Muslim Candidate Arkia Wade Responds to Anti-Muslim Post in Baltimore County

SMF News

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — A social media post urging people not to vote for Baltimore County Council candidate Arkia Wade because she is Muslim has drawn condemnation from a Maryland state senator and a measured response from Wade herself, who said she will not let "hateful social media posts" distract from the issues facing her community.

Wade is a candidate for the county's District 9 council seat. According to East County Times, a local resident posted a message telling people not to vote for her, adding: "She is Muslim. We don't need Muslims taking over our district." The post urged readers to share it widely.

A state senator responds

State Sen. Carl Jackson, who represents Maryland's 8th District, condemned the post in a social media statement.

"I strongly condemn this disgusting attempt to use Arkia Wade for Baltimore County Council, District 9 religious beliefs as a weapon against her. In our community, people of every faith and those who practice no faith, deserve dignity, respect, and the freedom to worship without fear of discrimination." — State Sen. Carl Jackson

"We can disagree on policies, politics, and ideas without attacking someone for their religious identity," Jackson added. "Faith should never be used to divide our communities or question someone's worth."

— State Sen. Carl Jackson

Wade: "Both names are part of my family's story"

In a statement to East County Times on Tuesday, Wade said: "My focus is on the issues that matter to the residents of District 9, and I won't allow hateful social media posts to distract from the conversations we should be having about our community and its future."

She also spoke about her surname and family history. "Jamaludeen is the name I was born with and the name many people have known me by throughout my life," she said. "My father's birth name was William C. Wade Jr. He became Muslim in his twenties and changed his last name to Jamaludeen. In 2020, I chose to return to Wade to honor my grandparents, who moved to Dundalk in the 1940s. Both names are part of my family's story."

"There is a long and complex history of Black Americans changing their names as an expression of identity, faith, and heritage," Wade said. "That history deserves to be understood rather than met with assumptions based on a surname."

— Arkia Wade

Her family's roots in the area run deep. BmoreNews reported that her grandfather, Dr. William C. Wade Sr., served the Turner Station and Dundalk community as a physician for more than four decades.

Religious freedom and civic life

Wade framed her response around constitutional principles. "As an American, I believe in the constitutional principles of religious freedom, individual liberty, and equal treatment," she said. "The beauty of our country is that people of different faiths and backgrounds can participate fully in civic life."

"My commitment is to serve all District 9 residents, regardless of their religion, background, or political affiliation," she added. "This campaign should be about our community's future, not divisive rhetoric."

SMF responds

"No American should be told they are unfit to serve their neighbors because of their faith," said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation. "Muslims in Maryland are doctors, teachers, first responders and public servants, and we're grateful to Sen. Jackson and the local leaders who spoke up quickly. Religious bigotry has no place in our communities, and we stand with anyone targeted for how they worship."

— Rahat Husain, Executive Director, Shia Muslim Foundation

Why it matters

Muslim Americans in Maryland and across the country serve their communities as public servants, volunteers and neighbors. Singling out anyone for their faith, whether a candidate, a student or a worshipper, runs against the religious freedom guaranteed to every American. The Shia Muslim Foundation does not endorse candidates; we share this story because a person's faith should never be treated as a reason to exclude them from public life, and because the swift response from local leaders shows how communities can stand together against religious bigotry.

Sources: East County Times (Oct. 14, 2026); BmoreNews (Oct. 8, 2026).

Dearborn Workshop Draws on the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt to Help Muslims Navigate Grief

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DEARBORN, Mich. — On October 10, R.I.S.E. led a mental health wellness workshop titled "Islam & Grief" at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, in collaboration with UNI. The session, led by Sayyid Sameer Ali, explored how Muslims can understand and work through grief by drawing on the Quran and the lives of the Ahl al-Bayt, the family of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

According to IMAM-US.org, attendees came from a range of fields, including mental health providers, advocates and faith-based counselors. The goal was to bring faith-based approaches to recognizing grief together with sound psychoeducation on the subject.

Grief through the lens of faith

The workshop focused on how grief is understood in Islam, closely examining examples from the Quran and from the lives of the Ahl al-Bayt. Its framework was based on the work of the Muslim philosopher al-Farabi on the "Virtuous City," and it called for collective education, resource-building and open discussion of grief among Muslims. The five stages of grief were discussed alongside examples from the Islamic tradition.

Participants explored Quranic models of emotional wellness and expression, along with traditions from the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt that emphasize endurance, patience and making space to recognize one's emotions. The audience engaged actively, and some attendees asked questions about the messengers mentioned in the Quran.

Who are the Ahl al-Bayt?

For readers who are not Muslim, "Ahl al-Bayt" is Arabic for "People of the House" and refers to the household of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): his daughter Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA), her husband Imam Ali (AS), their sons Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS), and the Imams descended from them. Shia Muslims look to the Ahl al-Bayt as divinely guided examples of faith and character. Their lives include profound loss, from the death of the Prophet (PBUH) to the tragedy of Karbala, which is why their example of patience and steadfastness in hardship speaks so directly to anyone who is grieving.

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Practical resources for support

Beyond discussion, the workshop pointed the audience to practical tools. Organizers shared educational resources, including emergency support numbers and directories of Muslim mental health providers, so that people who are struggling can find care that respects their faith.

Programs like this one help reduce the stigma that can keep people from seeking help, and they remind communities that faith and professional care can work together.

Join us in Maryland on October 17

Closer to home, the Shia Muslim Foundation and Idara e Jaferia will host a Faith & Mental Health Workshop this Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to noon in Burtonsville, Maryland. All are welcome.

Source: IMAM-US.org (Oct. 10, 2026).

Shia Muslim Mohammed Mawla Appointed to Dearborn Heights City Council

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN — Mohammed Mawla, an Iraqi American Shia Muslim community leader, was appointed to the Dearborn Heights City Council on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, filling a vacant seat on the Michigan city's governing body.

His appointment marks a significant moment for Shia Muslim civic representation and reflects the contributions of immigrant communities to public service in the United States.

Mawla came to the United States in 1995. He lives in Dearborn Heights with his wife and daughter. His professional background includes serving as special assistant to the director of the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs.

He has also volunteered with the Wayne County Sheriff's Department as a reserve member of its Community Emergency Response Team. Earlier in 2026, he helped connect the Dearborn Heights Fire Department with Dialed and Defend, a nonprofit focused on firefighter health and wellness, to discuss a proposed sauna donation and possible firefighter training opportunities.

During his October 6 interview before the City Council, Mawla emphasized collaboration, accountability, and service to residents.

"I believe public service often means identifying an opportunity, bringing the right people together and following through to turn it into something useful for the community," Mawla told council members.

He also pledged to exercise independent judgment, carefully review city expenditures, and prioritize the public interest over personal or political considerations.

Among his stated priorities are addressing flooding along Ecorse Creek, responsible management of city finances, strengthening public safety, improving communication between residents and city government, and supporting local small businesses.

Mawla also highlighted the importance of bringing younger residents into civic leadership, particularly those raising families, establishing careers, and building businesses in Dearborn Heights.

The vacancy arose when former Council Chair Hassan Ahmad left the council to join the Wayne County Commission. Under Section 4.5 of the Dearborn Heights City Charter, the council fills a vacancy by majority vote.

Mawla will serve until certification of the November 2, 2027 election. The term of the seat filled through that election ends December 31, 2029.

The Shia Muslim Foundation congratulates Mohammed Mawla on his appointment and recognizes the importance of Shia Muslim participation in civic leadership and public service.