SMF Meets with Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth on Mosque Safety and Federal Coordination

Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth with members of the Shia Muslim Foundation, UMAA, and Idara e Jaferia at her district office in Columbia, Maryland.

April 18, 2026

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) announced today that its Executive Director, Rahat Husain, met last week with Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) to discuss the safety and security of Shia Muslim communities across the United States. The meeting was held at Congresswoman Elfreth's district office in Columbia, Maryland, and was attended by representatives of the United Muslim Association of America (UMAA) and Idara e Jaferia, one of the most established Shia Muslim institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region.

A key outcome of the meeting was Congresswoman Elfreth's commitment to help coordinate a formal letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security addressing the security needs of Shia mosques and Islamic centers in the United States. The letter will call on federal agencies to strengthen their engagement with Shia Muslim communities and ensure that appropriate resources and protections are made available to vulnerable houses of worship.

Congresswoman Elfreth also took to social media following the meeting, sharing a post acknowledging SMF as "a fierce advocate for the rights of Shia Muslims both at home and abroad" and noting her commitment to "real deliverables" to ensure that members of the community "can practice their religion with dignity, safety, and tolerance." The Congresswoman's public statement underscored the significance of the meeting and reflected her office's genuine engagement with the concerns raised by the delegation.

The meeting deepened a relationship that has been cultivated through Congresswoman Elfreth's Interfaith Advisory Council, of which SMF has been an active member. The Council has brought together faith community leaders across the district for dialogue and collaboration, and has been an important platform for elevating the concerns of Maryland's Shia Muslim community at the congressional level. Elfreth's office has also been engaged in planning an Interfaith Youth Day at the Maryland State Capitol, an initiative that SMF has embraced as an opportunity to build broader interfaith understanding among the next generation.

The delegation also briefed the Congresswoman on SMF's ongoing engagement with Maryland law enforcement and state homeland security officials, reflecting a sustained, multi-level advocacy effort that has included meetings with the Montgomery County Police Department and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security. SMF conveyed that federal engagement is the critical next step in ensuring comprehensive protection for Shia Muslim institutions across the country.

The delegation formally invited Congresswoman Elfreth to participate in SMF's upcoming Safety and Security Seminary for American Shia Muslims, scheduled for late May 2026. The Seminary will bring together community leaders, security professionals, and government officials to address the unique safety challenges facing Shia Muslim institutions nationwide.

Idara e Jaferia, headquartered in Burtonsville, Montgomery County, serves hundreds of families throughout the region and has been central to SMF's community safety advocacy efforts. UMAA's participation in the meeting reflects the broad and unified voice of the American Shia Muslim community on these matters.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the civic, legal, and community interests of Shia Muslims in the United States. SMF engages with government institutions, law enforcement agencies, and elected officials to ensure that the voices and concerns of the American Shia Muslim community are represented at every level of government.

Shia Muslim Foundation, UMAA, and Idara e Jaferia hold Historic Senate Meeting with Senator Chris Van Hollen and his National Security Team

The leaders of UMAA, SMF, Idara e Jaferia, and Dr. Noor Zaidi met with US Senator Van Hollen at his DC Office.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — April 14, 2026. The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF), the Universal Muslim Association of America (UMAA), and Idara e Jaferia, three of the most prominent Shia Muslim organizations in the United States, today came together at the United States Senate to meet directly with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and his national security team.

Senator Van Hollen joined the meeting personally alongside his senior national security staff, a powerful signal of the weight his office assigns to the safety concerns of Shia Muslim communities in Maryland and across the nation. The joint appearance of all three organizations marks the first time institutions of this stature and reach have united to present a coordinated federal security agenda on behalf of American Shia Muslims at the Senate level, and stands as the highest-level federal engagement on Shia community safety in the history of American Shia advocacy.

The coalition assembled for today's meeting is itself a statement. UMAA is the largest national Shia Muslim organization in the United States, representing communities from coast to coast. Idara e Jaferia, based in Burtonsville, Maryland, is one of the oldest and most prominent Shia mosques in the Washington metropolitan area, a mosque that Senator Van Hollen has visited and addressed on multiple occasions.

Together with SMF, their unified presence at the Senate table reflects a degree of inter-organizational coordination rarely achieved within American Shia advocacy, and sends an unmistakable signal about the depth of community concern driving this campaign.

"Today, American Shia Muslims walked into the United States Senate not as petitioners, but as a community with a clear, organized demand for federal protection. Senator Van Hollen and his national security team gave us their full attention and engagement. This is what Shia civic power looks like." - Rahat Husain, Executive Director, Shia Muslim Foundation

The full delegation included Dr. Ghulam Abbas, President of Idara e Jaferia; Dr. Azmat Husain, President of UMAA; Dr. Noor Zaidi, Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County; and Rahat Husain, Executive Director of SMF. Each leader brought distinct standing and perspective to the meeting. Dr. Abbas came as the steward of one of Maryland's most storied Shia mosques. Dr. Azmat Husain represented the national voice of organized Shia Muslim civic life. Dr. Zaidi contributed academic authority on the intersection of Islamophobia and the U.S.-Iran conflict. And Rahat Husain presented the coalition's structured federal agenda, the product of an advocacy campaign that moved from local law enforcement to the floor of the United States Senate in under two weeks.

"Idara e Jaferia has served this community through decades of hardship, and we have never stopped. But the threats we face today require the full force of federal attention. Senator Van Hollen and his national security team heard us clearly, and we are confident that this meeting marks the beginning of a sustained federal commitment to protecting Shia mosques in Maryland." - Dr. Ghulam Abbas, President, Idara e Jaferia

The meeting was convened against a backdrop of documented and escalating threat. Idara e Jaferia received a bomb threat during Friday prayers in December 2023 and additional physical threats in December 2024. The mosque has been subjected to sustained online harassment from organized right-wing groups who falsely characterize it as affiliated with Iranian extremism, a dangerous and baseless accusation that mirrors the kind of incitement that has preceded real-world violence against houses of worship across the country.

A 2025 CAIR report documented 8,658 anti-Muslim and anti-Arab incidents in 2024 alone, the highest total ever recorded.

Theongoing U.S.-Iran conflict has compounded these dangers sharply. Shia Muslim communities face a threat profile unlike any other religious minority in the United States. They are targeted both by generalized Islamophobia and by sectarian hostility rooted in the conflation of Shia religious identity with Iranian state politics. Researchers have documented online content explicitly framing American mosques as enemy infrastructure, language with a well-documented history of preceding real-world attacks. For Shia mosques in proximity to the nation's capital, the stakes are especially high.

"UMAA is proud to stand with the Shia Muslim Foundation and Idara e Jaferia as we bring our security concerns directly to the United States Senate. The strength of today's meeting lies in our unity. When the largest national Shia organization, the most prominent Shia mosque in the DC region, and SMF speak with one voice, the federal government listens. Today is evidence that organized, coalition-driven advocacy works, and that the American Shia community will not wait for a crisis to demand the protections we deserve." — Dr. Azmat Husain, President, UMAA

Today's Senate meeting is the culmination, though not the conclusion, of an eight-day advocacy effort that has produced tangible institutional outcomes at every level of government it has reached. On April 6, SMF met with Montgomery County Police Department Commander Jason Cokinos and established a formal, ongoing security partnership between MCPD and Idara e Jaferia. On April 7, SMF convened a meeting with Director Marcia Deppen of Governor Wes Moore's Office of Homeland Security, resulting in Director Deppen being designated as SMF's dedicated state point of contact and SMF earning a standing seat at Maryland's monthly statewide law enforcement security coordination meetings. On April 9, SMF met with Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth, who committed to sending a formal letter to the FBI and DHS requesting proactive monitoring of threats to Muslim mosques in Maryland and direct intelligence coordination with SMF regarding Shia mosques, including Idara e Jaferia specifically. Congresswoman Elfreth has also accepted an invitation to speak at the Safety and Security Summit at Idara e Jaferia on May 16, 2026, alongside the Director of Maryland Homeland Security.

Ameeting with Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) is confirmed for April 28, 2026, continuing the coalition's push for federal action.

"What this coalition has accomplished is without precedent in American Shia Muslim history. We have built partnerships at every level of government, from local law enforcement to the United States Senate, and we are not finished. The American Shia community is organized, we are unified, and we will continue to press until every level of the federal government treats the safety of our mosques as the urgent national priority that it is." - Rahat Husain, Executive Director, Shia Muslim Foundation

About UMAA

UMAA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit NGO that works on social, political, religious, and humanitarian issues, and holds ECOSOC consultative status with the United Nations. It was founded in 2003 with the purpose of advancing the social, economic, and political affairs of the Muslim community in America, with a particular focus on the Shia Muslim community.

UMAA seeks to build coalitions and partnerships with adherents of other faiths and sects. Its interfaith efforts have included joint Ramadan iftars, joint prayer services, and joint press releases. In February 2015, UMAA hosted a session in which a hundred American Muslims and Buddhists gathered in Washington to hear the Dalai Lama speak alongside the representative of Grand Ayatollah Sistani, Sheikh Fadhil al-Sahlani, and other religious leaders.

The UMAA Convention is one of the largest Shia Muslim gatherings in the North America, with more than 3,000 attendees from across the country. Top experts in their fields have spoken at the conference, including Juan Cole, historian of the modern Middle East and South Asia.

UMAA Global has extended the organization's convention model internationally, hosting an inaugural gathering in Karachi at the Pearl Continental Hotel, bringing together scholars, policymakers, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and humanitarian organizations to foster dialogue between leaders in Pakistan, the United States, the Middle East, and beyond.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the civic rights, safety, and welfare of American Shia Muslims. SMF engages with government, law enforcement, and civil society at every level to ensure the Shia Muslim community is heard, protected, and represented. Learn more at www.shiamuslimfoundation.com.

About Idara e Jaferia

Idara e Jaferia is a non-profit, independent Islamic center in Montgomery County, Maryland, that grew out of years of dedication from a group of fellow Muslims who began working toward its establishment in 1980. The center serves as one of the most prominent Shia Muslim institutions on the East Coast, providing community services for residents of Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and nearby local communities.

The center's core mission is to organize and promote religious and educational activities grounded in the Shia faith of Islam as taught through the Holy Quran, the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), the Ahlulbayt (the Prophet's family), and Ja'afari Fiqh (jurisprudence). It also works to promote and enhance mutual understanding, cooperation, and unity among Shia Muslims both locally and throughout the world.

Idara e Jaferia provides a full range of religious services and social ceremonies, including majalis, jashns, marriages, and funerals, as well as daily congregation prayers, Friday prayers, Eid gatherings, religious processions, and other Islamic observances.

Beyond its religious function, Idara e Jaferia serves the broader Maryland community through charitable initiatives including an annual Winter Coat Drive and ongoing food donations to homeless shelters. The center also performs charitable work for needy families within the Jafri community in the United States.

The center has launched an "Idara 2050 Vision" initiative, a long-term strategic planning effort reflecting a commitment not just to serving today's community but to building durable institutional infrastructure for future generations of American Shia Muslims.

SMF Meets with Governor Moore's Office of Homeland Security to Address Safety of Shia Muslim Communities in Maryland

SMF Calls on State to Take Proactive Measures to Protect Shia Muslim Centers Amid Elevated Threat Environment

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) announced the successful conclusion of a high-level meeting earlier this week with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, led by Director Marcia Deppen. The meeting, convened at the request of SMF Executive Director Rahat Husain, brought together senior officials from Governor Wes Moore's administration to address the growing security concerns facing Shia Muslim centers across the state.

"This meeting was a pivotal moment for the American Shia Muslim community," said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation. "For too long, the unique vulnerabilities of Shia Muslims have gone unaddressed at the state level. Governor Moore's administration has demonstrated genuine commitment and leadership by engaging with our concerns directly, swiftly, and at the highest levels. We are deeply grateful for the seriousness and urgency with which Director Deppen and her team approached this conversation."

A Broad Coalition at the Table

The meeting included Director Deppen and a multi-agency team from the Governor's Office. Director Deppen was appointed as the direct point of contact for SMF, ensuring a dedicated channel for ongoing communication and coordination.

Participants discussed concrete measures the state can take to proactively support the security of Shia Muslim centers in Maryland, including enhanced threat monitoring, improved coordination with local law enforcement, and direct outreach to center leadership. SMF will be participating in monthly security meetings with state law enforcement agencies, a significant step toward institutionalizing the partnership and ensuring the Shia Muslim community has a consistent voice in statewide security planning. The Governor's Office indicated its commitment to follow-up action and ongoing engagement with the Shia Muslim community.

"Idara e Jaferia has served the Maryland community for decades, and our members deserve to feel safe in their place of worship," said Dr. Ghulam Abbas, President of Idara e Jaferia. "We are encouraged by the responsiveness of the Governor's office and look forward to working together to ensure that Shia Muslim centers across Maryland are protected."

Background: A Community Under Heightened Threat

Maryland's Shia Muslim community has faced an escalating pattern of threats and harassment in recent years. Idara e Jaferia, the state's most prominent Shia Muslim center, has been the target of a bomb threat, as well as sustained online harassment from organized right-wing anti-Muslim groups. These incidents have created significant fear among worshippers and center leadership.

The ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict has dramatically elevated these concerns. Shia Muslim communities occupy a distinct and uniquely vulnerable position in the current threat landscape.

"UMAA is proud to stand with the Shia Muslim Foundation in calling on government at every level to take the safety of our community seriously," said Dr. Azmat Husain, President of the Universal Muslim Association of America. "The meetings this week are an encouraging sign that our voices are being heard."

As geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran continue to intensify, SMF has warned that Shia Muslim centers across Maryland and the nation face an elevated and insufficiently acknowledged security risk. The Foundation has called on state and local governments to develop proactive, community-specific security protocols that account for the unique threat profile facing the American Shia Muslim community.

SMF Builds Law Enforcement Partnership with Montgomery County Police

The meeting with the Governor's Office followed an equally significant in-person meeting earlier this week between SMF and officials of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). Executive Director Husain met with Commander Jason Cokinos and Officer Brandon McCloud of MCPD's 3rd District, facilitated by Kate Chance, Faith Liaison of the County's Office of Community Partnerships. The meeting, held at the MCPD's 3rd District station in Silver Spring, was aimed at establishing a proactive, ongoing relationship between Idara e Jaferia and local law enforcement.

Commander Cokinos and Officer McCloud expressed strong support for the partnership and commitment to working with the Shia Muslim community to address security concerns. "It was a pleasure speaking with you," Officer McCloud wrote to SMF following the meeting. "I look forward to our partnership and future collaborations." SMF views the MCPD meeting as a critical foundation for the kind of local law enforcement coordination that will be essential to protecting Shia Muslim centers in Montgomery County.

The MCPD engagement builds on SMF's prior relationship with MCPD's Community Engagement Division, including earlier contact with Captain Jordan Satinsky, and reflects the Foundation's strategy of building multi-layered partnerships with law enforcement at every level of government.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights, safety, and well-being of the American Shia Muslim community. SMF works to build bridges between Shia Muslim communities and government agencies, law enforcement, and civil society to address discrimination, promote civic engagement, and ensure the protection of vulnerable communities. SMF also serves as legal counsel for Idara e Jaferia, one of the most prominent Shia Muslim centers in Maryland.