SMF Calls for Serious Investigation After Shia Muslim Organizer's Car Was Struck by Gunfire in Dallas

The Shia Muslim Foundation is calling for a full, serious, and transparent investigation after Sabah Mooswi, a Shia Muslim mother and community organizer in Dallas, reportedly had a bullet strike her vehicle on Mother's Day as she was driving on Interstate 35.

Mooswi is a Muslim organizer associated with Dallas Shias for Justice and the Palestinian Youth Movement. According to local reporting, the bullet shattered her windshield, traveled through the vehicle, and entered the seat area where her young son could have been sitting. He was not in the vehicle at the time. No injuries were reported, but the reported facts are grave.

This was not a minor traffic incident. A mother was driving on Mother's Day. A bullet entered her car. The bullet path reportedly reached the area where her child could have been seated. That should demand urgency from every public official responsible for public safety.

In a video statement, Dr. Omar Suleiman said, "Someone shot a bullet at her car and into her child's car seat. No one is being held accountable."

SMF shares that concern. Dallas police should treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves. The public deserves clear answers about the status of the investigation, the handling of physical evidence, any ballistics testing, any available highway camera review, and whether investigators have meaningfully considered possible bias motive.

Mooswi is a visibly Muslim woman, a Shia Muslim organizer, and a public advocate for Palestinian rights. SMF does not claim to know the motive of the shooter. That is exactly why a complete investigation is needed. Possible anti-Muslim, anti-Shia, anti-Palestinian, or other bias should not be dismissed before the evidence has been fully reviewed.

CAIR DFW reportedly addressed the case at a May 21 news conference calling for an end to anti-Muslim rhetoric. In a related public statement, CAIR Texas and Dallas Fort Worth Muslim groups warned that hate-filled rhetoric by some Texas politicians and government leaders is dangerous as it threatens the safety of Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim, and undermines the values of unity and respect that Texans hold dear.

The same coalition also stated that hateful fearmongering not only harms Muslim communities but creates dangerous real-world consequences by normalizing hostility, intimidation, and potential violence against Muslims in Texas.

Those warnings cannot be ignored when a Muslim mother's vehicle has been struck by gunfire and the bullet entered the space where her child could have been sitting.

SMF's Calls to Action

SMF calls on Dallas police and relevant public safety agencies to:

• Conduct and publicly confirm a complete review of the available evidence

• Test the recovered bullet and vehicle evidence for ballistic leads

• Review traffic cameras and nearby surveillance footage

• Treat possible bias motive as a serious investigative question

• Provide regular updates to Mooswi and her family

• Consult federal authorities if evidence suggests civil rights or hate crime concerns

"Sabah Mooswi and her family deserve answers," said SMF. "The Muslim community deserves to know that violence against a visibly Muslim mother will not be minimized, delayed, or treated as routine. This incident could have ended with a child dead. That fact alone requires a serious investigation."

The Shia Muslim Foundation urges public officials, law enforcement agencies, civic leaders, and media outlets to treat this case with the gravity it deserves.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation is a national organization dedicated to civic engagement, civil rights, public safety, and advocacy for Shia Muslim communities in the United States.

Shia Muslim Foundation Welcomes New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Recognition of Muharram

June 18, 2026 — The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) welcomes the public statement issued by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marking the beginning of Muharram and the Islamic New Year.

In his message, Mayor Mamdani highlighted the values of justice, compassion, and moral courage associated with Muharram and expressed hope that the new year would strengthen commitments to dignity, opportunity, and community for all New Yorkers.

For Shia Muslims, public recognition of Muharram by elected leaders carries special significance. Muharram is not simply the beginning of a new year. It is the month in which Shia Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Imam al Husain ibn Ali (AS), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE after refusing to legitimize what he viewed as unjust and corrupt rule.

The story of Karbala remains central to Shia Muslim identity. Themes of standing against oppression, defending human dignity, speaking truth to power, and protecting the vulnerable continue to shape the religious and moral outlook of Shia communities throughout the United States and around the world.

Mayor Mamdani's remarks are particularly meaningful because he is himself a Shia Muslim. His election as mayor of America's largest city represents a historic moment for many American Muslims and especially for Shia Muslims, who remain a relatively small minority within the broader Muslim population. Public acknowledgment of Muharram by a Shia elected official serving in one of the nation's most prominent leadership positions reflects the growing civic engagement and visibility of American Shia communities.

"Many Americans are unfamiliar with Muharram and the significance of Karbala. When public officials recognize these observances, it helps build understanding among neighbors of different backgrounds and reminds us that the values commemorated during Muharram, including justice, compassion, sacrifice, and moral courage, resonate far beyond any single faith community."

— Rahat Husain, Executive Director, Shia Muslim Foundation

Across the United States, hundreds of Shia mosques and Islamic centers will hold nightly majalis, educational programs, and commemorative gatherings throughout the first ten days of Muharram. These events remember the sacrifice of Imam al Husain (AS) and encourage reflection on ethical responsibility, service to others, and opposition to injustice.

SMF encourages Americans of all backgrounds to learn more about Muharram and the enduring legacy of Karbala, one of the most influential events in Islamic history.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advocacy, civic engagement, religious freedom, and the advancement of American Shia Muslim communities. Through education, public policy engagement, and interfaith outreach, SMF works to promote understanding and strengthen the participation of Shia Muslims in American civic life.

American Shia Muslims Begin Muharram, Month of Remembrance and Resolve

BURTONSVILLE, MD -- The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) marks the arrival of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which begins this week. For Shia Muslims, the month of Muharram is among the most solemn and spiritually significant periods of the year, a time of deep reflection, communal mourning, and recommitment to the principles of justice and faith.

The Sacred Status of Muharram

Muharram is one of the four sacred months recognized in the Holy Quran, months in which conflict and strife are traditionally prohibited and spiritual observance is especially emphasized. The name Muharram means "forbidden" or "sacred" in Arabic, reflecting its status as a time set apart from the ordinary rhythms of life. For Muslims of all traditions, it is a month calling for heightened devotion, prayer, and moral seriousness.

Why Muharram Holds Singular Significance for Shia Muslims

For the Shia Muslim community, Muharram carries a weight unlike any other month. It was in Muharram of the year 61 AH (680 CE) that one of the most defining tragedies in Islamic history unfolded on the plains of Karbala, in present-day Iraq. Imam al-Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the son of Imam Ali and Lady Fatima al-Zahra, made a stand against the tyrannical rule of Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the Umayyad caliph who demanded that Imam al-Hussain pledge allegiance to his corrupt and unjust governance.

Imam al-Hussain refused. He could not, in conscience, lend legitimacy to a ruler whose conduct he understood as a betrayal of the values of the Prophet Muhammad, his own grandfather. Rather than submit to injustice, Imam al-Hussain traveled from Medina toward Kufa, accompanied by a small group of family members and loyal companions. He understood the risks. He proceeded nonetheless, because he believed that silence in the face of injustice was itself a moral failure.

By the time the group reached the land of Karbala, they were surrounded by a vastly larger army dispatched by Yazid's governor. Cut off from water for three days, Imam al-Hussain, his companions, and the male members of his family were killed on the 10th of Muharram, a day known as Ashura. The women and children of the Prophet's household were taken as prisoners to Kufa and then to Damascus, where Imam al-Hussain's sister, Lady Zainab bint Ali, delivered a powerful address condemning Yazid before his own court.

The Majalis: A Living Tradition of Remembrance

Throughout Muharram, Shia communities gather for Majalis, assemblies of remembrance in which the events of Karbala are recounted through sermons, elegies, poetry, and lamentation. These gatherings, held in mosques, Islamic centers, and private homes, serve simultaneously as acts of mourning and education. They transmit the history and lessons of Karbala from one generation to the next, keeping alive the conviction that standing against injustice is not merely a political act but a spiritual and moral imperative rooted in the deepest teachings of Islam.

The first ten days of Muharram build in intensity toward the observance of Ashura on the 10th, which this year falls on June 26, 2026. During this period, Shia Muslims forgo celebratory activities, dress in black as a sign of mourning, and dedicate themselves to prayer, reflection, and acts of service and charity in the memory of Imam al-Hussain and the martyrs of Karbala.

An Invitation to Understanding

The Shia Muslim Foundation recognizes that the observances of Muharram, including the gatherings, the expressions of grief, and the public processions that are part of this tradition in many communities, may be unfamiliar to many Americans. We welcome curiosity and dialogue. The story of Karbala is, at its core, a story about the courage to stand for justice and truth at great personal cost, a theme with universal resonance across human cultures and moral traditions.

SMF calls upon elected officials, law enforcement, civic leaders, and neighbors of all faiths to extend understanding and respect to Shia Muslim communities during this period of deep observance. We also welcome opportunities for interfaith dialogue, education, and engagement during Muharram.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation is a national organization dedicated to the civic, legal, and community advancement of Shia Muslims in the United States. SMF engages with government officials, civil society, and interfaith partners to ensure that the voices and rights of Shia American communities are represented and protected.