Are Texas Muslims ordering businesses to remove haram products within 30 days? Here’s the truth

Claim:

In September 2026, social media posts correctly reported that Muslims in Texas were issuing 30-day ultimatums to business owners, demanding they stop selling items prohibited by Islamic law, known as haram products.

Rating:

What’s True

A video captured an imam in Houston, alongside supporters, urging Muslim convenience store proprietors to halt the sale of haram goods like alcohol, pork, and lottery tickets.

What’s False

The appeal originated from a single religious leader rather than a coordinated or statewide campaign. Furthermore, the message was framed as a personal appeal targeted specifically at Muslim store owners, not a mandatory order for all businesses, and no such sweeping directive exists.

Context

Under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, all Americans are guaranteed the rights to freedom of speech and religion.

A viral rumor circulated online claiming that Muslims across Texas were forcing local businesses to eliminate items forbidden by Islam—such as pork, alcohol, and lottery tickets—within a 30-day window.

Several social media accounts shared identical warnings, alleging that groups in Houston and other Texas cities were marching store-to-store and threatening protests or consequences for noncompliance.

In reality, this narrative is heavily exaggerated.

Footage does confirm that a Houston imam, Qasim ibn Ali Khan, engaged in public demonstrations and asked Muslim merchants to remove haram merchandise. A video posted to Khan’s social media in mid-2025 shows him speaking inside local convenience stores, warning that he and his supporters would organize demonstrations elsewhere in the city if the items weren’t pulled within a month. A follow-up video from July 2025 showed protests outside one of those very locations. Because these events actually occurred, the underlying rumor contains a kernel of truth.

However, there is no evidence of an official “order”—with Khan himself acknowledging in the recording that he possesses no legal authority to enforce his demands—nor is there proof of a widespread, organized movement targeting businesses. His appeals were explicitly directed at fellow Muslims rather than the business community at large.

Consequently, the overarching claim has been rated mostly false.

Religious Dietary and Lifestyle Restrictions

Different religious traditions interpret sacred laws in unique ways regarding daily life and consumption.

Dietary guidelines vary significantly: mainstream Christian groups generally place no blanket restrictions on food, though some practice fasting or temperance regarding alcohol. Hinduism strongly encourages vegetarianism without making it mandatory, whereas Jainism strictly mandates a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Orthodox Judaism requires strict adherence to kosher laws, and Islamic dietary law forbids the consumption of pork and alcohol.

In Islamic terminology, forbidden actions or items are designated as “haram,” while permitted ones are known as “halal.”

Texas Politics, Islam, and Constitutional Protections

Leading up to the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, conservative politicians in Texas frequently highlighted concerns regarding the potential implementation of strict Shariah law within the United States as a campaign talking point.

The online rumor appears to have gained traction after a prominent activist known for sharing anti-Islamic content posted one of Imam Khan’s TikTok videos to social media. In the unedited footage, Khan explicitly acknowledges that he and his supporters have no legal power to compel business owners to alter their inventory:

We can’t stop them, of course, this is the United States of America, and people have the freedom to sell what they want, as long as they’re supported by the United States government.

Khan’s statement aligns fully with the U.S. Constitution, as the First Amendment protects both free speech and religious expression. State officials, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, emphasized that local laws and courts govern commercial establishments, asserting that no individual’s personal protests can override those legal rights.

Furthermore, Khan made it clear during his visits that his message was a moral appeal directed exclusively at fellow Muslims based on Islamic teachings, rather than a general mandate for the broader public.

Ultimately, exhaustive searches yielded no evidence of a broader, coordinated campaign pressuring Texas businesses to ban these products.

Sources