Maryland Honors Shia Muslim Foundation with Governor's Citation and General Assembly Proclamation
BURTONSVILLE, MD — The State of Maryland has honored the Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) with a Governor's Citation, presented by Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller on Saturday, October 17, at the Faith & Mental Health Community Workshop that SMF co-hosted with Idara e Jaferia in Burtonsville. At the same event, State Sen. Clarence K. Lam, who represents District 12 in Anne Arundel and Howard counties, presented SMF and Idara e Jaferia with a Maryland General Assembly proclamation recognizing the workshop.
For SMF, these two state honors are a moment to look back on the work it has built alongside Maryland's Shia Muslim community: keeping houses of worship safe, speaking up for families, and bringing practical programs and resources to the people who need them.
Two state honors
The Governor's Citation, awarded to SMF, was presented “in appreciation of your outstanding services to the citizens of this State.” It is signed by the Governor, Lt. Gov. Miller and Secretary of State Susan C. Lee.
The General Assembly proclamation from Sen. Lam, presented to SMF and Idara e Jaferia, was issued “in recognition of your 2026 Faith and Mental Health Community Workshop in supporting the well-being of the residents of Montgomery County and throughout the State of Maryland.”
Both honors were presented during the workshop, which focused on coping with tragedy, discrimination and stress through faith and community support, with participation from the Maryland Department of Health and the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives. SMF announced the workshop earlier this month.
Read SMF's full recap of the workshop.
Who we are
SMF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 and headquartered in Maryland. Its mission is to advance the civic rights of American Shia Muslims, provide direct community support, and serve as a credible voice for the Shia Muslim community in engagement with government at all levels.
Keeping houses of worship safe
Much of SMF's work in 2026 has focused on the safety of Shia Muslim mosques and community centers. In April, SMF met with the Montgomery County Police Department about the security of Idara e Jaferia, then joined UMAA and Idara e Jaferia at the U.S. Senate for a meeting with Sen. Chris Van Hollen and his national security team. SMF also met with Rep. Sarah Elfreth and Rep. Jamie Raskin on federal coordination for mosque security.
In May, SMF and Idara e Jaferia co-hosted their inaugural Community Safety and Security Summit in Burtonsville with Rep. Elfreth, the Maryland Governor's Office of Homeland Security and the Montgomery County Police Department. SMF's partnership with the state now includes a dedicated point of contact at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and a place in Maryland's statewide security coordination meetings.
Ahead of Muharram, SMF developed and distributed Muharram 2026 Operational Awareness Briefs to law enforcement, emergency management and homeland security partners across Maryland and Virginia, explaining the observances first responders might encounter.
Speaking up for families
When a Baltimore County Board of Education member shared a social media post portraying Sharia law as a threat to women, SMF filed a formal complaint with the board, focused on what such rhetoric means for Muslim students in county schools. The board member publicly apologized at the board's August 25 meeting.
Bringing the community together
SMF brings practical programs directly to the community. With Idara e Jaferia, it hosted an April 2025 forum on immigration policy and international travel, and this month's Faith & Mental Health Community Workshop featured state health and faith-outreach leaders alongside psychiatrists, with a shared call to end the stigma around seeking mental health treatment.
SMF also represents the community nationally. On October 10, Executive Director Rahat Husain moderated “From the Masjid to City Hall,” an SMF and UMAA panel at UMAA's 24th Annual Convention.
SMF's direct service has included delivering food and groceries to Afghan refugee families in Landover, Maryland, in 2022 and donating laptops to community members in Washington, D.C., in 2023. Through SMF News, the foundation also reports on the issues affecting American Shia and Muslim communities.
Looking ahead
Rahat Husain, Executive Director of SMF, said: “We are deeply grateful to Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and the Governor's office for this honor, and to Sen. Clarence Lam for recognizing the work we built together with our partners at Idara e Jaferia. These honors belong to everyone in our community who helped make this workshop possible.”
Husain added: “Mental health touches every community, including ours, and no one should be afraid to ask for help. When faith communities and the State of Maryland work side by side, we can break down the stigma around treatment and make sure families know where to turn.”
SMF thanks Lt. Gov. Miller and Sen. Lam for these honors. SMF also thanks Idara e Jaferia, its co-host and fellow recipient of the General Assembly proclamation, along with the Maryland Department of Health and the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives for their partnership. To support SMF's work, visit our donation page.
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