The Plano EPIC mosque is seen behind a row of homes in Plano. Many Muslims like to live near their mosque to facilitate practicing their faith daily.
Yfat Yossifor/KERA
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Yfat Yossifor/KERA
DALLAS, Texas– The Department of Justice is investigating a proposed Muslim housing development in North Texas known as EPIC City for potential religious discrimination.
Top state officials, including Republican Governor Greg Abbott have also launched investigations, even though the project’s developers say they’re years away from breaking ground.
The East Plano Islamic Center – also known as EPIC – is a large mosque in Plano, a suburb North of Dallas. The mosque is running out of room as newcomers flock to the growing North Texas region.
A member of EPIC who is a realtor proposed a solution when he saw some land for sale – why not build another community to accommodate the growing Muslim population in North Texas?
Growing Community
Several of EPIC’s members live within walking distance from the mosque.
Black and white houses with manicured lawns in the adjoining neighborhood are adorned with Arabic lettering. There’s a grocery store up the road from the mosque called EPIC Market that sells halal meat and a Yemeni coffee shop, Haraz Coffee, which serves pistachio lattes and saffron milk cakes.
Fawzia Bilal lives close to the mosque. She says it makes it easier for her to integrate prayer into her daily routine. Muslims pray facing in the direction of Mecca, their holy land, five times a day. And holy periods like Ramadan call for additional prayer.
“I’m able to do this without getting into traffic or thinking about jumping into a car, walking distance,” Bilal said. “I mean, it’s all about honestly convenience and then the consistency with which we’re able to practice our faith.”
