) for you.

You are loved. You are chosen. You are remembered — by The One who sent down the Qur’an.

Come and remember Him back.

When 

September 25th-28th, 2025

Check in: 6pm on Thursday

Berrien Springs, MI

Women Only

Ages 22+

PROGRAM

Immerse in a program designed for you: flexible "she time", along with talks, discussions, worship, moments of solitude, games, social hours, craft time, bonfire, crafting, swimming, team building, talent night, and exploring the 10 acre land. Some activities are open and optional, others are a part of the program.

Not only is this for our own spiritual development and growth, but also to show up more lovingly and more effectively in the spaces we plug back into after a rejuvenating weekend reconnecting to our Creator. 

 

VENUE
The 10,000 square foot home fits 40 people very comfortably. The exact address will be disclosed to those who register, insha Allah. The backyard is hijab-safe. The house includes:

• Outdoor heated pool 
• Hot tubs 
• Ping-pong table 
• Pool table
• Bocce Court
• Basketball court

SPEAKERS

Dr. Marryam Haleem
Dr. Haleem lives and works in Chicago and currently teaches English at Harold Washington College and Saint Xavier University. She received her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Wisconsin in 2018. Her specialty is narrative analysis, focusing specifically on representations of violence and oppression in the modern contexts of Irish, Palestinian and War on Terror narratives. Dr. Haleem's dissertation, "Eyes that See, Ears that Hear, and Hearts that Comprehend," analyzes contemporary stories of injustice through a framework of quranic narratives. She argues that ethically positioning oneself before violence demands a continual practice of critical reading, both of ourselves and the narratives that frame our world.

Ustadha Sana Khan
Ustadha Sana Khan is a Chicago native and has been an Arabic teacher for adults and children for over 6 years. She has been a student of knowledge for over 15 years. Her biggest passion is teaching and connecting people with the Quran through Arabic and Tafsir. She currently teaches Arabic at a local Islamic school and continues to be a part-time online student at Qalam Institute. Her energy and motivation to learn and understand the Quran has a strong and visible influence on all of her students. 

Faten Abdelfattah
Faten Abdelfattah is a stay-at-home mom who began her career as a pharmacist. Driven by a lifelong curiosity about Islamic studies, she completed an Arabic Intensive program with Bayyinah Institute to deepen her connection with the Qur’an. She is currently continuing her Islamic education as a part-time student with Qalam Institute. Passionate about personal growth and development, Faten is also a certified life coach through DiscoverU. She aims to combine her coaching training and Islamic knowledge to guide herself and others toward success through an Islamic perspective.  

DETAILS

• $475 Registration Fee 
• $50 Discount if you register with a friend or group. Select Friend/Group Registration in the dropdown and email us at Emmafoundationteam@gmail.com with the name of your friend or friend group! 
• USE CODE ZELLE to pay VIA ZELLE 
• If you choose to pay via Zelle, please send your fee in full via Zelle to emmafoundationteam@gmail.com. If you prefer to make a credit card payment, make sure to also cover processing fees. The box to cover processing fees is checked already, please do not uncheck it. 
• Fee covers all meals, accommodations, and activities 
• Add-on activities may be presented and will be entirely optional 
• Attending partially is not optional unfortunately as it takes away from the sisterhood building and the cohesiveness of the program. 
• If you and a friend(s) register, please share her/their name(s) with us so we can do the best to place you in the same room. Please also have your friends list your name as well, so we can match you.
• You will most likely end up with other attendees who you did not request in the same room, with a smaller possibility of sharing a king bed with another person. 
• This is a women-only event.
• No babies, children, or any persons under the age of 22 are allowed. 
• Attendees must be 22+ years to register.
• Attendees must provide their own transportation to and from the retreat. We will create a WhatsApp group with all attendees and will open it for chat closer to the dates for all to coordinate carpooling. 
• Attendees must sign waivers to complete registration, which will be sent out at a later date to those registered.
• More details will be provided to registrants in early September, insha Allah.
• Cancellation policy: tickets are non-refundable but are transferable after event is sold out. This means that if you request a refund, we can only refund you if and when the event sells out, others join the waitlist. Those on the waitlist can then take your spot, and you will be refunded once they fully register and pay. Transfers are given in the order they are requested. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at emmafoundationteam@gmail.com. 

We are anticipating a beautiful weekend with you.

In God's Care,
EMMA Team

Thank you to our generous sponsors: