SMF Meets with Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth on Mosque Safety and Federal Coordination

Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth with members of the Shia Muslim Foundation, UMAA, and Idara e Jaferia at her district office in Columbia, Maryland.

April 18, 2026

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) announced today that its Executive Director, Rahat Husain, met last week with Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) to discuss the safety and security of Shia Muslim communities across the United States. The meeting was held at Congresswoman Elfreth's district office in Columbia, Maryland, and was attended by representatives of the United Muslim Association of America (UMAA) and Idara e Jaferia, one of the most established Shia Muslim institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region.

A key outcome of the meeting was Congresswoman Elfreth's commitment to help coordinate a formal letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security addressing the security needs of Shia mosques and Islamic centers in the United States. The letter will call on federal agencies to strengthen their engagement with Shia Muslim communities and ensure that appropriate resources and protections are made available to vulnerable houses of worship.

Congresswoman Elfreth also took to social media following the meeting, sharing a post acknowledging SMF as "a fierce advocate for the rights of Shia Muslims both at home and abroad" and noting her commitment to "real deliverables" to ensure that members of the community "can practice their religion with dignity, safety, and tolerance." The Congresswoman's public statement underscored the significance of the meeting and reflected her office's genuine engagement with the concerns raised by the delegation.

The meeting deepened a relationship that has been cultivated through Congresswoman Elfreth's Interfaith Advisory Council, of which SMF has been an active member. The Council has brought together faith community leaders across the district for dialogue and collaboration, and has been an important platform for elevating the concerns of Maryland's Shia Muslim community at the congressional level. Elfreth's office has also been engaged in planning an Interfaith Youth Day at the Maryland State Capitol, an initiative that SMF has embraced as an opportunity to build broader interfaith understanding among the next generation.

The delegation also briefed the Congresswoman on SMF's ongoing engagement with Maryland law enforcement and state homeland security officials, reflecting a sustained, multi-level advocacy effort that has included meetings with the Montgomery County Police Department and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security. SMF conveyed that federal engagement is the critical next step in ensuring comprehensive protection for Shia Muslim institutions across the country.

The delegation formally invited Congresswoman Elfreth to participate in SMF's upcoming Safety and Security Seminary for American Shia Muslims, scheduled for late May 2026. The Seminary will bring together community leaders, security professionals, and government officials to address the unique safety challenges facing Shia Muslim institutions nationwide.

Idara e Jaferia, headquartered in Burtonsville, Montgomery County, serves hundreds of families throughout the region and has been central to SMF's community safety advocacy efforts. UMAA's participation in the meeting reflects the broad and unified voice of the American Shia Muslim community on these matters.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the civic, legal, and community interests of Shia Muslims in the United States. SMF engages with government institutions, law enforcement agencies, and elected officials to ensure that the voices and concerns of the American Shia Muslim community are represented at every level of government.