(RNS) — When Hasan Hammad created a Facebook page for his Baltimore-area mosque in 2011, his goal was to expand the ways community members could learn about its programming — not to one day attract millions of views.

But over the last few years, the Islamic Society of Baltimore, one of the largest Islamic congregations in Maryland, has exploded its reach across social media platforms, boasting almost 300,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 200,000 on TikTok. Online, it’s earned the nickname “TikTok masjid” (the Arabic term for mosque).

Through candid interviews with community members about masjid activities, ISB’s content highlights the everyday aspects of Islam in America. In one video, congregants at Eid prayer show off the beauty and cultural origins of their holiday clothes. In another, interracial Muslim couples explain where they are from. And in a clip taken during the fasting month of Ramadan, the imam challenges the room to a push-up contest.

The latter video garnered over 16 million views on Instagram alone. “Tomorrow will be leg day,” someone wrote in the comments. About 35,000 others gave the joke a like.

“Our videos highlight that everything non-Muslim Americans engage in — whether it’s sports, food, activities, arts and crafts — we all do them too,” Hammad told RNS. “We’re no different than other Americans.”

@isbalrahmah The Push-Ups Imam strikes again MashaAllah! Shoutout to those who stayed til the end 💪 _ #muslimtok #muslimtiktok #islamic #ramadan2025 ♬ original sound – Islamic Society of Baltimore

Its rising access to a global audience places the masjid within a larger digital culture committed to advocating for and humanizing the Muslim experience at a time when a revival of conspiracies about the religion appears to be formulating. The carefully curated content is both about building a better understanding of Islam among non-Muslims and helping Muslims around the world see their daily life represented and supported in public online spaces.

ISB treasurer Wajiha Farooqi said representing Muslims as “real people” was a key element to why ISB’s videos went viral. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by ISB | Islamic Society of Baltimore & Masjid Al-Rahmah (@islamicsocietyofbaltimore)

“We are your neighbors. We are your co-workers. We’re the driver next to you in traffic,” a community member says in one ISB video. “We’re not strangers.”

While internet fame came fast and heavy, the social media campaign was intended simply to bring more people to the masjid, Hammad said. Shortly before he began his first term as its president in 2022 — more than 10 years after he created the initial Facebook page — he noticed a weakness in the masjid’s outreach to younger community members. Recognizing social media as the platform of today’s youth, Hammad contracted Frish Marketing, an agency based in Maryland specializing in nonprofits, to take over ISB’s social campaign.

The revitalized digital presence intended to embody the congregation’s two mottos: “ISB is our home” and “ISB is trying to build a prophetic community,” the social team said in a message to RNS.

“We’re going to be there for you if you want to enhance or advance your literacy” in Islam, Hammad said. “We’re going to be there for you if you need groceries, if you’re struggling with finances. We’re going to help you find a spouse. The point is that everyone belongs and everyone has a place here at ISB.”

ISB also emphasizes being welcoming to all faith backgrounds, which it aimed to convey in its social media posts. And the team knew that messages hyperfocused on Islamic theology and what is halal (permissible) or haram (forbidden) often fall short of bringing people to the masjid. “A lot of people think … Islam is haram, haram everything — that will turn people away,” Hammad said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by ISB | Islamic Society of Baltimore & Masjid Al-Rahmah (@islamicsocietyofbaltimore)

That strategy has paid off. As ISB’s followers and views rose, Muslims started coming to the masjid from other parts of Maryland and even out of state. And according to the social media team, numerous Muslims looking to rekindle their relationship with their faith cited ISB’s welcoming presence online as a reason for their return to the masjid.

“I think it’s very important to show that your community is open to people of all levels of Islam because the whole point of a masjid is a safe haven,” said Esha Kashmiri, an ISB member since 2005.

More non-Muslims have also been expressing interest in the masjid, increasing the attendance of open house events. In 2024, someone traveled from Atlanta to become Muslim at ISB, Farooqi said.

However, the masjid’s rapid rise to fame has raised security and safety concerns for at least a couple members.

“Some people don’t want their faces to be on the public forums,” said N, a community member who asked to be identified only by their first initial due to their position in the community. “What if someone doesn’t want the world to know where they live and the community they are in?”

For some, regular media presence recalls deep-rooted American Muslim anxieties about surveillance. Maryam, another member, who asked to be identified only by her middle name due to safety concerns, recounted a joke made by some community members: “We already have the government listening in on every masjid in America. Now, there’s a camera everywhere. Someone’s always watching you.”

ISB has been in the limelight before. In 2016, then-President Barack Obama visited ISB — his first visit to an American masjid during his presidency. His remarks reaffirmed American Muslim communities, recognizing many of the fears around safety and harassment that ISB community members still grapple with.

ISB strives to be transparent about its photography and media recordings, the social media team explained. The masjid provides a privacy policy statement on the website and a set of internal policies ensures production is courteous to community members. For example, videos of individuals praying are taken from afar so as not to disturb worship.

Additionally, if anyone requests that a video showing their face be taken down, ISB immediately obliges. “Even if the content is performing well, we prioritize our community’s comfort over the success on social media,” the social media team wrote to RNS.

The masjid’s leadership also sees support for Palestinians and other social justice causes as central to its online messaging. With the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, many Muslims have been critical of people and institutions with large platforms — especially other Muslims — who haven’t publicly supported Palestinians. ISB leaders said they want to use its digital platform for such advocacy, even if others may consider it controversial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by ISB | Islamic Society of Baltimore & Masjid Al-Rahmah (@islamicsocietyofbaltimore)

In addition to advocating for Palestinians, ISB videos encourage Muslims to vote, raise awareness about special needs and accessibility within the Muslim community, highlight local environmental initiatives and promote volunteer work. In a video in December, IBS members reassured Somali Americans of their belonging in the United States after political attacks against their community.

For many, the impact is personal, too. A window into the community through social media provides a support system for everyday American Muslim struggles that may involve wearing hijab or using a full Muslim name at work, Maryam said. Seeing others do it makes it less frightening: “You’re more comfortable. You’re more open. You walk with confidence,” she said.

Videos showcasing Muslims having fun at the masjid also contradict the idea that Islam is a “harsh and a very strict religion,” Kashmiri said.

Hammad sees ISB’s digital work as part of a larger effort to diversify the online narrative about Muslims and change negative perceptions of Islam. “I hope that it helped those with fears of Muslims say, ‘I don’t believe all this bigotry. That’s not what a Muslim is,’” he said.

This article was produced as part of the RNS/Interfaith America Religion Journalism Fellowship.