Our Story
Allah has blessed us with a place to serve and to live more simply. To know ourselves by knowing Allah.
What started as a seed planted by The Little House on the Prairie books, describing self-sufficient life in Minnesota, our founder, Danyella Rayna, went on to begin her own homesteading journey in Virginia in 2002. In Spotsylvania County, Virgina she built a house on 10 acres of land, raised and homeschooled six children, and started a small farm. Learning organic farming thru internships and experience, Danyella eventually sought to share her passion for self-sufficiency with Muslim woman. Lovingly called the “Muslim Martha Stewart” by many who know her, Danyella hosted her first retreat on her Virginia farm in 2007.
Casita is only a 30 minute drive west of San Juan Airport.
Since this time, Danyella has been on the search for a place that could be used as a permanent retreat, where sisters could actually feel they are on vacation. She was blessed to find a little piece of paradise in Vega Alta, PR. Casita del Salaam was born, and the intention was made to create a place where sisters can come together and immerse themselves in deen, while also learning about the lost arts of gardening, permaculture, food storage, rainwater harvesting and other skills of self-sufficiency. In 2022 Allah blessed her to find that place, a small parcel that is now the first Muslim women owned retreat center in US.
Our plans for the near future include expanding our retreaat capacity with Super Abdobe buildings, constructing a pool, developing our gardens, and adding small livestock facilities. We hope to be able to eventually host up to 30 participants at each retreat. We would love to have you come enjoy the beauty of Puerto Rico, learn, and grow along with us.
