ISNA drops Pakistani cleric over child-marriage admission, but controversial speakers remain

The Islamic Society of North America announced on Monday that Pakistani cleric Tariq Masood will be omitted from its upcoming annual convention after one outlet's report exposed his admission of forcing his 13-year-old niece into marriage and his broader defense of child marriage. Canadian activists had earlier urged the government to deny Masood a visa in 2024 over what they described as "pedophilic rhetoric."

While Masood’s panel on youth mental health was cancelled, the convention’s roster still includes a number of contentious speakers: Texas-based imam Yasir Qadhi, who has called the Holocaust a "hoax"; AbdulNasir Jangda, who has defended sex slavery and marital rape under Islamic law; and Dearborn imams Baqir Berry and Hassan Qazwini, both known for anti-Israel sermons. Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, scheduled to address unity and justice, said he is not affiliated with or endorsing any other participant, and his campaign offered no further comment.

Other notable attendees are former Pakistani president Arif Alvi, who previously resisted reforming Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy statutes, and CAIR official Hussam Ayloush, who advocated for attacks on Israel after October 7, 2023. The event thus proceeds amid heightened scrutiny of its links to extremist rhetoric.