Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced that he has banned "Sharia Law" in the state after video footage showed an imam confronting Muslim-owned stores and urging them to stop selling pork, alcohol and lottery tickets.
Abbott posted on social media, "I signed laws that BAN Sharia Law and Sharia Compounds in Texas. No business and no individual should fear fools like this," and urged Texans to report anyone who attempts to impose "Sharia compliance" to local law enforcement or the Texas Department of Public Safety. His office added in a statement that "In Texas, we believe in equal rights under the law for all men, women, & children. Any legal system that flouts human rights is BANNED in the state of Texas." Abbott did not specify which measure he was referencing in the announcement; he signed a bill in 2017 that prohibits judges from applying foreign law, including Muslim law, in Texas courtrooms.
The videos that prompted Abbott's statement show Imam F. Qasim ibn Ali Khan of Masjid At-Tawhid in the Houston area confronting a store employee and accusing the business of selling "haram" products forbidden under Islamic teachings. In posts on TikTok, where Khan has about 17,000 followers, he warned Muslim business owners they would face coordinated boycotts and public protests if they did not remove such items. "We're kicking off a national protest and demonstration campaign against all Muslim businesses that have haram in their stores," Khan said in one clip. "They have until the end of the month to change their inventory — or move to a different neighborhood."
Khan operates out of Masjid At-Tawhid, a mosque described as affiliated with the Nation of Islam. The Nation of Islam's ideology is viewed as controversial within parts of the American Muslim community. In the videos, Khan framed the campaign as a form of religious outreach, or da'wah, and did not deny that his goals are rooted in observing Islamic teachings.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations criticized Abbott's response, calling it "fearmongering" and urging accuracy about what Sharia means. The group said Sharia — which it translated as "the way to water" in a statement — encompasses routine religious practices such as prayer, charity and fasting and compared it to Halacha for Jewish people or Canon law for Catholics. CAIR also said it is false that Sharia is broadly banned in Texas.
Legal experts and civil liberties advocates say the available footage does not show criminal activity. Peaceful protest and petitioning of the government are protected under the First Amendment, and law enforcement officials have not reported threats of violence tied to the campaign. At present, there is no public indication that Khan or his supporters have broken state or federal laws by holding demonstrations or urging boycotts.
Abbott's reference to banning "Sharia Compounds" echoed language some lawmakers have used in recent years to prohibit designated communities organized under a distinct legal or governance structure. The 2017 Texas measure barring foreign law from consideration in courtrooms is one such example of legislation that state leaders say prevents foreign legal systems from superseding U.S. law in judicial proceedings; critics say similar laws can stigmatize religious minorities.
State officials told the public to report attempts to impose nonconsensual religious governance to legal authorities, while civil rights groups warned against conflating peaceful religious practice or advocacy with unlawful conduct. The exchange in Texas highlights ongoing tensions between religious advocacy, free-speech protections, and political responses that some groups say can inflame cultural and religious divisions.