Today, Texas Impact Associate Policy Analyst Imaad Khan addressed congregants of the Nueces Mosque in downtown Austin during Jum’ah prayer services, which take place each Friday. Khan, a second-year graduate student in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin, gave a khutbah, or sermon, that situated the call to civic engagement in the theological framework of Islam. By weaving together foundational beliefs about humanity’s God-given purpose and truths about the unique political climate in Texas, he suggested that the Islamic faith and civic responsibility are inseparable.
Imaad opened his message with passages from the Quran that illustrate the divine duty of individuals and communities to seek whatever is good and just in the world. He emphasized that, rather than being in tension with one another, Islam and advocacy in the civic sphere go hand in hand—that upholding justice, not only for Muslims but for the community at large, is integral to Islam. He called civic engagement within the context of his faith a “moral, spiritual, and physical responsibility,” a responsibility shared by all Muslims, both individually and communally.
After laying the scriptural groundwork for the connection between Islam and civic engagement, Imaad offered examples of “Muslim issues” in which Muslim community members can and should be involved. The list included anti-Sharia legislation, aid to migrants and refugees, and accessible, affordable healthcare. He stressed that each of these issues involves legislation implemented at the state level, and that while many people turn their attention toward national politics, state policy has an enormous impact on Texans’ everyday lives. Khan encouraged the audience to vote in local elections and cited one Texas House seat that was decided by 345 votes, reinforcing the notion that by organizing socially and politically, Muslims can effect wide-reaching change.
After closing prayers, Texas Impact staff had the opportunity to meet Muslim community members, to discuss what it means to be civically engaged, and to eat delicious shawarma. A sense of solidarity and hope permeated the afternoon air as toddlers played and young college students mingled with older congregants in front of the mosque.