Mosques Are Not a Threat to the Neighborhood

A viral map shows 2,700 red dots across America, each representing a mosque, with captions screaming about Muslim takeover. But nobody mentions the tens of thousands of churches covering that same map. In this episode of WISE Women with Daisy Khan, Dr. Daisy Khan sits down with Dr. Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, professor of religion at Carleton College and expert on Islam in America, is to expose the real story behind mosque opposition. Dr. Khan shares her firsthand experience proposing an Islamic cultural center in Lower Manhattan in 2010, watching as a project dedicated to interfaith dialogue got relentlessly framed as a mega-mosque and sinister threat. They reveal how traffic complaints mask deeper bias, why mosques work like football fields rather than churches, and the shocking moment when neighbors who shared play-dates with your kids suddenly oppose your mosque at city hall. Through historical parallels with Catholic churches and Jewish synagogues facing identical opposition, this conversation shows how every minority community has taught America what religious freedom actually means. Dr. GhaneaBassiri explains why Islamophobia has nothing to do with Islam itself but serves as a political weapon for advancing other interests. If you think mosque opposition is about zoning and traffic, this episode will change how you see the battle for religious freedom in America.

Connect with Dr. Daisy Khan:

Websites: https://daisykhan.com/ / https://www.wisemuslimwomen.org/

Podcast: https://wisewomenwithdaisykhan.com/