Next protest planned for Friday, Jan. 27th, at 11:30 am in Raleigh, North Carolina
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 1/26/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on North Carolina’s Shaw University to reopen a mosque on its campus that has been shut since 2020. CAIR also expressed support for Muslims in Raleigh who are protesting the university’s refusal to reopen the mosque to the public, which it served for years.
The King Khalid Mosque on Shaw’s campus was shut down in 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike most other religious buildings and activities on campus, however, the mosque remains closed. The mosque was established years ago for the benefit of the Muslim community with a gift to the university from a Muslim donor.
On Friday, Jan. 13, a group of worshippers gathered outside the mosque for congregational Friday prayers and to protest the ongoing closure. Protesters representing Masjid King Khalid, the organization that administered the mosque for years, plan to gather again on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, for a second protest.
WHAT: Protest Calling for Shaw University to Re-Open Mosque
WHEN: Friday, Jan. 27at 11:30 am
WHERE: 130 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; North Carolina attorney Nigel Edwards, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected] CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]
Although the university said in a statement that “access to the mosque by Shaw students is coordinated through the University’s Chaplain office,” protesters claimed they were being denied access. The Imam, or Islamic prayer leader, of the group that gathered at the King Khalid Mosque said they would demonstrate outside the building every Friday until a resolution is made.
SEE: Dozens protest Shaw University for not reopening King Khalid Mosque to the public
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“Shaw University should respect the diversity of both its campus and the local community by fully reopening the King Khalid Mosque. Given that the school chapel is open to all, including members of the public, it makes no sense to keep the mosque closed under the pretense of COVID-19 regulations.
“This mosque was established with support from the Muslim community for the purpose of serving the Muslim community, and Shaw University should allow it to resume doing so immediately.
“We stand in solidarity with the members of the Muslim community in Raleigh and people of other faiths supporting their effort to convince Shaw University to do the right thing.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; North Carolina attorney Nigel Edwards, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected] CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]