HAQ emerged out of multiple community-based projects over the last few years, focusing on creating intentional healing spaces for DMV trans and queer Muslims. Although healing encompasses several different things, HAQ defines it as the life-long process of repairing, growing, and nourishing our relationships with ourselves, with one another, and with Allah (Arabic word for G-d).

Initially just starting out as individuals hosting events in their homes out-of-pocket, we quickly realized that there was a need for these spaces to exist and become more sustainable, so the Collective was founded in October 2019, and the NQAPIA (National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance) became our fiscal sponsor. We received a grant from the Diverse City Fund for programming at the beginning of 2020. When the pandemic hit, our monthly potlucks became monthly virtual zoom calls, and our programming became completely virtual. We received funding from the Trans Justice Funding Project as well as the Mobilize Power Fund from Third Wave Fund for us to provide financial aid support to community members negatively impacted by the pandemic and run programming in 2021 and 2022.

Though we have been successfully hosting small spaces in various locations informally and formally over the last six years, the dream has always been to build a permanent space for our ummah (Muslim community) to congregate, pray together, and attend the Collective’s various programming. A masjid (Muslim building for worship, plural: masajid) where any trans and queer Muslim can go to practice Islam without fear of judgment or violence, and form bonds with their fellow Muslims. A masjid named Masjid al-Haq which, as we grow as an organization, would grow into and function as a mutual aid hub to the larger community, the way a masjid would traditionally offer resources to the surrounding community. We believe in this beautiful future and know this eventual permanent space will be a site of community building and radical healing.