AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): State and federal authorities in the United States have launched a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of an early-morning fire at the Hamza Al-Mahmood Mosque and the Bayt al-Hikma Academy in the city of Prior Lake, Minnesota. The incident caused part of the roof to collapse and inflicted significant structural damage.
The fire was reported early Monday morning after a passerby noticed the blaze and contacted the fire department. The Prior Lake religious–educational complex serves more than 200 students from kindergarten through high school, along with hundreds of worshippers within its community.
Tawhid Khan, a member of the mosque’s board of trustees, stated at a press conference, “We are grateful that there were no casualties, but the emotional and spiritual impact on our community is immense. Witnessing this level of destruction has left the school community, parents, teachers, and students, shocked and devastated.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal are examining the cause of the incident. City officials have said that no new information has yet been obtained regarding the origin of the fire or the precise extent of the damage.
The fire occurred amid heightened tensions and growing concerns involving the region’s Muslim community and Somali immigrant population. Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said that while no specific threat had previously been directed at the mosque, “the level of anxiety and concern within the Muslim community is high.”
According to CAIR data, more than 40 mosques in Minnesota have been targeted in the past four years. In 2024 alone, 16 incidents have been recorded, with total damage exceeding $ 3 million.
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