When an immigrant rights group discovered there wasn’t a Qur’an in the tiny public chapel on the fourth floor of the Texas Capitol, they sought help from one of the two Muslim members in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Salman Bhojani of Euless was quick to assist, donating his family Qur’an to the chapel on March 22, just as Muslims across the state were observing the start of the Ramadan.
“It’s a small step towards progress,” he observed in a subsequent Tweet, “but I’m proud to have been a part of it.”
But Bhojani’s gesture had an unexpected epilogue.
On March 29, after being placed alongside two Bibles, the Qur’an was discovered missing, prompting Bhojani’s office to summon investigators from the Department of Public Safety. It was recovered by the DPS a week later, on Wednesday, but officers have not disclosed how it was found or if there have been any charges or arrests.
“It has been recovered and returned,” said DPS Sgt. Victor Taylor, adding that “further details” are still pending.
Bhojani, who immigrated with his parents to America from Pakistan when he was 19,
made history in January when he and Rep. Suleman Lalani of Sugar Land became the first two Muslims and South Asians in the Texas Legislature.
Bhojani used a different Qur’an for his swearing-in, one steeped in history as the first English-copy ever printed in America.
The family Qur’an that was briefly in the chapel has been replaced by one provided by the state, which now sits open alongside a blue-covered Prayer Book and an open white-covered Holy Bible on a wooden table adorned with a vase of plants.
“I am pleased and relieved that my family Qur’an has been returned and there is a Qur’an available for use again in the Capitol Chapel,” said Bhojani, a 43-year-old attorney and former Euless City Council member.
“The Chapel is a safe space for all Texans to practice their faith traditions and I’m honored that our Muslim brothers and sisters have a place to pray and reflect, especially during this holy month of Ramadan.”
Steven Wu, organizing and policy manager for Houston-based Woori Juntos said the immigration rights advocates turned to Bhojani’s office after discovering the absence of a Qur’an.
“Last week, we learned there was not a Qur’an in the Capitol Chapel,” Bhojani said in a tweet describing the development.
“As Muslims across Texas observe the Holy Month of Ramadan, we wanted to ensure they had a place to pray – so I added my family Qur’an.”
Wu said members of his group discovered the Qur’an was missing when they returned about a week later and reported the disappearance to Bhojani’s staff.
Bhojani was unavailable for comment, but Bhojani spokesman Mason Reid said the representative welcomed its return.
“This was important to him and his family,” Reid said in commenting on the book’s recovery. “I’m glad it was recovered.”
David Montgomery is a longtime journalist who has served as an Austin Bureau chief for the Dallas Times Herald, Austin and Washington bureau chief for the Fort Worth Star Telegram, and Moscow bureau chief for Knight Ridder Newspapers.
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