Shia Muslim Foundation Issues Urgent Directive: Vote To Support Our Community And Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) today issued an urgent mandate to American Shia Muslims: Commit fully to civic participation. Voting represents the primary and most powerful mechanism for community defense. Participation in every election cycle: local, state, and federal, directly determines the future security of our institutions, our civil rights, and our families.

Silence in the political process guarantees marginalized status. Policymakers ultimately decide our future. They shape immigration laws, control civil rights protections, and allocate resources for institutional security. Shia voices experience unacceptable underrepresentation in political systems. Casting a ballot is the singular act that closes this representation gap.

Underrepresentation allows hostile policies to advance. It permits the continuation of targeted harassment against our centers and contributes to the erasure of Shia narratives from mainstream platforms. Ignoring the ballot box is a vote for continued vulnerability. A visible, high voter turnout sends an undeniable signal about the collective concerns and legislative priorities of American Shia Muslims.

SMF cannot effectively execute its advocacy work without a mobilized community. Strong electoral engagement validates our legal interventions and our policy discussions. It strengthens our collaborations with federal officials, members of Congress, state legislatures, and key interfaith allies, including churches, synagogues, temples, and other religious centers. Active civic participation is the foundation of our ability to advocate for a safer, more equitable American future.

"We are advocates and community leaders, but the law only helps those who empower it. Our community faces unjust immigration actions, institutional harassment, and the denial of religious freedoms. The ballot box is not a request; it is the ultimate tool of self-defense. Failure to vote is a vote for continued marginalization. Every registered Shia Muslim must cast a ballot without exception.” said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. SMF supports the civic rights of American Shia Muslims, advocates on social and political issues affecting the community, and works to promote the welfare of Shia Muslims worldwide. SMF works in collaboration with local mosques and government officials to secure civil rights and combat targeted persecution.