American Muslim Leaders Counter Republican Anti-Sharia Rhetoric with Education and Outreach

During the recent Republican midterm convention in Dallas, some of the most enthusiastic cheers for Sen. Ted Cruz came after the Texas politician targeted Muslim Americans and their faith’s religious code. “Sharia law has no place in America,” Cruz declared, calling for a collective stand to stop its influence. Moments later, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott echoed these sentiments, vowing to “fully ban Sharia law in Texas.”

In response, Muslim American civic leaders and scholars across Texas and other states are pushing back forcefully against this latest surge in anti-Sharia rhetoric—a political tactic that has persisted for over 15 years. They defend Sharia, as practiced in the United States, as a framework of positive spiritual guidance sharing common ground with other faith traditions, such as the Ten Commandments and Jewish halakhic law derived from the Torah. They firmly rebut GOP critics who characterize Sharia as a coercive system threatening the U.S. Constitution and judicial framework.

While Sharia encompasses diverse interpretations, its core purpose is to guide Muslims in worship, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, charity, and personal ethics. Among its most active defenders is Sabeel Ahmed, director of the Illinois-based outreach project GainPeace, who frequently travels across the country—focusing recently on Texas—to speak at mosque-sponsored workshops and community open houses.

“Sharia is often misunderstood,” Ahmed noted in an Instagram post following a recent visit to Plano, Texas. “Many people associate Sharia solely with punishments, but in Islam, it represents Allah’s comprehensive guidance for living with faith, justice, mercy, and responsibility.” Ahmed attributes the persistence of anti-Sharia rhetoric to politicians and social media influencers seeking to energize their bases, stating, “They gain popularity by saying it. It is the duty of Muslims to educate the public on the true meaning of Sharia, without harboring anger or hatred.”

The role of Sharia varies significantly across Muslim-majority nations. Among those alarmed by the rising anti-Sharia discourse in the U.S. is Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im, a Sudanese-born Islamic scholar and former law professor at Emory University. A longtime critic of the minority of Muslim governments that coercively enforce Sharia, An-Na’im advocates for secular states where religious practice is a matter of personal choice. He emphasizes that Muslim Americans willingly embrace Sharia as a core element of their identity, alongside their commitment to American democratic values.

“The demonization of their beliefs displays a shocking ignorance of what Sharia means,” An-Na’im stated. “It represents a total dehumanization of the other and a rejection of their fundamental right to exist as human beings.” On the opposing side, the rhetoric remains highly charged, led by Texas Republican Representatives Keith Self and Chip Roy, who co-founded the Congressional Sharia-Free America Caucus. Roy asserted, “Sharia is a direct threat to our Constitution and Western values, seeking to replace our legal system and erode our basic freedoms. Our immigration system must be prepared to confront this challenge and defend our Judeo-Christian values.”

By the latest count, the caucus boasts over 60 Republican members and has introduced several anti-Sharia legislative measures since its formation last December, though none have succeeded. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has labeled the caucus an anti-Muslim hate group, with research and advocacy director Corey Saylor comparing its rhetoric to historical anti-Catholic discrimination against Irish Americans. “Islam is an American faith with over 250 years of history in the nation,” Saylor noted. “The Constitution does not empower legislators to select which religions are permitted to exist in America.”

Texas has emerged as a primary battleground for these disputes. In August, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the Dallas-based Islamic Tribunal, demanding documents to determine if the entity was illegally acting as a court or applying foreign laws. “This is America, and we will not be governed by Sharia law,” Paxton declared. In response, the Islamic Tribunal updated its website with a formal clarification, emphasizing that its religious guidance complements—never replaces—the American legal and social services system. The tribunal clarified that it does not function as a legal court or issue binding judgments, offering only voluntary mediation and religious arbitration in faith and family matters, similar to Jewish Beth Din courts or Catholic ecclesiastical tribunals, with all legally enforceable matters referred directly to the Texas judiciary.

Defenders of Sharia are actively working to clarify its true essence. Asma Uddin, a law professor at Michigan State University, argues in her writings that politicians often mischaracterize ordinary Muslim practices—such as prayer, apparel choices, family counseling, and mosque attendance—as political threats. In an interview, Uddin described the current anti-Sharia wave as fearmongering by politicians seeking convenient scapegoats. “When politicians exploit this, it delivers exactly what they are looking for: a way to rile up the public,” she explained.

Sabeel Ahmed, who has conducted three outreach trips to Texas this year, is planning an upcoming visit to Houston for another mosque open house. He is also authoring a book to be distributed to Christian clergy nationwide, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of Sharia and Islamic practices. “Islam is not something to be feared,” Ahmed urged. “People should meet a Muslim, visit a mosque, and reach out to us. Let us focus on our shared values and common ground.”

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