A mosque associated with a proposed Muslim community development in rural Texas is being investigated by state authorities for allegedly running a funeral home without a license.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Wednesday that the Texas Funeral Service Commission (TFSC), which regulates funeral operations in the state, issued a cease-and-desist letter ordering the EPIC compound to halt all illegal funeral service operations.
The East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC), located about 20 miles north of Dallas, is the mosque behind the EPIC City and EPIC Ranches project, which aims to establish a self-sustaining neighborhood approximately 40 miles northeast of Dallas. This development will feature over 1,000 homes, a mosque, Islamic schools, clinics, stores, parks, and a nursing home on a 402-acre site spanning Collin and Hunt Counties.
The letter from TFSC Executive Director Scott Bingaman accused the Islamic center of “operating as a funeral home without an establishment license” in violation of state law. Earlier this week, Abbott announced that a dozen state agencies are investigating potential illegal activities at EPIC.
Governor Abbott stated, “Here in Texas, we uphold the rule of law. The group behind the proposed East Plano Islamic Center compound in Collin County is knowingly breaking state law in many ways, including by operating a funeral home without a license. This is a crime, and it will not be tolerated. Texas will continue to defend our communities from any threats posed by EPIC City.”
Abbott also expressed his concerns about the development on X, stating, “The proposed EPIC compound in Collin [County] has serious legal issues. A dozen state agencies are investigating it, the Attorney General will look into it, and legislators are considering laws to restrict it, as well as laws to prevent foreign adversaries from buying land in Texas.”
He warned against the creation of “Sharia cities” or “no-go zones,” suggesting that the development could imply exclusionary practices. “To be clear, Sharia law is not allowed in Texas. Nor are Sharia cities. Nor are ‘no go zones’ which this project seems to imply,” Abbott added. “Bottom line: The project as proposed in the video is not allowed in Texas.”
In response, an account named Epic Ranches on X replied to Abbott, stating, “Governor Abbott, our vision is to build a diverse, safe, and inclusive community — one in which people of every background, faith, and culture can live together in harmony. It should go without saying that our community, like any other in this great state, will follow all local, state, and federal laws. We would love for you to see the site and learn about our project over some Hutchins BBQ.”
With an estimated Muslim population of over 313,000, Texas has one of the largest Muslim communities in the U.S., including nearly 150,000 Muslim residents in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The EPIC Center, located in the Dallas suburb of Plano, opened in July 2015 as a nonprofit “formed exclusively for educational, religious, and social purposes,” presenting itself as “a multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-lingual, non-sectarian, diverse, and open community committed to full and equal participation and involvement of men and women who are community members of EPIC and subscribe to accept its rules, regulations, and procedures.”
Prominent among the Muslim community, Imam Omar Suleiman, who has millions of followers on social media and has studied at the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia and at Yale University, has played a key role in promoting the EPIC project.
