Home / Health & Wellness / Special Needs
Health & Wellness · Special Needs sub-committee
Special Needs Services
The masjid should work for every member of this community. Accessible prayer halls, a Sunday school built for special-needs children, a support group for parents, and a campus certified by Muhsen.
A masjid that welcomes everyone
The main building has a wheelchair-accessible prayer hall and bathrooms, and elevator access to the upper floors. But accessibility is more than ramps — it's programs, people, and a community that makes room. IAR is one of very few mosques in the country with both a Sunday school for special-needs children and a support group for their parents.
The program's goal: to promote and support activities that encourage healthy behaviors, holistic wellness, and inclusion for individuals with disabilities and mental illness.
If you have a family member with special needs, the single most useful thing you can do is fill out the Needs Assessment survey — and pass it to families you know. Responses are confidential and go directly to Muhsen; they shape what gets built here next.
Muhsen certification
Muhsen (Muslims Understanding and Helping Special Education Needs) is a national nonprofit that certifies masajid for disability access and inclusion. IAR holds silver certification and is working toward gold.
- Wheelchair accessibility through ramps and elevator
- Needs Assessment Survey of the community
- Disability services advertised on the masjid website
- Khutbahs on disability at least 4× a year
- Disability awareness event at least 2× a year
- Restroom and wudu accessibility
- A dedicated special-needs facilitator
- Program information accessible on the website
- Sign-language interpreter for select lectures and khutbahs
- Parent/caregiver support group
- Siblings support group
- Regular programs for families with disabilities
- Braille Quran available
- Eid prayer accessibility or a designated room
- Youth training on disability interaction
- Specialized childcare at select events
Programs
Sunday School for special-needs children
Sponsored by Al-Furqan School, a group of dedicated volunteers teaches Quranic letters, Islamic studies, and Quran memorization to children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Contact Latifa Derasmo or Arshiya Siddiqui · [email protected]
SuperMoms — support group for parents
Started in 2011, SuperMoms supports mothers of special-needs children — resources and support by parents, for parents. A place to share experiences, concerns, and successes in a safe, judgment-free zone. Between meetups, the group stays connected through a members' WhatsApp group.
Contact Shazia Farooq or Arshiya Siddiqui · [email protected]
Socials for special-needs families
Gatherings through the year where families can relax among people who get it — no explaining, no apologizing. Dates appear on the Health & Wellness calendar.
Contact the team · [email protected]
Khutbahs on special needs
Talks our imams and guests have given on disability, inclusion, and the community's obligations. Recorded live and available on IAR's YouTube channel.
Still looking?
Didn't find what you needed?
Tell us. Every "I couldn't find it" teaches the team what's missing from this page — and we add it.
Coming up
Upcoming events
Loading IAR schedule…
Prayer Times & Jumu'ah Schedule
Daily iqamah is the same at both campuses. Jumu’ah speakers differ — check the campus tab.
Loading published Jumu’ah shifts…
Loading published Jumu’ah shifts…
| Prayer | Adhan | Iqamah |
|---|---|---|
| Fajr | — | — |
| Shuruq | — | — |
| Dhuhr | — | — |
| Asr | — | — |
| Maghrib | — | — |
| Isha | — | — |
Loading IAR schedule…
Monthly prayer schedule