Programs · Faith · Inclusion

Inclusive Faith Spaces

Faith, learning and belonging for every child

Every child deserves a place to learn, grow, and connect with their faith. At Maangaar Voices, we believe that access to Islamic education should never be limited by a child’s disability, neurodivergence, or support needs. From inclusive dugsi classrooms to Disability & Deen conversations at our community’s largest gatherings, we are working so that every child feels the masjid is their home.

A girl in a blue hijab and pink ear defenders kneels on the masjid prayer carpet, playing with a fidget toy.
A hand holds up a blue Maangaar Voices sign reading “Maangaar in Mecca! #AUTISM” in the courtyard of Masjid al-Haram, with pilgrims in white, the minarets and the Kaaba behind it.

From Makkah

Maangaar in Mecca!

A Maangaar Voices sign beside the Kaaba at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah.

Pillar 1 · Every Eid

Sensory-Friendly Eid

Every community deserves a sensory friendly Eid.

For many families, a sensory-friendly prayer is not just another Eid prayer. It may be their first chance in years to attend, because traditional spaces have not had the accommodations or volunteer support needed for elopement, sensory overwhelm, transition support and accessibility. Maangaar Voices holds a sensory-friendly Eid every year, and we want every masjid to offer one.

Host your own EidVolunteer with us
Two mothers and two girls in blue Eid dresses, one wearing pink ear defenders, beside a volunteer holding a “Love one another” sign outside the masjid.
Our first sensory-friendly Eid prayer, Eid ul-Fitr 2026, Rosemount

Why it matters

An Eid prayer every family can attend

Eid prayer in a welcoming space designed for children and families with different sensory and support needs, with volunteers present. Families bring their loved ones and celebrate together.

Our Eids so far

How it started, and where it's going

  1. Several families sit together on the green masjid carpet while children open their sensory bags.

    Eid ul-Fitr · March 20, 2026

    Our first sensory-friendly Eid prayer

    South Metro Islamic Center (SMIC) · Rosemount, MN

    Planned in a short window, and families still showed up and reminded us just how needed this was. Takbeerat at 11:30 AM, salat at 11:45 AM, in a space where every child could take part.

    • Takbeerat 11:30 AM · Salat 11:45 AM
    • Hosted with SMIC Masjid in Rosemount
    • Sensory bags, headphones and quiet corners for the children
  2. A mother in a pink-and-white checked hijab laughs with her two daughters in white Eid dresses in front of the Pump It Up sign.

    Sensory Eid · March 20, 2026

    A playground reserved for our families

    Pump It Up · 7674 Washington Ave S, Eden Prairie, MN 55344

    Children with extra support needs rarely get a place of their own on Eid. So that afternoon we rented out an entire indoor playground, just for our community, so Maangaar children and their siblings could play, connect and celebrate together.

    • Over 60 children and their families
    • Materials and books from Help Me Grow, handed out with the University of Minnesota LEND program
    • Free backpacks filled with sensory toys, funded by a grant
  3. Flyer for the Sensory Friendly Eid al-Adha Prayer at MAS South Metro Islamic Center, Wednesday May 27, 2026 at 11 AM.

    Eid al-Adha · May 27, 2026

    Our second sensory-friendly Eid prayer

    MAS South Metro Islamic Center · 15400 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068

    With more time to plan, the response was overwhelming in the best way: 78 families registered ahead of time, many bringing entire families of four to eight people. On the day, approximately 280 participants attended, and with volunteers included we welcomed over 315 people.

    • Wednesday, May 27, 2026, held later in the morning
    • 78 families pre-registered · about 280 participants · 315+ with volunteers
    • Three spaces: a quiet prayer space in the musallah, and movement-friendly sensory spaces in the banquet hall and gym
    • Collaborating organizations: SMIC and Grounded

    Attended or volunteered? Share your feedback in thefamily survey or thevolunteer survey.

Eid 2026

Moments from our sensory-friendly Eids

The ripple

Two more masjids held their first sensory-friendly Eid prayer

What feels especially beautiful is seeing this work ripple outward. On the same Eid al-Adha morning in May 2026, a masjid in Washington and one of the largest masjids in Canada held their first ever sensory-friendly Eid prayers, and they were so successful.

  • Special Needs Eid Prayer flyer from East African Community Services and Abubakar Islamic Center of Washington, Wednesday May 27, 2026.

    Abubakar Islamic Center of Washington

    Tukwila, Washington · with East African Community Services

    A sensory-friendly Eid prayer for individuals of all ages with special needs and their families on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 11:00 AM, with dedicated parent support from 10:30 AM in the multipurpose area.

  • Flyer for Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque’s first Sensory Friendly Eid Salah, Wednesday May 27 at 11 AM.

    Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque

    Etobicoke (Toronto), Ontario · with SMILE Canada Support Services, Hana Legacy Foundation and SACHE

    One of the largest masjids in Canada held its first sensory-friendly Eid salah on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 11 AM, providing a space for children to participate and pray comfortably.

Our videos from these two Eids have been viewed close to a million times across platforms, with thousands of comments: celebration, thank-yous from families, and people asking how to hold their own. Even celebrities and well-known religious leaders have joined in.

Every community deserves a sensory friendly Eid.

Watch

This is what a sensory-friendly Eid looks like

Bring it to your masjid

Host your own sensory-friendly Eid

We hold a sensory-friendly Eid every year, and we hope more masjids embrace it and offer a sensory-friendly option alongside their regular prayers. We are writing up how we organized ours so other communities can do the same. If you or your organization would like to host one, email us and we will share what we have learned.

Email info@maangaarvoices.org

Volunteer

Help us make the next one possible

Each prayer runs on volunteers. Send your young adults, siblings, cousins and community members, and share widely. Reach anyone from Maangaar Voices to get involved.

Pillar 2 · Inclusive Dugsi

Qur’an and Islamic education for every child

Our Inclusive Dugsi Program was created to bridge a longstanding gap in our communities by making Qur’an and Islamic education more accessible to autistic children and children with developmental disabilities.

Launched in 2026 in partnership with local masjids, including the South Metro Islamic Center (SMIC) and Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center, our Inclusive Dugsi programs bring together Islamic educators, families, volunteers, and community partners to create welcoming, supportive learning environments.

Our approach

Meeting every child where they are

Recognizing that every child learns differently, our programs emphasize individualized support, sensory-friendly spaces, flexible teaching approaches, and meaningful participation.

  • Individualized support

    Every child learns differently, so each student gets personal attention and an approach shaped to their needs.

  • Sensory-friendly spaces

    Learning environments designed with sensory needs in mind, so children can settle, focus and feel comfortable.

  • Flexible teaching

    Teaching methods adapt to each child’s learning style and pace.

  • Meaningful participation

    Beyond Qur’an memorization and Islamic learning: building confidence, fostering friendships and nurturing belonging in the Muslim community.

What inspired us

Standing on earlier efforts

We were inspired by previous attempts in our community to hold inclusive dugsis, and by the extensive, longstanding work of MUHSEN, the Dallas-based organization whose robust programs for Muslims with disabilities we aspire to replicate for the benefit of our own disability community.

The gap we’re bridging

Removing barriers to participation

For many families, traditional dugsi settings have presented barriers to participation. Through this initiative, we are working to remove those barriers while partnering with masjids to strengthen their capacity to welcome and support children of all abilities.

Our vision is simple: every child, regardless of ability, deserves to feel that the masjid is their home, the Qur’an is for them, and their place in our community is unquestionable.

A hand holds up a blue Maangaar Voices sign reading “Maangaar in Medina! #AUTISM” beneath the white canopy umbrellas in the courtyard of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi.

From Madinah

Maangaar in Medina!

A Maangaar Voices sign under the canopies of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah.

Pillar 3 · Panels & Workshops

Outreach in the community

We bring disability into our community’s biggest rooms. In September 2026 we held two Disability & Deen panels at Minnesota’s largest Muslim gatherings, asking how our communities can create accessible spaces where everyone can learn, worship, participate and belong.

23rd Annual IANA Convention · Sunday, September 6, 2026 (the day before Labor Day)

IANA Con 2026 · Hope Starts at Home

Minneapolis Convention Center · with the Islamic Association of North America (IANA)

For the first time, Maangaar Voices collaborated with IANA to bring disability, faith, family well-being and practical support into the heart of the convention: a four-hour afternoon program in four segments, with a sensory room alongside it.

  1. 01

    Disability & Deen

    Shaykh Yaser Birjas, Shaykh Yusuf Abdulle and Ustadh Bilal Muhammad, moderated by Kaltun Karani

    • Disability in Islam
    • Islamic perspectives on disability
    • Personal stories of children and nephews
    • Stories from the Sahaba and Salaf
  2. 02

    ABA for All: Practical Strategies for Home, School & Dugsi

    Ilham Mohamed, Deqa Muhiden, Abdi Diriye and Idil Mohamed, moderated by Kawsar Abdirashid

    • Top strategies for extinction
    • Practical ABA strategies
    • Student practices
    • Inclusive ABA for all dugsi
    • Experiences and success stories
    • Interactive lessons and tools
    IANA Con 2026 flyer: ABA for All, Practical Strategies for Home, School & Dugsi, Session 2, Sunday September 6, 2026, Minneapolis Convention Center.
  3. 03

    Care for Caregivers: Family, Wellbeing & Disability

    Dr. Ahmed Hassan, Farhia Said and Miraj Farah, moderated by Idil Ahmed

  4. 04

    Closing reminder and du’a

    A closing reminder and du’a for the families in the room

Sensory room

A sensory room with Midway Therapy Center, open 2 to 7 PM and staffed by ABA volunteers, gave children a calm space and caregivers respite while they took part in the program.

Minnesota Muslim Convention · September 2026, two weeks after IANA Con

Deen & Disability Panel Discussion

Muslim American Society of Minnesota · 5:05 PM · Auditorium 1

Anisa Hagi-Mohamed, Deqa Muhiden and Imam Bilal Muhammad, moderated by Amina Adan

How can we build Muslim communities where everyone has a place? The panel explored disability through the lens of Islam, family, education and community, and asked how we can create accessible spaces where everyone can learn, worship, participate and belong.

Minnesota Muslim Convention flyer: Deen & Disability Panel Discussion with Anisa Hagi-Mohamed, Deqa Muhiden, Imam Bilal Muhammad and moderator Amina Adan, 5:05 PM, Auditorium 1.

Our collaborators

Growing in partnership

Click a logo to visit our partners’ websites.

Together

Inclusion is not an exception, but an expectation

Masjids, Islamic educators and volunteers who want to welcome children of all abilities, and families looking for an inclusive dugsi, can reach us by email.

Email info@maangaarvoices.org