Open Mosque Day at Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT Masjid) in Richardson, Texas, Saturday, July 18, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
Under a bright sun, families and curious neighbors streamed through the arches of the Islamic Association of North Texas Saturday afternoon. The Richardson mosque’s copper-colored dome caught the light as volunteers greeted visitors at the entrance, welcoming many who were stepping into an Islamic house of worship for the first time.
The “Open Mosque Day” event had been months in the making, following other open house events that took place in Plano Saturday morning and Austin last week. It aimed to dispel stereotypes and misconceptions, especially regarding Shariah, that some Muslims say have plagued communities across Texas.
“There are many anti-Islam, anti-Shariah, anti-Muslim incidents that happen in Texas, and we want to make sure that our fellow Americans, our brothers and sisters in humanity, know what is Shariah and what it is not,” Dr. Sabeel Ahmed, director of Islamic outreach organization GainPeace, said in an interview. Ahmed was the keynote speaker of the event.
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Shariah, the moral and religious code in Islam that guides all aspects of a Muslim’s life, has been utilized by some officials nationwide and in Texas to suggest Muslims are imposing a system of laws on American communities.
Ahmed described Shariah as “God’s guidance” for daily life that encapsulates gratuitous actions. He noted that “preserving the environment” is a part of Shariah, just as caring for neighbors and the elderly and fighting racism are.
“We hope and pray that they realize that Shariah and Muslims are not a threat,” Ahmed said. “They should realize that there are so many commonalities about humanity, and when we compare the faiths based on the commonalities, it’s the principle of Islam to form better societies.”
Martha Nichols, left, shares as laugh as she gets henna on her hand from Farzana Ekram during ‘open mosque day’ at Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT Masjid) in Richardson, Texas, Saturday, July 18, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
Opening the mosque to the community
The Islamic Association of North Texas was founded in 1969 and is the largest mosque in Dallas-Fort Worth, according to its website.
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The gymnasium was decorated in shades of blue. On one side, long tables held heaping amounts of food; bowls of biriyani rice and samosas, cups of mango-flavored juice and steaming chai; and delicately decorated desserts.
On the other, volunteers stood behind tables dotted with English translations of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, and informational pamphlets about Islam. Non-Muslim guests were able to take them home.
For Colin Fletcher, Saturday’s event marked his first time inside a mosque.
He said he learned about Shariah and that Islamic culture has “really good food.” He noted that he felt “called to go” and was eager to build relationships with people of different faiths.
“I can look up stuff on YouTube or the internet,” Fletcher said, “but it’s better to just hear from what others have to say and build up some relationships.”
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The event began with a recitation of a verse from the Quran by an imam, a community leader who is designated to lead prayers at a mosque.
Afterward, the president of the mosque, Mohammed Elithy, extended a welcome to the non-Muslim members of the community. He emphasized the mosque is a haven for any member of the community, Muslim or non-Muslim.
“This is where we extend a hand. This is where when somebody needs help, they come to us,” Elithy said. “As our neighbors, as our friends, we want you to see us on the inside.”
The event also featured a tour of the mosque, a Q&A session and the opportunity to watch Muslims attendants pray Asr, one of the five daily prayers.
The main prayer room is empty during ‘open mosque day’ at Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT Masjid) in Richardson, Texas, Saturday, July 18, 2026. The women’s prayer area (top) overlooks the mens area below.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
Plano’s open house
Similar conversations unfolded earlier Saturday at the Islamic Association of Collin County in Plano, where another Open Mosque Day brought residents together to learn about Islam.
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Attendees asked questions ranging from “How do mosques select their leaders?” to “What’s the relationship between Shia and Sunni Muslims?”
One attendee said he has learned much about Islam from his Muslim neighbor, and asked about the rights of women in Muslim countries.
Among the visitors was Jarren Mohanna, a member of Custer Road United Methodist Church, who brought 15 members of her church to the event to learn about their Muslim neighbors.
“All our fears and all our judgments are created by not really knowing the people,” she said.
Following the event, Mohanna said she appreciated the discussion on the meaning of Shariah and the history of Muslims in America and around the world, saying she came away understanding it as similar to the Ten Commandments in the Bible.
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“Getting to know our neighbors will dispel some preconceived ideas that were maybe not accurate, but based on political rhetoric and some fears that people have,” she said.
People get food during ‘open mosque day’ at Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT Masjid) in Richardson, Texas, Saturday, July 18, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
Why organizers say the event matters
Organizers said the open house comes at a time when Muslims in Texas continue to face political rhetoric they believe misrepresents their faith.
“For the last couple of election cycles, the politicians, and even our governor, have used Islam as their crying point to get elected and to… rile up their base, and they spread all these false statements and false rumors,” said Khalid Hamideh, legal counsel for the Islamic Association of North Texas.
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He added that hosting open houses inside the mosque is extremely important because Muslims are on the election ballots and are being “unfairly targeted by the extreme right wing.”
Hamideh said events like Open Mosque Day give residents an opportunity to form opinions based on personal interactions rather than political messaging.
“We’ve got to let our friends and neighbors know what we stand for and who we are,” Hamideh said. “We are just like anyone else. We care about our kids in school. We care about gun control. We care about abortion. The message is we’re good for Texas.”
Staff writer Isabella Volmert contributed reporting