Massive Texas property ‘brings Islam to the forefront’ with 17-acre mosque, school
An Islamic scholar who has described Thanksgiving as “rooted in genocide” and allegedly voiced support for members of al Qaeda and other terrorist groups is promoting a plan to build a 400-acre Islam-centered faith and residential estate in rural North Texas.
Yasir Qadhi, dean of The Islamic Seminary of America and a resident scholar at the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) located about 20 minutes north of Dallas, is one of the key promoters of EPIC City and EPIC Ranches, an ambitious project launched in conjunction with the Plano mosque in April 2024.
Billed as a “meticulously designed community that brings Islam to the forefront,” EPIC City is part of a proposal by investor group Community Capital Partners (CCP) to acquire and develop a 402-acre tract of land near the city of Josephine, which had a population of just over 2,100 residents in 2020 before exploding to over 7,100 in 2023.
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The plan would develop nearly 1,080 single family and townhome lots, along with a private school, commercial retail space, and a mosque. Utilities for the land would be provided by an unidentified “municipal utility district.” Under the proposal, CCP would “donate a portion of the land” — more than 17 acres — for EPIC to construct a mosque and an Islamic K-12 private school.
A promo video for EPIC City opens with an Islamic call to prayer and describes the plan as “more than just a neighborhood — it’s a way of life.” The video narration goes on to state that the “meticulously designed community … brings Islam to the forefront” and highilghts “multiple fields for sports” along with “public schools 10 minutes away.”
In another video, Qadhi states EPIC will be “open to non-Americans as well” and will involve building an “entire community from scratch,” including an assisted-living retirement home, retail shops, and clinic, all contained within a “loving, safe community in a neighborhood of friends and family.”
A spokeswoman for the city of Josephine said in a statement Tuesday that while EPIC’s marketing materials reference the project as being in the “heart of Josephine,” such a description is “incorrect and has led to confusion and concern among residents.”
Josephine Administrator Lisa Palomba added, “To clarify, the proposed EPIC City and EPIC Ranches developments are not within the city of Josephine’s jurisdiction. They are not located within the city limits, not within Josephine’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), and not within Josephine’s utility district. The city of Josephine has not received or acted upon any requests related to EPIC City or EPIC Ranches.”
According to the investor summary, the property is “currently under contract” with the Islamic center until it assigns the contract to CCP. EPIC is listed as a “nonprofit Texas organization” and the minority shareholder along with Board of Directors Imran Chaudhary, Naveed Siddiqui and Sarfraz Ahmad.
Investors must buy an $80,000 share of CCP in order to reserve a lot, according to the document. Qadhi announced in a Feb. 12 video announcement that more than 500 lots have already been reserved by EPIC City investors.
CP reached out for comment to both EPIC and CCP. This story will be updated if a response is received.
