Our vision is to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for people with unique abilities and their families across all life stages. We strive to be a mosque where everyone knows they are accepted, celebrated, and embraced in God’s love.

Let us know how we can help you. help@mcceastbay.org

Alhamdulillah, since 2017, the MCC East Bay has been proud to be the first masjid on the West Coast to be certified as special-needs friendly. In 2019, MCC East Bay became the first gold-certified masjid in California. We are working hard now to become the first platinum-certified masjid on the West Coast.

The MCC hosts one of only two special needs weekend Islamic Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. The class has been at capacity since we began in 2017. We encourage parents of children with special needs to join the waitlist and volunteer here. Registration for students with special needs is the same as for all other Sunday School students. Please see here for those details.

Also, see this playlist for all talks related to accommodating disabilities at the mosque: http://mcceastbay.org/muhsen

Weekend Special Needs Program Registration

Please follow the normal Sunday School registration process. When filling out the information for your child, please state Special Needs in the “Other Details” section: https://www.mccsundayschool.org/special-education

The MCC Sunday School program is currently at full capacity. However, unlike the regular MCC Sunday School, we accept students during the school year if a seat becomes available. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Muslim Community Association (MCA Bay Area), the West Valley Muslim Association (WVMA), and the Tracy Islamic Center (TIC) also offer weekend special-needs programs. Please complete this form for Muhsen to facilitate enrollment of your child in one of these programs: https://tinyurl.com/MUHSENSchool23

We are committed to supporting MUHSEN in their efforts to help families with Special Needs.

As a silver-certified masjid since 2017, we:

• Advertise special needs services on the masjid website and newsletter
• Host a Khutbah (Friday sermon) on disability at least once a year
• Host a disability awareness event at the masjid at least twice a year
• Provide restroom and wadu accessibility
• Have a dedicated special-needs facilitator for the masjid
• Have information about masjid programming accessible on the masjid website and social media
• (Via Muhsen) Have a needs assessment survey of the masjid community
• Provide wheelchair access through ramps and elevators throughout the facility

As a gold-certified masjid since 2019 means MCC:

• Provide a sign language interpreter for select lectures & Khutbahs (Friday sermons);
• Host a parent/caregiver support group;
• Host a sibling support group.
• Regularly schedule programs or events for our families with special needs.
• Make a Braille Qur’an available.
• Provide an accessible, designated room for families and individuals with special needs during Eid prayers.
• Host a youth training event on disabilities, and
• Provide specialized childcare at select masjid events.

MUHSEN (Muslims Understanding and Helping Special Education Needs) certifies masjids and Islamic Centers across the U.S. The nonprofit works to accommodate community members with special needs.

The MCC and Muhsen want to understand the needs of families with special needs in our community. If you have a family member with Special Needs, please click on the link below to fill out a Needs Assessment Survey. If you know of a family in our community with a member with special needs, please share the survey below with them. All responses are confidential and will only be provided to the Muhsen team.

Special Needs Assessment Survey

As a special-needs masjid, we would be happy to accommodate your needs! Need an interpreter, seating, or other support? Email MCC’s Special Needs Coordinator, Shereen Qaadri, at help@mcceastbay.org

Please also join MUHSEN’s San Francisco Bay Area WhatsApp Group.

If you are looking for an attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area who specializes in special-needs legal needs for Muslim families, please contact Br. Ikhlas Ahmed.

May Allah (swt) grant the MCC special-needs volunteer team the energy and ability to make the Muslim Community Center – East Bay more accommodating for every member of our community and to help re-mosque our special-needs families who may have felt alienated from their masjid, Ameen!

For more information about MUHSEN and its support for community members with special needs, please visit muhsen.org.

Our friends at Family Resource Navigator are also a community partner.

1 in 5 Americans (64 million people) have a disability

It’s estimated that at least 15% of the population is neurodiverse

Of those, 35% (22 million people) are of prime-working age (16-64)

ADHD, Autism, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia and Tourette’s syndrome are
all examples of neurodiverse conditions.