SMFNews: Person of Interest in Custody After Fire at East Baltimore Mosque

A person of interest is in custody after a fire at a mosque on Harford Road in East Baltimore on Oct. 25.

BALTIMORE — A mosque on Harford Road in East Baltimore was engulfed in flames on Sunday evening, Oct. 25, and police took a person of interest into custody at the scene, Baltimore police said. No one was hurt. For Muslims in Baltimore and across the country, the images of a burning house of worship arrive at a time when many congregations are already worried about their safety.

Patrol officers and firefighters were called shortly after 5 p.m. to the 2600 block of Harford Road, in the city’s Coldstream Homestead Montebello neighborhood near Clifton Park, for a reported fire, FOX45 reported. When they arrived, officers found the mosque fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters put out the fire, and officers took a person of interest into custody at the scene, police told CBS Baltimore and WBAL-TV 11 News.

What we don’t know yet

As of Monday morning, officials had not said what caused the fire. “It’s unclear at this time how the fire started on Sunday,” FOX45 reported. Police have not publicly identified the person of interest, and no charges had been announced. Authorities have not said whether they believe the mosque was deliberately targeted, and “no further information was immediately released,” WBAL reported. The extent of the damage, and when worshippers may be able to return, have not been made public. SMF News will update this story as police and fire officials release more information.

More than a building

For Muslims, a mosque is far more than a prayer hall. It is where the community gathers for daily prayers and the Friday congregational prayer, where families break their fast together in Ramadan, where children learn the Quran and the basics of their faith, and where newcomers and elders find a community. When a mosque is damaged, all of that is disrupted at once, and the shock is felt by Muslims well beyond a single congregation.

“Mosques must remain places of community, learning, and prayer,” Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a national Muslim civil rights group, said in September when CAIR and the North American Islamic Trust released an updated mosque safety guide.

Mosque safety in America

Concern about the safety of mosques has grown sharply this year. On May 18, three men were killed when two teenage gunmen opened fire on the grounds of a mosque in San Diego, KPBS reported; the gunmen later killed themselves. CAIR said the men gave their lives protecting worshippers and children.

A month later, a UC San Diego survey of 312 Muslim adults in San Diego found that 88 percent said the shooting made them feel less safe in their community, and 74 percent said they worried more about their personal safety because they are Muslim, KPBS reported. Nearly half said they feel law enforcement does not take threats against Muslims seriously.

In July, CAIR said it had documented 17 incidents targeting Islamic places of worship in May, June and July, a 183 percent increase over the same three months a year earlier, including threats and intimidation. The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), in a spring security bulletin, assessed the threat of physical attacks against Muslims as “elevated” and reported an elevenfold increase in threats and attacks in March compared with January.

Federal figures capture only part of the picture. FBI hate crime statistics for 2025, released in August, recorded 205 anti-Muslim incidents reported by law enforcement agencies, down from 261 in 2024, according to an analysis by the Arab American Institute. Those numbers depend on what local agencies report, and advocacy groups track many incidents that never appear in police data.

Federal prosecutors have also brought cases. In July, the Justice Department announced federal charges against a Philadelphia man accused of setting a fire with an improvised incendiary device at a mosque in Northeast Philadelphia on July 5. Charges are allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Resources for congregations

Mosques do not have to face these risks alone. Federal, state and community programs offer funding, training and guidance:

Federal security grants: FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program pays for security upgrades such as cameras, alert systems, gates, lighting and access control, as well as training. FEMA announced $300 million in fiscal 2026 awards in September to more than 1,600 nonprofits, including Muslim institutions. Nonprofits apply through their State Administrative Agency, not directly to FEMA.

Maryland security grants: In August, the state awarded $10 million in Protection Against Hate Crimes grants to 116 organizations in 16 counties and Baltimore City, with mosques among the recipients, for security personnel, access control, cameras, facility hardening and training. “People want to feel safe when they gather to worship or participate in community activities,” said Dorothy Lennig, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.

Montgomery County deadline this week: The county’s FY27 Nonprofit Security Grant offers $1.2 million in total, with up to $15,000 per facility for as many as four facilities. Applications are due Thursday, Oct. 29, at 11:59 p.m.

A new Maryland law: Since Oct. 1, state law makes it a misdemeanor to use force, the threat of force or physical obstruction to interfere with or injure someone lawfully exercising their religious beliefs at a place of worship, punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.

Free assessment tools: The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency offers a free Houses of Worship Security Self-Assessment that congregations can use to review their own facilities. CAIR and the North American Islamic Trust’s updated Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide is written for mosque leaders.

Training in Maryland: CAIR Maryland is holding a free emergency preparedness summit for leaders of mosques, Islamic schools and Muslim organizations on Saturday, Oct. 31, in Ellicott City, covering threat assessment, facility security, coordination with law enforcement and emergency services, and security grants. Advance registration is required.

— Bassant Kadry, advisory board member, CAIR Maryland, September 22, 2026

“Our mosques, schools and community institutions deserve to remain places of worship, learning and belonging,” Bassant Kadry, a member of CAIR Maryland’s advisory board, said when the summit was announced.

Practical steps for mosque leaders

MPAC’s security recommendations urge mosques to limit open entrances during prayer times, especially Jumu’ah, keep secondary doors locked and monitored, greet every visitor, keep the grounds well lit at night, make sure cameras are working and recording, keep fire extinguishers serviced, clear brush and flammable materials from around the building, ask local police for extra patrols during prayer times and report every incident, even minor vandalism.

For fire safety, Georgia’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner recommends that places of worship light the exterior and all entrances, trim shrubs and trees so passing patrols can see the building, consider a combined burglary and fire alarm, keep sprinklers and extinguishers maintained, store flammable liquids properly away from sparks or flames, clean kitchen hood filters regularly, avoid overloading outlets and running extension cords under rugs, and report unsafe conditions or suspicious activity immediately.

What to watch

The key open questions in Baltimore are what caused the fire, whether the person taken into custody will be charged, and what investigators conclude about why it happened. Until police and fire officials release their findings, it is best to rely on official information rather than speculation.

Anyone with information can contact the Baltimore Police Department or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCK-UP.

Sources: CBS Baltimore (Oct. 25, 2026); FOX45 News (Oct. 25, updated Oct. 26, 2026); WBAL-TV 11 News (Oct. 26, 2026); KPBS (June 18, 2026); CAIR (July 28, 2026); CAIR and NAIT (Sept. 16, 2026); CAIR Maryland (Sept. 22, 2026); MPAC; FBI/Justice Department; Arab American Institute; Justice Department (July 2026); FEMA; FEMA (Sept. 28, 2026); Office of Gov. Wes Moore (Aug. 25, 2026); Montgomery County; Maryland General Assembly; CISA; Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.

SMFNews: American Shia Muslims Mourn the Death of Sayeda Fatima

The golden minaret of the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf, with a black mourning banner hanging from its balcony. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

WASHINGTON — American Shia Muslims are mourning the martyrdom of Sayeda Fatima al-Zahra (SA), the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, at gatherings in mosques and community centers across the United States this weekend. In Najaf, Iraq, the shrine of her husband, Imam Ali, has been draped in black, according to the shrine's website. The commemoration is known as Ayyam-e-Fatimiyyah, or the Days of Fatima.

How American communities commemorate

In the United States, mosques and community centers mark the days with majalis, or gatherings, usually held in the evening, that bring together Quran recitation, sermons and elegies. Programs commonly include salam and marsiya (salutations and elegies), an English-language speech, matam and noha (communal mourning and laments), and ziyarat, a prayer of greeting. Some end with niaz, a shared meal.

Programs differ from center to center, so anyone who wishes to attend should check a local center's schedule.

Why she matters to American Muslims

For many Shia families in the United States, Fatima is a model for believers to follow as well as a figure of grief. Oxford Bibliographies in Islamic Studies says Shia tradition presents her as an exemplary model for believers to imitate, and the Encyclopaedia of Islam notes the veneration given to her across the Muslim world.

Farhana Kassamali offered this reflection. "For me, Sayeda Fatima is a model of quiet strength. These days of remembrance are a chance for American Muslims to pause, reflect and care for one another," said Farhana Kassamali, communications director of the Shia Muslim Foundation.

— Farhana Kassamali, communications director of the Shia Muslim Foundation

Rahat Husain also offered a reflection. "Sayeda Fatima is the daughter of the Prophet, and every Muslim in America, whatever their background, holds her in love and respect. These days of mourning remind us of her patience, her faith and her devotion to her family," said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation.

— Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation

The sections below explain who she was, why she is mourned, and how the Shrine of Imam Ali is preparing.

Who was Sayeda Fatima al-Zahra?

Fatima, also called al-Zahra, Arabic for "the Shining One," was the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and his first wife, Khadija. She married Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's cousin, and was the mother of Hasan and Husain, according to Britannica. Together with her husband, her sons and their descendants, she belongs to the Ahl al-Bayt, "the People of the House," the Prophet's family, Britannica explains.

Britannica says she is especially important to Shia Muslims because they regard Ali as the Prophet's rightful heir and the first of their Imams, and her sons Hasan and Husain as the next inheritors of the Prophet's tradition. She is honored well beyond the Shia community. The Encyclopaedia of Islam describes her as the object of "great veneration by all Muslims," while noting that Shia Muslims have given her particular prominence.

Why Shia Muslims mourn her

Shia Muslims believe that Sayeda Fatima died as a martyr from injuries she suffered after the Prophet's passing, and they observe the anniversary of her martyrdom each year in commemorations called Fatimiyya or Ayyam-e-Fatimiyyah. They mark the days with grief and remembrance. Fatima died in Medina months after her father, according to Britannica.

How the Shrine of Imam Ali is preparing

In Najaf, the shrine of Imam Ali has been draped in black. In a report titled "Installation of Fatimi Mourning Banners at the Holy Alawi Shrine," the Imam Ali Holy Shrine's English-language website said on Oct. 23 that the shrine "has been draped in black on the eve of the martyrdom anniversary of Lady Fatimah."

The golden façade and two minarets of the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf, seen through a tiled archway. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

Photographs published with the report show workers on mechanical lifts hanging black banners with white Arabic calligraphy across the tiled, arched walls of the shrine's courtyard, including above a gate marked Al-Qiblah Gate. One long vertical banner carries the name Fatima in red Arabic lettering.

Workers on a lift hang black banners on the tiled, arched walls of the shrine. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

Black banners hang above the Al-Qiblah Gate. One vertical banner carries the name Fatima in red Arabic lettering. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

A black banner also hangs from the balcony of a golden minaret, as seen in the photo at the top of this story. Other pictures show a column wrapped in black cloth with calligraphy panels, and a banner at the foot of an arched balcony where two men stand.

A worker on a scissor lift beside a column draped in black cloth with calligraphy panels. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

A black banner with white calligraphy below an arched balcony where two men stand. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

In another image, workers hoist a large black banner with a red border beneath the tiled arches. Close-ups show the white calligraphy and the red-and-white medallions on the banners, trimmed in green.

Workers hoist a large black banner with a red border beneath the tiled arches. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

A close-up of a black banner with a red-and-white calligraphic medallion, trimmed in green. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

Long black banners also run along the courtyard wall above the shrine's red carpets. The report gives no details on the shrine's program, how long the banners will stay up, or what ceremonies are planned, and SMF has not independently verified more than the shrine's report and photographs.

A long black banner with white calligraphy along the courtyard wall, above the shrine's red carpet. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

What comes next

Some centers have scheduled evening programs on Oct. 23, 24 and 25. SMF will follow the commemorations as they continue.

SMFNews: Najaf's Seminary Marks 1,000 Years of Shia Scholarship

The Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf, Iraq, in 2026. Photo: Imam Ali Holy Shrine (imamali.net)

NAJAF, Iraq — Scholars, university leaders and shrine officials gathered in Najaf for the second preliminary conference, which opened October 22, 2026, marking 1,000 years of the Najaf Hawza, a Shia Muslim seminary. The seminary traces its beginnings to the arrival of the scholar Sheikh Muhammad al-Tusi in the city in 448 AH, around 1056 CE, according to the Al-Abbas Shrine, which organized the event with several universities. It is one step in a series of events planned by Iraq's holy shrines.

The Al-Abbas Shrine's reports describe the October event as the second preliminary conference. The first, held in Najaf in February 2026, was organized in collaboration with the Shi'a Research Institute (SRI), a Toronto-based academic nonprofit, according to the shrine's Al-Kafeel news site. SRI's role is explained in the next section.

Shi'a Research Institute: the Toronto partner behind the first conference

The Shi'a Research Institute is a private nonprofit in Toronto that exists to further the academic study of Shia Islam. According to its website, SRI is supported by the grassroots Shia community and works with academic institutions in North America and Europe. It aims to become a leading North American center for Shia and Islamic studies by investing in education, thought leadership, a manuscript library and lifelong learning. Its academic director is Dr. Vinay Khetia, who holds a PhD in Religious Studies from McMaster University and teaches at the University of Toronto.

The first preliminary conference was held under the slogan "The Hawza of Najaf Ashraf: A Thousand Years of Giving" and the title "The Heritage of Sheikh al-Tusi in Islamic and Western Thought: Contemporary Approaches." It was organized by the Sheikh al-Tusi Center for Studies and Research, part of the Supreme Committee for the Revival of Heritage at the Al-Abbas Shrine, in collaboration with Al-Kafeel University and the Shi'a Research Institute in Toronto.

SRI's conference page notes that it is one of four sponsoring and co-hosting organizations, along with the Al-Abbas Shrine, Al-Kafeel University and the shrine's heritage committee, which together work as the Grand Council for the Preservation of Intellectual History in Iraq.

Al-Kafeel's English reports say the first day opened at the Imam al-Murtada complex in Najaf with speeches, including one from SRI, and the unveiling of new publications. The second day was held at Al-Kafeel University, with two research sessions, one in Arabic and one in English. The program also included the unveiling of three heritage books, a documentary on the life of Sheikh al-Tusi and a selection of Najaf seminary scholars, and an honoring of participants and researchers, according to its concluding report.

Dr. Khetia presented a paper on al-Tusi's work Misbah al-Mutahajjid and its legacy in the Shia scholarly tradition. SRI also announced that it took part in an Islamic-Christian dialogue forum at the Al-Khoei Institute in Najaf on Feb. 4, 2026, where Dr. Khetia presented a paper titled "Human Dignity as a Cornerstone of Interreligious Dialogue," according to its report on the forum.

SRI described the gathering as "a bridge between traditional seminary learning and modern academic research" and as "a significant milestone in international academic partnership."

Why it matters to American Shia Muslims

For many Shia Muslims in the United States, the Najaf Hawza is not only history. Religious scholar Dr. Liyakat Takim of McMaster University writes in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion that senior scholars, the marja's, reach followers in North America through representatives, websites and social media. He adds that they have issued rulings on questions facing Shia minorities in the West, and describes the marja' tradition as meeting the community's religious, social and financial needs.

A 2015 study of Iraqi Shia Muslims in Dearborn, Michigan, found that most participants followed Najaf-based clerics, particularly al-Sistani and the late Grand Ayatollah al-Khoei, according to the Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies. The study covered one community, and Shia Muslims in other parts of the country follow a range of scholars. The Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya describes itself as "the liaison office of the religious authority in North America".

Americans also study in Najaf. Respected Sheikh Azhar Nasser, who was born and raised in Michigan, studied at the Najaf Hawza and has taught introductory courses to Western students at the seminary, according to his biography on Al-Islam.org. How individual U.S. mosques and centers connect to particular scholars varies from one community to another.

"For many Shia families here in America, Najaf is a source of guidance and learning. We hope that same spirit of knowledge, service and care for our neighbors is felt in every one of our mosques and community centers," said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation.

— Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, born in 1930, is the Najaf-based cleric whom Britannica describes as a leader of Iraq's Shia community. As a young man he moved to Najaf to study and became a student of Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei. After al-Khoei's death in 1992, al-Sistani became a marja', according to Britannica. He lives in a modest rented home near the Imam Ali Shrine, Reuters reported.

Britannica describes him as a "quietist," meaning he has generally avoided holding political office or directing day-to-day politics. It says he nonetheless intervened at key moments in Iraq's modern history. In 2004 he issued a ruling urging Iraqis to register to vote, and Britannica says he supported free elections after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. In 2014 he called on Iraqis to join the fight against the Islamic State, and in 2019 he called for the government to resign and for electoral reform after violent crackdowns on protests.

He has also urged Iraqis to give to those in need. In 2017, as numbers of displaced people grew, a statement attributed to him said, as translated by researcher Abbas Kadhim: "Due to the increase in IDPs, shortages of resources, we call on ALL respected Iraqi citizens to contribute all they could to reduce suffering." Kadhim reported that about 1,000 trucks of supplies followed, according to a paper from the Project on Middle East Political Science. In 2008, UN refugee chief António Guterres met him in Najaf and praised his efforts toward reconciliation and stability.

On March 6, 2021, al-Sistani met Pope Francis in Najaf for about 50 minutes, Business Recorder reported. His office's statement on the meeting said he spoke about the role of religious leaders in curbing injustice and war, and about peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among followers of different religions.

— Office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, statement on his meeting with Pope Francis, March 6, 2021 (official English text at sistani.org)

His role in the millennium is described mostly through his office. On Oct. 1, Imam Hussain Radio reported that Sheikh Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbala'i, identified as the representative of the supreme religious authority, met the secretary-general of the Imam Ali Shrine to discuss preparations. They discussed forming a joint coordination committee of the shrines to unify plans while letting each shrine keep its own programs. The report is in Arabic and does not quote al-Sistani himself.

A thousand years, counted on the Islamic calendar

The anniversary uses the Islamic lunar calendar, known as Hijri. Lunar years are about 11 days shorter than solar years, so 1,000 Hijri years pass in roughly 970 years on the calendar most Americans use. Al-Tusi arrived in 448 AH, and the Hijri year 1448 began this summer, which is why 2026 is being marked as the millennium.

How the Najaf Hawza began

In the mid-11th century, Sheikh al-Tusi was one of the leading Shia scholars in Baghdad. Modern scholars describe a period of unrest there after the Seljuk Turks took control of the city in 1055, according to an academic study. In that account, his home was attacked and some of his books were burned.

In 448 AH (1056-57 CE) he left for Najaf, the city that grew up around the shrine of Imam Ali, according to a study of the hawza's history. He lived there about 12 years and died in 460 AH (1067 CE), the same study says. Scholars note that his circle in Najaf was small at first.

Dr. Abdul-Hakim al-Safi, director of the Higher Institute for Heritage at the Al-Abbas Shrine, said al-Tusi left a significant mark on Quranic commentary, jurisprudence, legal principles, theology and hadith, the recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet and his family. He said al-Tusi's move to Najaf helped revive the religious seminary there and shifted the scholarly movement from Baghdad. He said the move also energized schools in Karbala, Hilla and elsewhere, according to Al-Kafeel.

Najaf's role as a center of learning has lasted "for many centuries," and Najaf tradition dates it to al-Tusi's arrival, according to a Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society article on the hawza's curriculum.

Morning light on the dome and courtyard walls of the Imam Ali Shrine, August 2025. Photo: AHK AV

Centuries of study, and what the conference covered

The second preliminary conference focused on the 9th to 12th centuries AH, roughly the 1400s through the 1700s CE. Its title was "The Scientific and Intellectual Contributions of the Najaf Hawza from the 9th to the 12th Century AH."

Organizers were the Sheikh al-Tusi Center for Studies and Research, part of the Supreme Committee for the Revival of Heritage at the Al-Abbas Shrine, together with the Al-Ameed Scientific and Intellectual Society, Al-Kafeel University, the University of Kufa and the Imam al-Kadhem College. On the first day, a documentary on the millennium preparations was shown and new books on scholars of the period were unveiled, according to the Al-Abbas Shrine.

Four research papers were presented on the first day. They dealt with how scholars evaluated the reliability of hadith narrators, a work on narrators by Sheikh Muhammad bin Ali al-Ardabili, and how jurists reasoned from evidence to legal rulings.

— Dr. Abdul-Hakim al-Safi, director of the Higher Institute for Heritage at the Al-Abbas Shrine, April 22, 2026, as published in English by Al-Kafeel

The millennium program

Al-Safi said the conference follows an earlier preliminary conference on al-Tusi's thought in Islamic and Western views, and that a third preliminary conference will come before the main millennium conference. He said the scientific committee received nearly 100 papers, and 60 were accepted after peer review, according to Imam Hussain Radio. The report is in Arabic, and these details are translated. The reports reviewed do not give dates for the third or main conference.

The planning involves the major shrines of Iraq. Imam Hussain Radio reported on Oct. 17 that representatives of the Imam Ali, Imam Hussain, Al-Abbas, Kadhimiya and Askari shrines held a first coordination meeting at the Imam Ali Shrine to set plans, divide tasks and prepare the cultural and scientific events, according to a statement from the Imam Ali Shrine. The Imam Hussain Shrine's intellectual and cultural affairs department also hosted a meeting of the Najaf millennium committee, reported on Oct. 18. Its head, Sheikh Ali al-Qar'awi, said proposals would be presented to senior authorities in Najaf and Karbala.

— Sheikh Ali al-Qar'awi, head of intellectual and cultural affairs at the Imam Hussain Shrine, reported Oct. 1, 2026 (translated from Arabic)

What comes next

According to Al-Safi, a third preliminary conference is planned, followed by the main millennium conference. Dates have not been announced in the reports reviewed. SMF will follow the program as it develops.

Key terms in plain words

Hawza. A Shia seminary: a community of teachers, students and study circles that trains religious scholars. "The Najaf Hawza" means the network of scholars and students centered on the city of Najaf.

Marja'. Arabic for "source of reference." A marja' is a senior scholar whom Shia Muslims choose to follow for guidance on religious practice. The system is voluntary, and each believer picks one.

Ayatollah. An honorific for a high-ranking Shia scholar. "Grand Ayatollah" is reserved for the most senior, according to Britannica.

Fiqh. Islamic jurisprudence, the study of how religious teachings apply to daily life, including prayer, fasting, charity, contracts and family matters.

Imam Ali. Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, is the most revered figure in Shia Islam. His shrine in Najaf is a major pilgrimage site, and he is widely believed to be buried there, according to Britannica.

The golden dome and minarets of the Imam Ali Shrine, August 2023. Photo: Goudarz.memar