Commonwealth Policy Center

Muslims from across Kentucky convened on Frankfort for the first Muslim Day at the Capitol. Waheeda Muhammad chairs the Kentucky Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and said the event was entirely planned and funded by the Muslim community. In other words, this wasn’t officially endorsed or funded by state government. Muhammad said the purpose of the event was to educate Muslims and get them more involved in government. Under the first Amendment, Muslims are free to worship according to their conscience and gather publicly. However, some Kentuckians expressed concern over the rise of Islam, which in its radical form, many see as incompatible with our democratic republican ideals. Kentucky has 37 mosques and three Islamic schools.