South Carolina’s Lancaster County Council voted unanimously last week to deny a conditional-use permit for a proposed Islamic Mosque and community center in the Indian Land area after angry residents passionately spoke out against it.
The rejection came after more than two hours of intense public testimony in which multiple residents warned that the mosque would import Sharia law and represent an ideological takeover incompatible with American values.
One resident went viral after she declared, “This is not about a place of worship; this is not about religion; Islam is not a religion, it’s a takeover.”
She went on to read a passage from the Quran, which states, “Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood.”
“I just want to say this is not about a place of worship. This is not about religion. Islam is not a religion; it’s a takeover. And if you’ve done any studies, if you listen to any of the news media, you will find out that that is true,” she added.
WATCH:
LISTEN: Resident of Lancaster County, SC, calls out radical Sharia law that demands violence against non-believers following the proposal of a new mosque in her neighborhood.
“This is not about a place of worship; this is not about religion; Islam is not a religion, it’s a… pic.twitter.com/DKXwj4oo5U
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 15, 2026
Neighbors speaking out against it raised both practical and ideological concerns.
“We do not want Sharia law in this area,” another resident said during the meeting.
WATCH:
MUST WATCH: Lancaster County, SC, resident BLASTS the proposal to build an Islamic mosque, calling out the dangers of radical Sharia law, which directly opposes the U.S. Constitution.
The council then voted to DENY the permit. pic.twitter.com/LxNA5BXWtE
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 15, 2026
Council Chair Brian Carnes repeatedly tried to steer testimony back to land-use and infrastructure issues such as traffic and compatibility with the residential neighborhood, reminding speakers that the proceeding was quasi-judicial and could not consider religious beliefs directly.
Despite this, multiple residents made their cultural and ideological objections explicit.
Wilfredo Rivera, who lives next door, said the applicant never disclosed the mosque plans when purchasing the property.
Others warned that the already-congested smaller roads in the rapidly growing area near Charlotte would become unbearable.
WATCH:
STEALTH MOSQUE TAKEOVER IN CHARLOTTE SUBURB CRUSHED BY RESIDENTS: “It’s Not Religion—It’s Conquest!” Council Unanimously DENIES Permit to Raze Home for 3,000+ Sq Ft Islamic Center
In Indian Land, SC—Lancaster County, right in Charlotte’s shadow—Arafath Mohammad’s Waxlan… pic.twitter.com/NdceyVXEcr
— Tony Seruga (@TonySeruga) May 15, 2026
The applicant, Arafath Mohammad of Waxlan Investments LLC, had purchased the 5-acre residential property in January and sought permission to build or convert it into a roughly 3,000-square-foot mosque and community center.
South Carolina has a long legislative history of resisting Sharia law in state courts. In 2016, the state House passed a bill explicitly banning Sharia from judicial consideration.
The post South Carolina County Unanimously Rejects Mosque Permit After Residents Protest: ‘Islam Is Not a Religion — It’s a Takeover’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.