Muslims In North Dallas are Organizing To Stop Violence In Their Community.

Last May, a muslim woman and her 4-year-old daughter were fatally shot in Houston. This news shocked the Texan muslim community. According to the Dallas Morning News, muslim leaders in North Texas are now organizing to combat and prevent violence in their community. 

The woman, named Sadia Manzoor, and the girl were shot by the husband of Manzoor, who had previously reported domestic violence. Manzoor’s husband killed himself after the crime.

According to the DMN, the muslim community in Texas is aware that domestic violence is a huge problem as a lot of young woman don’t have the confidence to search for help outside of their families, that is why religious leaders and medical professionals want to build spaces where people can be helped.  

Shpendim Nadzaku, an imam of the Islamic Center of North Texas, said to the DMN that the effort of all the imams of the state is necessary to break the tabbu of domestic violence in muslim families.

“Family matters for the most part are kept private and what happens within the home are not to be talked about, and unfortunately that can be a guise under which abuse is perpetuated,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help.”

Dr. Samaiya Mushtaq, a Dallas-based psychiatrist, also told the DMN that it is very important to create mental heath instances that are culturally near the muslim community. Mushtaq believes that mental health professionals need to work very near to the community imams because “they are in a unique position where they have access to people who may not be thinking about domestic violence or mental health and yet impact their attitudes toward those topics.”