- READ MORE: Texas Mosque Planning Muslim Town Criticizes Governor
A Texas mosque that has unleashed controversy after revealing plans to build a city for Muslims outside of Dallas has an existing neighborhood, can reveal.
The Muslim community in Plano already includes hundreds of believers of Allah and boasts luxurious, two-story residences, a mall, and a medical facility.
The East Plano Islamic Center, known as EPIC, plans to commence construction on a new community for its members close to the City of Josephine, which is approximately 40 minutes from their current mosque location.
The EPIC City project, as it is called, would feature a brand-new mosque at its center and encompass 1,000 residences, parks, and educational institutions tailored for members of this religious community.
Nevertheless, the prospects for EPIC City are uncertain following strong objections from numerous residents who have protested against the mosque's initiatives. storming a public meeting where authorities were contemplating whether to issue EPIC construction licenses.
Additionally, Gov. Greg Abbott has assured that the development will ' never witness daylight while alleging that EPIC has violated the law and implemented Sharia law.
Despite nobody being apprehended or indicted regarding Abbott's numerous allegations about what he says is occurring at EPIC, panic continues to escalate dramatically. mosque-goers getting death threats .
However, even before a single brick of the intended city is put into place, EPIC already boasts an extensive neighborhood surrounding it in Plano.
The mosque with its prominent green dome can hold up to 3,200 worshippers, which makes it one of the biggest mosques in Texas, known as the Lone Star State.
Large parking areas encircle the mosque, and the premises also house a gym, schools, and a clinic.
Surrounding the mosque on both sides, you can find numerous houses adorned with Arabic inscriptions on their walls.
Expensive automobiles were spotted in the driveways, with many residences estimated to be worth approximately $1 million each, as per public tax documents.
Individuals are observed heading out from their residences to the mosque for their regular five daily prayers.
A number of mosque members also reside in the apartment complex located just across the street from EPIC.
Their lifestyle extends even to a shopping center designed for Muslims.
The largest store is EPIC Market, which is a halal-certified grocery outlet.
There are also two restaurants and a coffee shop that lends out prayer rugs to customers sipping on Yemeni brews.
From Living, described as "America's premier luxurious retirement community incorporating Islamic customs," website is also located there.
Despite repeated requests for interviews, EPIC and its lawyer did not respond to .
Nevertheless, several community members engaged with us, expressing bewilderment at the commotion sparked by EPIC City and kindly permitting us entry into their residences.
"They sense a threat because when they hear 'city,' they believe 'they will bring us into their city and impose their rules upon us,'" explained Nadeen Zeidan, who is 18 years old.
'It’s because they lack education and genuine knowledge about these matters; hence, familiarity often breeds fear. In my opinion, once individuals become better informed and have close acquaintances who are Muslims, their perspectives tend to soften.'
Although the young women do not reside in the nearby area, they come to EPIC specifically to study at the coffee shop and head over to the mosque whenever prayer time arrives.
They called the ability to live near the mosque a 'convenience.'
"It’s not exclusive to Muslims; anyone can reside there. Although most residents are Muslim," Fatmeh Zeidan, 19, clarified.
"Just because it’s situated near the mosque. It’s similar to how many individuals who attend church prefer living close to it, making it convenient for frequent visits," Nadeem explained additionally.
In Islam, praying five times daily is an essential tenet of the religion, particularly for men who are encouraged to fulfill this obligation at a mosque whenever feasible.
The reason Alia Hayat, aged 80, along with her spouse relocated from Houston to Plano in 2019 was to reside just a street away from EPIC.
'The cost of living here is quite high. Not everyone can afford to reside in this house, yet we chose to stay in this neighborhood so that we could be near the mosque,' the grandmother clarified.
She mentioned that when they initially relocated, their health was much better, and they had been able to walk all the way to EPIC.
Originally hailing from Pakistan, Hayat doesn't visit EPIC as frequently as before because of her back pain, yet she remains an active member of a women's senior group at the mosque.
She's worried about recent online postings where the home addresses of mosque leaders have been shared publicly to scare them.
"It pains us to see that people are forming misconceptions, but still, we can pray. No matter what incorrect ideas they have, things aren’t as bad," Hayat stated.
Hayat mentioned that if EPIC City were built, one major attraction would likely be the adhan—the call to prayer broadcast through speakers or recited briefly.
'The call to prayer cannot be heard in America. There’s nowhere here where you can listen to the adhan. So when you visit, you get to hear it, and it really strengthens your belief,' she explained.
However, the notion of a minaret playing Arabic music is precisely what frightens the inhabitants of the town of Josephine—where the EPIC City project is slated to be developed.
"They plan to set up a powerful sound system, specifically speakers, to play their music loudly for prayers, and they intend to use this setup whenever they wish since they deliberately selected a location just beyond the city limits where they can operate without restrictions," resident Susan Martinez informed the commission.
She mentioned that her close-knit community of 2,000 residents is already facing water limitations despite not having any new development projects.
'The previous summer, not only were we short on water pressure, but we also exhausted our supply entirely one day due to an error at a nearby construction site where they inadvertently left the water running.'
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