Zia Ul-Haq Sheikh – Eye on Islamism

‘A long time coming’: These Muslims are bringing sex abuse by sheikhs out of the shadows

January 15, 2020 Aysha Khan

(Religion News) For Sidrah Ahmad-Chan, the moment felt surreal. Listening to a Muslim psychologist speaking about patterns of abuse while on stage at the American Islamic College on Saturday (Jan. 11), she pulled up Twitter. “First panel discussion and I am already […]

Report accuses Arizona imam of misconduct and abuse

November 14, 2019 Aysha Khan

(Religion News) A new report by an advocacy group accuses a Phoenix imam of sexual battery, child abuse, misappropriation of charitable funds and falsely presenting himself as a single man to pursue relationships with female congregants while having two concurrent concealed marriages. […]

Ta’leef Collective cuts ties with founder over alleged misconduct

November 7, 2019 Aysha Khan

(Religion News) Weeks ago, Muslims papered social media with heartfelt tributes and prayers for Usama Canon, a pioneering California-born Islamic scholar, after his family posted a message that he was in “grave condition.” Canon, the celebrated founding director of the Ta’leef Collective […]

Former North Texas Muslim cleric ordered to pay $2.55M in sexual exploitation lawsuit

August 13, 2019 Sarah Sarder and Dana Branham

(Dallas Morning News) A judge ordered a North Texas Muslim cleric to pay millions of dollars to a woman he is accused of sexually exploiting after counseling her for years. Zia ul-Haq Sheikh, who has served as an imam at Dallas-area mosques, must pay […]

These two women want to bring accountability to local mosques Abuse in the Muslim community is rarely discussed. But Alia Salem and Huma Yasin want to change that — starting with resources for victims.

January 11, 2019 Amina Khan

(D Magazine) In August of 2017, Alia Salem and Huma Yasin decided to launch something for Muslim parishioners to go for help. They’d seen enough. An imam in Irving had been accused of “sexually grooming” an 18-year-old congregant, beginning when she was […]

A religious leader being sued for ‘grooming’ a follower is now under fire for polygamy BuzzFeed News has confirmed that the cleric was ousted from a second mosque for alleged bad behavior — but his current employer is sticking by him.

December 21, 2018 Hannah Allam

(BuzzFeed) A Muslim cleric who was ousted from at least two mosques amid claims of sexual misconduct with young women he’d mentored now works at a Texas mosque that’s standing by him despite a former employer’s warning and a civil lawsuit. The […]

He counseled a teen for years, but she says he was grooming her for sex A young woman filed a lawsuit and a police report accusing a Texas imam of sexual misconduct. Those who know her say it’s a landmark moment for Muslims saying #MeToo.

October 18, 2018 Hannah Allam

(BuzzFeed) Late at night on Dec. 5, 2016, the respected imam of one of the biggest mosques in Texas allegedly invited an 18-year-old to a prepaid room at the Motel 6 in Grand Prairie. The young woman, identified as Jane Doe in […]