Shia Muslim Foundation Celebrates Zohran Mamdani's Historic NYC Mayoral Victory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Shia Muslim Foundation congratulates Zohran Mamdani on his decisive victory in the New York City Mayoral General Election. He is the city’s first Muslim Mayor, its first of South Asian heritage, and its youngest leader in over a century.

Mamdani, the 34-year-old Democratic nominee, defeated both former Governor Andrew Cuomo (Independent) and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The campaign focused sharply on economic justice. His platform promised universal child care, rent freezes for stabilized units, free city buses, and creating 200,000 affordable housing units. New Yorkers endorsed this clear focus on affordability and the working class.

This outcome is a momentous step for the Shia community. Mamdani's election shows the growing power and recognition of faith-diverse leadership in major American political systems. His victory demonstrates the potential for our voices to achieve significant civic change.

"Zohran Mamdani's election is a powerful, inspiring moment for American Shia Muslims," said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation.

"It confirms that when our community engages, organizes, and votes, we secure the representation needed to advance our shared values for housing, equity, and dignity for all New Yorkers. This is exactly why the Shia Muslim Foundation prioritizes civic participation."

The Foundation looks forward to collaborating with Mayor-elect Mamdani’s administration. We share core values on housing security, equitable public services, and vibrant interfaith civic engagement. This victory proves grassroots momentum for change can succeed.

Congratulations to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. His win is a strong statement for new leadership and increased representation in New York City.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) works to advance civic engagement, community leadership, and policy advocacy for Shia Muslim Americans. Our mission embraces interfaith dialogue, social justice, and public service that honors dignity and fairness for all communities.

Shia Muslim Foundation Issues Urgent Directive: Vote To Support Our Community And Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) today issued an urgent mandate to American Shia Muslims: Commit fully to civic participation. Voting represents the primary and most powerful mechanism for community defense. Participation in every election cycle: local, state, and federal, directly determines the future security of our institutions, our civil rights, and our families.

Silence in the political process guarantees marginalized status. Policymakers ultimately decide our future. They shape immigration laws, control civil rights protections, and allocate resources for institutional security. Shia voices experience unacceptable underrepresentation in political systems. Casting a ballot is the singular act that closes this representation gap.

Underrepresentation allows hostile policies to advance. It permits the continuation of targeted harassment against our centers and contributes to the erasure of Shia narratives from mainstream platforms. Ignoring the ballot box is a vote for continued vulnerability. A visible, high voter turnout sends an undeniable signal about the collective concerns and legislative priorities of American Shia Muslims.

SMF cannot effectively execute its advocacy work without a mobilized community. Strong electoral engagement validates our legal interventions and our policy discussions. It strengthens our collaborations with federal officials, members of Congress, state legislatures, and key interfaith allies, including churches, synagogues, temples, and other religious centers. Active civic participation is the foundation of our ability to advocate for a safer, more equitable American future.

"We are advocates and community leaders, but the law only helps those who empower it. Our community faces unjust immigration actions, institutional harassment, and the denial of religious freedoms. The ballot box is not a request; it is the ultimate tool of self-defense. Failure to vote is a vote for continued marginalization. Every registered Shia Muslim must cast a ballot without exception.” said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. SMF supports the civic rights of American Shia Muslims, advocates on social and political issues affecting the community, and works to promote the welfare of Shia Muslims worldwide. SMF works in collaboration with local mosques and government officials to secure civil rights and combat targeted persecution.

Arrest made in Terror Plot Against Shia Mosque in Dearborn, Michigan

Shia Muslim Foundation Condemns Threats to Islamic Institute of America Mosque in Dearborn Heights

(Washington, DC – October 1, 2025) — The Shia Muslim Foundation strongly condemns the recent threats targeting the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Reports confirm that a caller threatened to “burn down” the mosque and, in one instance, issued a bomb threat. Local authorities have responded, with Dearborn Heights Police and the FBI opening a joint investigation.

After his arrest, when officers asked if he intended to carry out an attack, he said he would’ve done it “if he had better eyesight.” He is also quoted saying he would use an AR-15 and target a mosque in Dearborn.

He also posted online comments referencing “murdering Black citizens and people who practice Islam,” and made connections to Dylann Roof in his rhetoric.

“This is not an isolated incident,” said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation. “Shia mosques across the United States have increasingly faced threats and harassment. The targeting of houses of worship is an assault on religious freedom itself, and it demands urgent attention from every level of government.”

Shia Muslim institutions, including the Islamic Institute of America, have long been focal points for education, community service, and interfaith dialogue. Attempts to intimidate or harm these centers not only endanger worshippers but strike at the heart of American values.

The Foundation emphasizes that these threats are part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Shia Muslims. In recent years, mosques and community centers in Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, and Texas have reported threats, harassment, or violence. This escalation underscores the urgent need for federal, state, and local authorities to treat such cases as high-priority matters of public safety and civil rights.

Shia mosques in the United States have repeatedly been targeted by threats and plots, underscoring a persistent vulnerability. In 2011, a man named Roger Stockham was arrested outside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Michigan, one of the largest Shia mosques in the country. Police found him armed with high-powered fireworks and gasoline, and he had previously made violent threats against the mosque. He was charged with terrorism-related offenses and weapons possession.

In more recent years, authorities have uncovered plots involving explosives and firearms directed at Shia mosques. A 19-year-old from Maine was sentenced to 15 years in prison after federal investigators discovered that he had been building explosives filled with shrapnel and had been planning a mass shooting at a Shia mosque in the Chicago area. Court records showed that he had openly discussed targeting Shia Muslims, and prosecutors emphasized the sectarian motivation behind the plot.

Earlier this year, law enforcement in Illinois confirmed that another Shia mosque had been the focus of a planned attack. The Imams Council released a statement noting that Shia institutions continue to experience elevated threats, and urged greater recognition of this pattern. These incidents echo global attacks against Shia mosques, such as suicide bombings in Afghanistan in 2021 that killed dozens during Friday prayers, claimed by ISIS-K.

Taken together, these cases reveal a clear trend: Shia communities in the United States are not immune to the same sectarian hostility seen worldwide. The repeated threats, from Dearborn to Chicago to Illinois, highlight both the resilience of Shia institutions and the ongoing need for vigilance in protecting houses of worship.

“No community should fear gathering to worship. The American Shia community will not be intimidated into silence, and we will continue to pray, teach, and serve with dignity and resilience,” Husain said.