With a population of 112,544, Springfield is a close-knit region where everyone seems to know someone. This sense of interconnectedness is especially evident within the Muslim community, a vibrant and active part of the Springfield area’s social fabric. Whether building strong internal bonds or fostering relationships across diverse groups, Muslims in Springfield play a vital role in uniting the city. Dr. Dilara Sayed, President of the Muslim Civic Coalition, highlights Springfield’s unique role in nurturing leadership and connection across the heartland. Sayeed explains, “When I think of the Muslim community in Springfield, I think of the heartland of the USA. I cannot imagine the incredible growth and the incredible civic engagement of our communities. I know this because of many of the leaders from Springfield, IL that have mentored leaders across Illinois and in other places in the heartland.”
The desire to foster ties not only across cultures but also across madhabs—or denominational differences in Islam, including Sunni or Shia—was what prompted the formal establishment of the Muslim community in Springfield just over 50 years ago. Former President of the Greater Springfield Interfaith Association Maryam Mostofi recalls how it all began: “Living there for 40 plus years, I saw a huge change because when we initially moved there in 1979, we became acquainted with the Islamic community, which was very informal at the time — only 12 families. The last count I did before we moved, there were 30 different racial and ethnic groups and places of origin and there were over 300 families. That's a huge difference in those 40 years to see a community grow. The other thing was, our community was made up of people of all five madhabs. They all agreed, and the other community members, when we shared it, agreed too, that it should be representative of all Muslims, regardless of what madhhab they were from. That became something different than what I've seen in other communities.”
Living there (in Springfield) for 40 plus years, I saw a huge change because when we initially moved there in 1979... only 12 families. The last count, there were 30 different racial and ethnic groups and places of origin, and there were over 300 families.Maryam Mostofi , former president of the Greater Springfield Interfaith Association on the growth and diversity of the Muslim community
That spirit of unity and inclusion has extended beyond religious lines. Springfield has long enjoyed a vibrant and welcoming interfaith community, and Muslims have been an active part of it from the beginning. The community often invites educators and neighbors to join them for Iftar dinners. For one local couple, Shabana and Arshad, this tradition has grown into a powerful expression of faith, friendship, and shared humanity that continues to shape their lives. They make it a point to arrange dinners during Ramadan for community members, including students, converts, and travelers who may not be able to conventionally experience the holiday. Arshad explains why he and his wife do this: “When I came here, we got married, we started going to the Masjid and I kept talking to Shabana — 'Hey, this is something we need to think about starting.' I don't know how long it's been—14, 15 years ago we embarked on this journey? Whatever we cook, we cook a little bit more and just take it to the mosque. We made some friends who would travel, drive trucks and everything. Every year they’ll show up! Or some new converts just show up! You'll get personal stories from everybody. So it's not just the feast itself, it’s the true spirit of Ramadan, where you're trying to serve people and you get to know each other. I would say we would not trade that with anything.”
Building that kind of belonging takes time and intention. Responding to growing concerns about racism and bias, the Springfield Immigrant Action Network began hosting anti-racism trainings, which many local organizations, including the local Muslims, have joined to learn how to recognize and address bias. Islam teaches that no one is superior to another based on race or status. Muslims commonly refer to each other as brother and sister—an ideal of equality. Yet, like all communities, the Muslim community here also grapples with the subtle ways in which exclusion can happen. Ayanna Qadeem, whose family are leaders of the community, reflects on this complexity. "I feel like I exist in multiple places at one time. I’m African American, I’m female... I went to Catholic school but also went to Islamic school. There’s been a subtle othering—it occurs in ways like people taking our chairs to sit with their group, instead of joining the groups that are already there, which is the practice taught by the Prophet Muhammad. Or avoiding speaking a language that others who are there don’t understand. A little Muslim kid once asked me, 'When did I become Muslim?' I thought, 'I was here before you were born.'”
Listening and adjusting to the evolving needs of a growing and diverse community is essential. The 2022 study of Illinois Muslim Report found that one-third of Muslims who regularly attend the mosque still feel their opinions don’t count in their house of worship. In Springfield, the mosque’s leadership is working to address this, as shared by Mosque President Yahia Zeino, “People who just came to the community are different from people who’ve been here for forty years. The youth also have different needs. All of those people need to add to the mosaic that we have in our community. If we don’t engage all of them and listen to them, I don't think we can move on to the next level. When people are given an agenda that is already prepared and thrown at them, sometimes this can turn them off. We have to include all of them in decision-making. This is where the membership is important because this will include their ability to vote and express where they want their community to go, instead of a small group leading the community based on where they think it should go.”
Sometimes, unity starts with something as small as a cup of tea. In a diverse community, even chai can carry meaning — community resident Shaista Shaikh points this out, “Every section of the community was so particular about chai—how much milk, what kind of sugar. And then the Yemeni community brought their own because we never got theirs quite right. Once I tasted it, I totally switched sides. It’s small things that remind you we’re different, but we’re still working toward being one voice.”
From cups of chai to community meetings, Springfield’s Muslim community continues to grow not just in numbers, but in spirit, rooted in service, guided by faith, and driven by a shared hope to belong together.
This article is part of the Healing Illinois 2025 Reporting Project, “Healing Through Narrative Change: Untold Stories,” made possible by a grant from Healing Illinois, an initiative of the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Field Foundation of Illinois that seeks to advance racial healing through storytelling and community collaborations.
After a recent central Illinois case gained national media attention, prompting almost daily protests, this project sought to engage diverse rural communities with information that brings neighbors together and moves us forward.
Managed by Press Forward Springfield, this project enlisted 3 central Illinois media outlets to produce impactful news coverage on the disparities and tensions within and among the region's diverse communities while maintaining editorial independence.
The citizen and student NPR Illinois J-Corps, or Journalism Corps, is a vision and project to identify and train people in communities throughout central Illinois to cover or increase coverage of under-covered areas.
