In the quiet, affluent suburbs of Little Rock, Arkansas, the Islamic Center of Little Rock has grown from a small prayer group into a major institutional presence with deep ties to the Muslim Brotherhood network.

What began in the 1980s with just a handful of Muslim families meeting in living rooms and using space borrowed from a local church has evolved into a coordinated effort to build lasting Islamic infrastructure across the state. From two basement rooms at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the Center and its affiliated Huda Academy have expanded to operate multiple properties and run Arkansas’s only full-time Islamic school.

The organization is now constructing a large new campus on 10 acres in West Little Rock. The project includes a significantly bigger school, a full mosque, banquet facilities, athletic fields, and other recreational spaces. The religious leadership of the Center was trained at Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, a key institution associated with Muslim Brotherhood ideology.

Early on, the Center transferred its properties to the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), an organization named an unindicted co-conspirator in America’s largest terrorism financing trial. It also established close connections with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), another unindicted co-conspirator in the same case.

The Center has gained political access, with Little Rock’s mayor publicly supporting its expansion. Its school participates in Arkansas’s state voucher program and organizes youth activities that promote Sharia-compliant practices and a non-assimilative approach.

This expansion reflects a deliberate, long-term strategy rather than simple organic growth.

Islamic Center of Little Rock’s History

The idea of a mosque in Little Rock, Arkansas, dates back over 40 years. Hashim M. Ghori had moved to the area and immediately looked for other Muslims, finding only five other families. They gathered to worship in a small house until they found another Islamic Center in Pine Bluff, which led them to decide they wanted to start one of their own. They founded the Muslim Association of Arkansas (MAA) and began collecting donations to achieve this goal.

During this time, they started interfaith dialogues, garnering a special relationship with the Second Presbyterian Church of Little Rock. The Church agreed to let them use their school on Sundays.

The founders of the mosque eventually began attending the Islamic Society of North America’s (ISNA) conferences, where they “learned about the importance of creating Muslim youth groups,” and they started their own Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) chapter. Before their mosque was even built, while raising the funds, they were already learning from the Muslim Brotherhood.

The nearby university, The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), started a science program that welcomed 100 students from Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries. One of the founding members of the Islamic Center of Little Rock, Ali Shaikh, was a professor at UALR and secured two basement rooms in the Administration South Building on campus. With foreign students, they were able to build on the community’s growth in Islam.

On May 8, 1992, they adopted their constitution and incorporated the new Islamic Center as a non-profit organization, approved by then-Secretary of State W.J. Bill McCuen.

In 1992, the Islamic Center of Little Rock (ICLR) was founded by Hashim Ghori, Ahmed Golzar, M. Hamid Hussain, Abdul Hamid Patel, Ali U. Shaikh, and Ali Akbar.

Just seven months later, in December of 1992, the six founders transferred the property to the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), an affiliate of ISNA. Both of these organizations were tied to the Muslim Brotherhood in the Holyland Foundation trial. They were named unindicted coconspirators in America’s largest financial terrorism trial.

On ICLR’s website, they claim that, “We thought it would be necessary to seek the affiliation in case we fail to carry on the Islamic activities due to financial constraint or other reasons.”

In other words, ICLR found it necessary to seek affiliation with organizations linked to funneling money to Hamas and associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in order to carry on their “Islamic activities” in Arkansas.

Next, the founders purchased two vacant houses located at 3218 and 3220 Anna Street and turned them into the Islamic Center. They also transferred these properties to NAIT, solidifying their association with the Muslim Brotherhood in America.

In 1994, they began fundraising. According to them,

“The fundraising efforts began. Dr. Mufiz Chohan gave us a list of Pakistani doctors practicing in the USA and we sent them letters appealing them to donate money for our project. Donations started to come in. We had a booth in the bazaar at the ISNA convention in September 1994 which was held in Chicago. I sold candy and scarves, and raised $2,000. We distributed pamphlets at the booth with a request for donations for our project. Brothers Farag Sharaf, Wael Abdin, Ali Shaikh, Faizul Hanif, Hamed Patel, Atif Farooqi, Mahmood Jhilati and myself traveled to Pine Bluff, Jonesboro, Memphis, Tulsa, Dallas, Irving, Richardson, Houston, Colombia (Missouri) and Atlanta on Fridays and collected donations. Also, Hamed Patel visited London (UK) and collected money for our project. Students from the Middle East also donated funds for our project. Several sisters organized community garage sales and bake sales in Little Rock and Pine Bluff in order to collect funds.”

This means that they were raising funds at Muslim Brotherhood events and from overseas. They asked foreign Islamists for money to bring their plan to fruition here in America.

Another fundraiser took place with ISNA endorsing them.

“At the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, on May 13, 1995, we conducted our first fundraising dinner at the Donaghey Student Center of UALR. The featured speaker was Dr. Syed Habeeb Ashraf of Baltimore, Maryland who was known as a great fundraiser. He raised about $45,000 ($15,000 in cash and $30,000 in pledges). The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) also endorsed our project for fundraising. We had to borrow about $25,000 from NAIT for finishing the parking lot, which we paid back within a couple of years after the project was completed. Br Mohammed Shaher, a talented builder, agreed to build the mimbar, mahrab and podium free of cost. He also finished the parking lot. Alhamdulillah, the construction of the Islamic Center was completed in December of 1995.”

The founders were even able to borrow money from the Muslim Brotherhood-linked organization in order to establish their mosque. In Islam, it is forbidden to charge interest

Al-Baqarah 2:275 states: “Those who consume interest will stand ˹on Judgment Day˺ like those driven to madness by Satan’s touch. That is because they say, ‘Trade is no different than interest.’ But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden interest. Whoever refrains—after having received warning from their Lord—may keep their previous gains, and their case is left to Allah. As for those who persist, it is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.”

Al-Baqarah 2:280: “If it is difficult for someone to repay a debt, postpone it until a time of ease. And if you waive it as an act of charity, it will be better for you, if only you knew.”

Therefore, the founders were able to borrow money knowing they would never have to pay interest, and if they were unable to pay their debt, it could be postponed or even waived as an act of charity.

On January 13, 1996, the grand opening was held by Imam Mujahed M. Bakhach of Fort Worth, Texas. Bakhach was the Imam of the Islamic Association of Tarrant County from 1982 to 2005. Their journey to implant seeds of dawah was just beginning.

Current Leadership at ICLR

The Religious leadership position at the Islamic Center of Little Rock is currently held by Sheikh Emad Fadel.

He is an Egyptian native who received his Bachelor’s (2003), Master’s (2010), and Ph.D. (2018) from Al Azhar University. Located in Cairo, Egypt, Al Azhar is known for pushing Muslim Brotherhood ideology, its Al Qaeda graduates, and pushing an extreme Islamic agenda.

Fadel was appointed to the Ministry of Endowments & Religious Affairs in Egypt in 2004. He immigrated to America in 2007. This means that after coming to the United States, the Sheik returned to Al Azhar University to complete both his Master’s and his Ph.D.

He is the author of a series of Islamic Studies books for both Middle and High School students.

Board of Trustees:

1. Abdulrahman Abunasrah: He oversees the center’s financial matters, facilities expansions, and major projects. This includes fundraising for expanding the Huda Academy.
2. Mohamed Eid
3. Omer Khalil: He is a practicing physician in Little Rock.
4. Thaer Abu Halimeh

Executive Committee:

1. President: Ahmed Ali
2. Vice President: Ahmad Mohamad Sayaheen
3. Treasurer: Abdulhamid Patel
4. Maintenance Secretary: Tanvir Mahmud
5. General Secretary: Martha Saraheen
6. Social Secretary: Nermeen Elmorabeg
7. Sisters’ Representative: Uzma Syed

HUDA Academy School Board:

1. Yasir Sultan (Non-Parent member)
2. Ahmad Abu Abdou (Parent Member)
3. Ahmad Yousaf (Parent Member)
4. Izdhar Deeb (Parent Member)
5. Saima Ghori (Parent Member)

Huda Academy: First Islamic School in Arkansas

The Huda Academy was established in the year 2000. The school develops a new “strategic plan” every five years — a practice that mirrors the Muslim Brotherhood’s own long-term planning cycles for expanding influence in the West, as outlined in internal Brotherhood documents.

In the Huda Academy’s plan, they list their strengths and weaknesses. According to them, their strength is that they are the only Islamic School in Arkansas; another school opening up would be considered a threat.

Huda Academy follows Sharia within its school. The dress code is strict. Girls are mandated to wear Hijab during their Quran studies and prayer.

According to the school’s strategic plan, “The Huda Academy’s shared vision is to fulfill the educational requirements of our children, based on the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). ” One of their stated goals is to “promote an engaging Islamic environment where Islamic values are highlighted.”

Most notably, one of the school’s stated goals is to ‘implement leadership training for board members and school staff in leadership positions through ISNA as well as local universities and colleges.’ This means key personnel receive training from the Islamic Society of North America — an organization identified in federal court as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial and long tied to the Muslim Brotherhood network. The original Islamic Center of Little Rock sought formal affiliation with ISNA decades ago; this relationship continues to shape the school today.

Last year, the school raised $20,000 for its expansion. The land was purchased for a total of $ 1.3 million, has been cleared, and is ready for construction to begin. Their plans have been completed and were submitted to the city. They are currently waiting for the City of Little Rock to complete its final reviews. Amjad Khairi, a member of the projection construction committee, hopes it will be approved soon.

The school has already raised an additional $2.8 million, which is sitting in its bank and ready to be used for this project. Abulrahman Abunasrah, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Huda Academy, says additional funds will be needed to complete the school’s interior.

The school was founded in 2000 in a small classroom within the masjid, and it is quickly becoming a central hub for Muslims in the city. It has played a vital role in shaping their children’s lives and development. In 2015, enrollment stood at just 89 students; eleven years later, in 2026, the school has grown to serve 220 students across grades K–8.

Ziad Abdalla, the school’s principal, explains how the school also offers preschool classes and has earned a Level 3 rating, placing it among top-tier early childhood programs. Which he hopes will open up grants and the voucher system program for them within Arkansas.

The school is accredited by COGNIA and the Council of Islamic Schools in North America (CISNA).

One young student boasts that she enjoys Huda Academy because “it has brought her closer to my Islam, to my religion, and helped me become a better muslim.”

Dr. Ahmad Yousaf, Chairman of the Board of Education for Huda Academy, says the students are “tied to the Quran,” which shapes their personalities and academic success. He noted that after years of focusing on recruitment for financial sustainability, the school now faces waitlists due to surging enrollment — growth he directly linked to Arkansas’s LEARNs Act. voucher program.

In the 2024-25 school year alone, 39 Huda Academy students (16% of total enrollment) received state Educational Freedom Accounts, directing roughly $267,000 in taxpayer funds to the school.

In the 2024-25 school year, 39 Huda Academy students — 16% of the school’s total enrollment — participated in the state’s Educational Freedom Accounts program. Based on the standard per-student allocation of $6,856, this channeled approximately $267,000 in taxpayer funds to the school that year.

Abulrahman Abunasrah, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Huda Academy, described how the expansion became necessary:

“The idea for the expansion came after we saw the growth in the community, and we got close to reaching our capacity. We saw the need for a high school in the city. Knowing we are the only Islamic school in the state of Arkansas, and there are no other options for any other Islamic education, we thought that the best thing to do is to start a whole new project, on a fresh side of the city, on 10 acres of land that we have purchased. Our vision was to build a whole community, inshallah, a school, a masjid, a gym, and a library. To make it into our new campus on the West side of the city.”

The Huda Academy even hosted a virtual town hall meeting to explain to parents how the LEARNS Act would impact the school.

The new facility will accommodate 350–400 students and provide enough space to add a high school, expanding the program from preschool through 12th grade.

Huda Academy expects to be the future of Muslims in general and in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ahmad Yousaf explains that

“In an Islamic school, no matter where it is located, but especially here in Little Rock, it is not just a product catered towards a specific audience with children within the age group that go to school. It is REQUIRED within the larger mosaic of an understanding of an investment of this community as a whole. If we, as a community, a Muslim community, in the same vein as our prophet, who built a community that required… education and a long-term understanding of where we are going as a community, as a whole. This school is a vital piece and a crucial piece for every single person. THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE CAN SEE A FUTURE FOR ISLAM IN OUR COMMUNITY IN AMERICA WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF OUR CHILDREN.”

In 2025, the Huda Academy and ICLR put out a promotional video of the school:

In this video, they claim that the Huda Academy is like a seed in the ground, needing nurturing, direction, and support to grow, bear fruit, and give back to the community. Parents gave testimony on why they chose this school: to learn their deen every day, “strong moral values”, how they are challenged in all the right ways, and how to understand their religion to apply in their everyday lives. Parents claim that since attending the academy, their kids have become more attached to their Islamic community, Islamic culture, and Islamic values.

As the school has grown, Huda Academy has expanded its leadership team by hiring a Vice Principal, a Religious Director, Ahmed Mostafa, and an Arabic Language Director, Adel Abdulrazik, all of whom support students in developing a deeper understanding of the Quran.

Additionally, the school welcomed a new counselor, Reem Yamani, who focuses on students’ social and emotional development, academic achievement, and preparation for college and future careers. Currently, the academy serves students through 8th grade, with plans to expand through 12th grade.

Danille Carter, a Kindergarten teacher at Huda Academy, says that the school is unique because students are there from pre-K and learn Islamic values from the beginning of their educational journey. She claims that you cannot get this in public or private schools, but Huda offers it.

The video highlights how important this academy is to the Islamic community in Little Rock; it ensures that future generations will grow with a “strong sense of identity, respect, and faith.”

Nader Abou-Diab, Chairperson of ICLR Construction Company, emphasized the importance of the expansion and explained how the team secured the necessary city permits. Construction on the new school has already begun. The total projected cost is approximately $10,000,000, with $4,000,000 currently available in funds. In a previously released video, they reported having $2,800,000, reflecting an increase of $1,200,000. They have also secured a $3,500,000 interest-free loan for three years. This type of loan, known as qardh al-hasan, is considered in Sharia law to be a non-commutative contract, as it is extended purely as an act of charitable support (tabarru’). This is yet another example of Huda Academy following Sharia law.

Islamic Center of Little Rock Starts Expansion

30 years after the Islamic Center’s establishment, they are looking to expand. They claim they have outgrown their original center. Phase one has already been completed. They purchased 10 acres of land for $1,300,000, paying in full.

They have begun phase two: a 35,000-sq-ft school building. This includes the building’s foundation, the concrete slabs for the first and second levels, exterior walls, windows and doors, rough plumbing, and electrical work. They wanted to raise another $500,000 for phase two.

The Islamic Center of Little Rock (ICLR) is leading the physical conquest. They purchased the former Parkview Church right next door and acquired 9–10 acres of land in West Little Rock. Construction videos and updates show the massive new campus rising: a brand-new Al-Huda Academy Islamic school (the only full-time Islamic school in Arkansas) with a gym, set to open for the 2026–2027 school year; plus a full mosque; banquet hall; assembly space; soccer fields; playgrounds; and even an indoor lap pool. ICLR leaders openly brag that they have “outgrown” their current central Little Rock location and are fundraising aggressively through LaunchGood campaigns and virtual tours of the new buildings.

The Al-Huda Academy school is already under construction. The foundations have been laid, the windows are in, the walls are up, and designated rooms are taking shape. They believe this space will accommodate their needs “for some time,” meaning they hope to grow further in the future.

They have received help raising funds for this expansion project from local politicians. In 2025, Mayor Frank Scott Jr. visited the Islamic Center of Little Rock to celebrate the expansion of its school.

Nothing screams that this project is welcomed by the community like the mayor co-signing the expansion by attending a fundraiser.

ICLR’s Summer Trips to EPIC: Training the Next Generation in Sharia Expansion

Worse still, the Islamic Center of Little Rock organizes summer trips for its youth to the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) in Texas. Videos and posts on the ICLR Facebook page document these excursions. The significance cannot be overstated. As exposed by RAIR Foundation, EPIC is pushing Texas’s first sharia city — a planned 400-acre Sharia-compliant enclave (formerly called EPIC City or The Meadows) designed as a parallel Islamic society. Its Muslim Brotherhood-tied imam, Yasir Qadhi, has publicly called Jews and Christians “the most evil of all evils.” RAIR’s reporting linked EPIC directly to Muslim Brotherhood strategies of “civilization jihad” and non-assimilation, triggering state and federal scrutiny. Sending Little Rock Muslim youth there isn’t an innocent summer camp — it’s indoctrination into building separate Islamic enclaves right here in America.

In 2017, Huda Academy hosted its second annual banquet dinner. It featured special guest Yasir Qahdi, who spoke about the American Muslim Identity of Our Children.

The year prior, Huda Academy hosted radical Siraj Wahaj at an Investing in Tomorrow’s Leaders, Challenges and Responsibilities event as part of their annual banquet. Siraj Wahaj’s name appeared on an unindicted co-conspirator list of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He also served as a defense character witness for the Blind Sheik, the perpetrator of the bombing.

Huda Academy offers Umrah trips for those who wish to perform Hajj. The cost is only $3,500 per person. If your child is aged 12+, they can join as individuals for this trip.

RAIR previously exposed a school in Texas that was participating in Hajj trips and simulations within Islamic Schools. As they explained,

Hajj isn’t just a religious tradition. It’s a geopolitical and legal boundary marker. It takes place in Mecca, a city that is 100% off-limits to non-Muslims. Not figuratively. Legally.

Under Saudi law, non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering Mecca or Medina, the two holiest Islamic cities. If a non-Muslim is caught there, they face immediate deportation, arrest, and a lifetime ban. These are not soft cultural preferences. These are enforced religious apartheid laws.

Think about that:

• No Christians allowed.
• No Jews allowed.
• No Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, or atheists allowed.
• Not even for tourism.
• Not even to witness the architecture.
• Not even to ask questions.

Islamic law governs entry, and the penalty for violating it is severe—because these cities are considered sacrosanct Islamic territory. Mecca is off-limits to every single non-Muslim on earth.

This is religious apartheid in its purest form—far more extreme than anything seen in South Africa. Non-Muslims aren’t just second-class citizens; they are entirely banned from setting foot in these cities for any reason—whether as visitors, workers, or even janitors. There is no tolerance, no exceptions, and no coexistence.

When a student at Huda Academy performs Hajj, the school holds a celebration. This places extra emphasis on students visiting Saudi Arabia.

Another celebration Huda Academy holds for students is the memorization of the Quran.

It is said that those who memorize the Quran are Allah’s favorites; anyone who does this will be treated with reverence.

In December 2021, Abdulrahman Abunasrah, a member of the ICLR board of trustees, led a group to a MAS-ICNA conference in Chicago to raise funds for the expansion. By the third day, they had raised over $20,000. Their ultimate goal at the time was $600,000.

In January 2023, Huda Academy took a class field trip to Chicago to participate in MAS-CON. The school takes its young students to Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated events across America.

Muslim American Society (MAS) was established by senior U.S. Muslim Brotherhood figures. Prominent examples include Ahmad Elkadi (who served as president of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood from 1984 to 1994 and helped direct MAS), whose daughter Magda Elkadi Saleh (see here and here) has continued the family’s work by leading Islamic educational institutions in Tampa, Florida — including serving as principal/head of school at Bayaan Academy and previously heading Universal Academy of Florida and American Youth Academy. Other key figures include Jamal Badawi, Omar Soubani, and Mohammed Mahdi Akef (who later became the supreme guide/leader of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood).

A 2004 Chicago Tribune investigation (based on interviews with Brotherhood leaders and internal documents) reported that U.S. Muslim Brotherhood members debated operating more openly vs. staying secret. They chose to create MAS as the public face of the Brotherhood in America. Shaker Elsayed, then MAS Secretary General, explicitly told the Tribune that “Ikhwan [Brotherhood] members founded MAS” but claimed the group had “gone way beyond that point of conception.”

Islamic Center of Little Rock’s Radicalism

The Islamic Center of Little Rock focuses on being Sharia-compliant. They invite guest speakers like Ahmed Ragab to teach their congregation about the importance of Halal homeownership and real estate investing. On their Facebook page, they promote these events. Ahmed Ragab is the Area Manager of Guidance Residential, a leading Sharia-compliant housing financing company.

ICLR’s weekly newsletters promote the expansion of their mosque. On the flyer, they quote Surat al-Tawbah, No. 9, Ayat 18. Where only mosques shall remain for those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, those that maintain prayer and give Zakat.

RAIR recently reported on another mosque in LaPorte, Texas, that quotes the Last Day or Day of Judgment.

The Day of Judgment and end-times prophecies are central to these appeals. In Islamic eschatology, believers expect major events before the end of the world, including the return of Jesus (called Isa in Islam) as a just Muslim ruler who will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the jizya tax. Money will supposedly flow so abundantly that no one will accept charity.

Core Islamic texts make the broader goal explicit:

“The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: ‘O Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him’; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.”

—-Sahih Muslim 2922

“The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e., Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizya tax…”

— Sahih al-Bukhari 2476

The Quran reinforces the vision of dominance:

“He is the One Who has sent His Messenger with true guidance and the religion of truth, making it prevail over all others, even to the dismay of the polytheists.”

— Quran 61:9

The flyer also mentions giving Zakat. According to Islamic law, 1/8th of all Zakat must go towards jihad.

According to The Reliance of the Traveler, one of the most authoritative books on Islamic law, “The seventh category is those fighting for Allah, meaning people engaged in Islam military operations for whom no salary has been allotted in the army roster (O: but who are volunteers for jihad without remuneration). They are given enough to suffice them for the operation, even if affluent; of weapons, mounts, clothing, and expenses (O: for the duration of the journey, round trip, and the time they spend there if even if prolonged…).”

In May 2026, they held a fundraiser at Masjid Al-Rahman in Orlando, Florida. Appearing at the table was a man wearing an Al Azhar University cap. Al Azhar University.

Al Azhar University is the home to Muslim Brotherhood ideology, and some graduates who joined Al Qaeda include Abdullah Yusuf Azzam and Omar Abdel-Rahman (The Blind Sheik). Another notable terrorist linked to the University itself includes Ayman al-Zawahiri, whose grandfather was the grand Imam of Al Azhar. Known Muslim Brotherhood members who received degrees at Al Azhar University include: Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Mustafa al-Siba’i, Muhammad Beltagy, Abdel Rahman al-Barr, and Umar Sulaiman Al-Ashqar.

RAIR reported on Masjid Al-Rahman’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

 In 2009, Masjid Al-Rahman in Orlando, a mosque with direct ties to the Muslim Brotherhood via the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), was found to have provided financial support to terrorist organizations through George Galloway, a known Hamas fundraiser. In fact, Galloway appears directly on video at the Al-Rahman mosque with Imam Mahdi Bray. In the same video, Galloway is seen just three months prior to the event with Hamas leader, Ahmed al-Kurd.

Imam Mahdi Bray is also seen with a terrorist in the same video. In Washington DC on October 28, 2000, he’s seen alongside convicted terrorist Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi. Al-Amoudi was the former head of the American Muslim Council, who was convicted of financial fraud as well as various illegal financial activities with the government of Libya. As part of his plea deal, he also admitted to participating in the Libyan plot to assassinate Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

ICLR is proud of its reverts, those who have converted to Islam. On their Facebook page, you can see the woman dressed in full compliance with Sharia.

According to ICLR’s 2024 tax returns, it has made donations to United Hands Relief (UHR).

UHR has collaborated with and funded groups like the Generosity Association in Gaza (accused by Israel of ties to Hamas) alongside other U.S. charities such as Baitulmaal and Life for Relief and Development.

According to the webiste Islamism “The vice-president of United Hands Relief & Development (UHR), also known as Bait al-Khair, is Omar Shahin, who called in 2002 for the killing of Jews. Shahin was reportedly a fundraiser for KindHearts, a charity that the Treasury Department shut down after finding it had “coordinated with Hamas leaders and made contributions to Hamas-affiliated organizations.”

The head of UHR is Suleiman Alghanem, a former official of Baitulmaal. Indeed, UHR’s 2016 tax return even recorded its original name as Baitulmaal Relief and Development. In Gaza, an anti-Semitic official of the Hamas-linked charity UFA (profiled above), Amjad Mansour, claims to have worked also for Baitulmaal and United Hands Relief. Indeed, United Hands Relief recently published a video celebrating its involvement with the “UFA Education Center in Gaza.”

United Hands Relief also supports the Hamas-linked Generosity Association in Gaza.”

ICLR’S Ties to the Community

The Islamic Center of Little Rock has many ties to the surrounding community. They have invited other faiths to their mosque under the guise of interfaith, held congressional candidates for their Eid celebrations, and have a working relationship with the local police; they even hire them as security for their events.

In April 2026, ICLR invited Ouachita Baptist University to their mosque to learn more about Islam and the mosque. Ouachita has a 135-year history within the community.

Congressional Candidate Chris Jones said, “I am proud to stand with my Muslim brothers and sisters across the 2nd district.”

They held these festivities at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported, ” At Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium, a multitude of believers gathered on the football field, with men congregating to the north and women to the south. “Allahu akbar” (“God is the greatest”), they said repeatedly, adding in Arabic, ‘There is none worthy of worship but Allah’ and ‘to him belongs all praise.'” They also reported that the entire stadium prayed towards Mecca as congressional candidates attended this event. This is a show of dominance within the community.

The Pulaski County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office said, “As the holy month of Ramadan comes to a close, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office is honored to help provide security for this year’s Eid Mubarak celebration. It’s a privilege to support an event that brings families, friends, and the community together in joy, reflection, and unity.”

ICLR has even hosted Model UN teams from Pulaski Academy, which was founded in 1971. Pulaski Academy has long ties to the Little Rock community and is legitimizing ICLR by hosting events with them.

Thirty years after a handful of families began meeting in living rooms and borrowed church space, the Islamic Center of Little Rock and Huda Academy now control multiple properties, operate the state’s only full-time Islamic school, and are building a 10-acre campus in West Little Rock that will include a larger school, mosque, banquet facilities, athletic fields, and recreational infrastructure.

Huda Academy leaders have been explicit about their vision. They describe the project as necessary for shaping Muslim children’s religious identity and ensuring “there is no way that we can see a future for Islam in our community in America” without investing in this kind of parallel educational and communal infrastructure. The school follows a Sharia-influenced environment, participates in Arkansas’s voucher program, and sends students to events connected to organizations long tied to the Muslim Brotherhood network.

What began as a small prayer space has grown, through decades of strategic fundraising, property transfers to NAIT, institutional affiliations with ISNA, and political access, into a coordinated effort to build lasting Islamic institutions in Arkansas. The new campus is not simply an expansion to meet demand — it is the physical realization of that long-term project.

As construction continues and the school prepares to add a high school, the public has a legitimate interest in examining the funding sources, ideological influences, educational content, and long-term goals of this rapidly growing institution. Arkansas residents deserve transparency about any organization that receives state education dollars while maintaining close ties to groups previously identified in federal terrorism-financing cases and promoting a distinctly non-assimilative model of community building.

The story in Little Rock is still unfolding.