Dream of building a mosque endures rejection and a court challenge
Riyadh Elkhayyatt, a cattle farmer who’s lived in the area for 20 years, plans to build a mosque on 80 acres he bought on Church Road. Aldermen rejected his plan after residents accused him and co-owner of the property Maher Abuirshaid of scheming to create “an Islamic compound.” A federal lawsuit followed the rejection. A consent decree, signed Jan. 3, resolved the matter. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Horn Lake has reached an agreement that will allow a mosque built in the DeSoto County city.
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DeSoto County mosque Riyadh Elkhayyat Horn Lake Allen Latimer MR Property Maher Abuirshaid Abraham House of God North MississippiToni Lepeska
Toni Lepeska is a freelance reporter for The Daily Memphian. The 34-year veteran of newspaper journalism is an award-winning essayist and covers a diversity of topics, always seeking to reveal the human story behind the news. Toni, who grew up in Cayce, Mississippi, is a graduate of the University of Mississippi. To learn more, visit tonilepeska.com
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