For Now, Making Endorsements At Mosques Is Still Off-Limits, But Using Our Civic Voice Is Not – A Message From CAIR

For many in the American Muslim community, recent news about a major change in politics felt like a spark of hope in a time of despair.

“The IRS now says pastors can endorse candidates,” headlines across the country read.

Some mosques took this news to mean that they could now allow imams and khatibs to speak freely from the minbar about politicians, endorse candidates who reflect the American Muslim community’s values, and hold accountable those politicians who support genocide, occupation, and Islamophobia.

The sense of urgency to take bolder political stands at our houses of worship is understandable and deeply felt, especially in the wake of the Israeli apartheid government’s ongoing campaign of extermination and expulsion in Gaza.

However, our two organizations—the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, CAIR, and the political advocacy group CAIR Action—are strongly advising mosques not to permit speakers to endorse political candidates, in order to protect their tax-exempt status. Here’s why.

As part of settlement discussions in an ongoing lawsuit, National Religious Broadcasters v. Long, the Internal Revenue Service has asked a federal court to enforce a new interpretation of the Johnson Amendment that could permit pastors and other speakers at houses of worship to endorse candidates.

For nearly 70 years, the Johnson Amendment has kept tax-exempt religious institutions and charitable nonprofits from engaging in partisan candidate endorsements. Some faith leaders — particularly in evangelical Christian circles — have long bristled at the restriction.

But for many of us, it has served as a guardrail that keeps our sacred spaces from being transformed into partisan campaign organizations that can influence elections without oversight, abuse their tax-exempt status, and flood politics with even more dark money funneled through charitable donations.

To be clear, the court has not yet made a decision about the Trump administration’s request to require the IRS to reinterpret the Johnson Amendment by permitting speakers at houses of worship to endorse candidates. It is unclear whether or when the court will ultimately enforce the government’s interpretation and whether, how, or when the IRS would do so.

For now, the Johnson Amendment remains the law of the land. Until Congress revises the law, a court clearly reinterprets the law, or many houses of worship begin permitting speakers to endorse candidates with clear approval from the IRS, the safest thing for mosques to do is to continue on as if nothing has changed about the law, which prohibits 501(c)(3) institutions from officially endorsing or opposing candidates.

Until further notice, mosques should still not permit speakers to endorse candidates.  

Let’s be honest: this comes at a frustrating time.

Many mosques have felt powerless over the last 21 months. We’ve watched with anguish as tens of thousands of Palestinians were slaughtered in Gaza with U.S. weapons and political cover. Many feel that voting isn’t enough. That writing op-eds, holding vigils, and organizing protests are not enough. Some wonder: if our spiritual leaders can’t even say who we should vote for, what good is our voice at all?

We hear that. And we feel it too.

But here’s the truth: mosques can still do a tremendous amount.

They can — and should — host candidate forums.

They can — and should — organize voter registration drives.

They can serve as polling places, conduct civic education sessions, invite representatives from all sides to discuss the issues, and host forums on topics such as Palestine, civil rights, immigration, and surveillance.

Imams and khateebs can still speak out forcefully on policy, on justice, and on values. They just can’t say: “Vote for Candidate X.”

This doesn’t mean we disengage — it means we organize smarter, speak louder, and mobilize together.

Through CAIR, CAIR Action, and our partners across the country, Muslim communities have already led historic voter turnout efforts, educated our youth on legislative advocacy, pushed back on surveillance, and fought to stop war funding. We do all of this without the risk of violating IRS rules — and we do it with integrity.

In fact, it is our independence that gives us power.

The Quran commands us to “stand firmly for justice” [Surah An-Nisa; 4:135].  It also teaches wisdom, patience, and strategy. In this election season, let’s use every legal tool available to us — organize, educate, mobilize, and vote. Let’s hold every candidate accountable to the values of justice, dignity, and peace. And let us protect the spiritual integrity of our sacred institutions from being used as tools of political partisanship.

Let us act with power, with clarity, and with purpose. Not for a candidate. Not for a party.

But for our people.

Related:

– Beyond Badr: Transforming Muslim Political Vision

– Politics In Islam: Muslims Are Called To Pursue Justice