Muslim Legislators Help Usher in a Wave of Firsts at Texas Capitol
By Addie Costello

 

While advocating at the Texas Capitol during the beginning of Ramadan, Sarah Syed needed a place to pray. She was directed toward the fourth-floor chapel, where she saw only one religious text represented — the Bible.

“I was like, ‘Maybe that's an easy fix,'” Syed said. “Maybe that's something that we can contribute to, and maybe that's something that will set precedents.”

Syed reached out to Rep. Salman Bhojani, D-Euless, one of the state’s first Muslim representatives, about placing a Qur’an in the chapel. Within a week, Bhojani’s family Qur’an was displayed alongside the Bible in the chapel, Syed said.

The addition of the Qur’an was one in a series of firsts for Muslim representation at the Capitol this year. After the election of the first two Muslim state representatives, Bhojani and Suleman Lalani, D-Sugar Land, the Capitol held its first iftar dinner, a meal shared by Muslims when they break their daily fast during Ramadan. But when Syed returned to the chapel a week after the first Qur’an was added, she found that it had been stolen.

“The chapel is a holy place, a religious place, a place to find peace and refuge and God. Why would somebody commit an act like that?” Bhojani told the Statesman. “Maybe I was too naive.”

The Texas Department of Public Safety found the person who took the Qur’an from the chapel but has not released the name. The agency did not respond to a request for comment.

“I am pleased and relieved that my family Qur’an has been located and there will soon be a Qur’an available for use again in the Capitol chapel. The chapel is a safe space for all Texans to practice their faith traditions, and I’m honored that our Muslim brothers and sisters have a place to pray and reflect, especially during this holy month of Ramadan,” Bhojani said in a statement last week.

Shakeel Rashed, a member of the Islamic Center of Lake Travis' board, said he was not surprised when the Qur’an disappeared.

“I hope whoever took it was able to actually browse through to see that it is very similar to the Bible,” Rashed said.

“Having Muslim minority members there that look like me goes a long way,” said Syed, the senior community organizer for Woori Juntos, a Texas-based organization supporting local immigrant and Asian-American communities.

Bhojani and Lalani filed resolutions in the House recognizing Ramadan.  House Resolution 613  recognized the month of Ramadan in 2023 — March 22 to April 20 — and was adopted in the House with only two Republican representatives voting in opposition. Lalani introduced  HR 532 , which commemorated the first iftar dinner at the Capitol, and it also passed with only two representatives voting in opposition.

“Whenever there are two people to pull you down, there are 10 people to pull you up,” Lalani said. “When I read the Ramadan resolution, I had the majority of the votes. I'm focusing and celebrating the 143 people that supported.”

At the Capitol iftar on March 29, representatives shared about their different faiths and found many similarities among their beliefs, Lalani said.

“Ignorance leads to fear, and fear leads to hate,” Lalani said. “We need to break the walls of ignorance and bring and build the bridges of awareness.”

Rep. Salman Bhojani takes on the Religious Freedom Agenda

Beyond his efforts in the Capitol, Bhojani proposed a package of bills he calls the Religious Freedom Agenda.

“I'm really honored that I'm not just fighting for the Muslim faith. I'm fighting for Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, all the other faiths, including Christianity and Judaism,” Bhojani said.

House Bill 1882 , currently in the State Affairs Committee, would expand the list of optional state holidays to include holy days in more faiths.

HB 1883 , left pending in the Public Education Committee, would ensure that state-mandated tests such as the STAAR exams cannot be scheduled on religious holidays.

HB 1884 , left pending in the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee, would expand those authorized to conduct marriage ceremonies in the state to include individuals authorized by any religious organization. In current state law, only licensed or ordained Christian ministers or priests or Jewish rabbis are listed.

“What we need to do is have religious parity and equity for every Texan,” Bhojani said.

Representation through legislation and actions such as adding the Qur’an and hosting the first iftar are needed, Bhojani said.

“The community wants to see real change happening in law, but they also want to see these practical small wins for them to say, ‘Yes, we got the first Qur’an. We got the first Muslims elected,’” Bhojani said. “We got all these things that will, in the future, ensure that our voices are being heard.”

(This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman:  First Qur’an added to Texas' Capitol chapel, stolen in first week )