A Colorado-based Islamic scholar called on worshippers in South Carolina to help fund the conversion of a church in Texas into a large Islamic educational and outreach center.
In a January 30, 2026 Friday sermon at a mosque in Columbia, South Carolina, Karim Abu Zaid urged donations for a newly purchased church property in Richardson, a suburb of Dallas. He said the building is already constructed and that only minimal changes are needed to begin operating, including removing the baptismal fixture and pews.
Abu Zaid explained that the nearly four-acre facility will include multiple components. Among them is the Ayn Dawah Academy and Seminary, headed by Sheikh Uthman Ibn Farooq of San Diego, which focuses on training Muslims in da’wah, or Islamic outreach, particularly toward Christians and Jews. The complex is also slated to include a full-time K-12 school.
According to Abu Zaid, approximately $2 million has already been raised toward the project, with an additional $1.8 million needed. He said the fundraising deadline is set for April.