AUSTIN (Diya TV) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday that his office has launched a formal investigation into a Dallas-based religious mediation group called the Islamic Tribunal, demanding documents as part of what he described as a landmark inquiry into an alleged effort to impose sharia law in the state.

In a press release Monday, Paxton’s office alleged that the Islamic Tribunal has been making judicial rulings based on Islamic religious law, sought to replace actual courts of law, and evaded generally applicable state and federal statutes. The office also alleged the group falsely represented its decisions as final judgments carrying “the approval of the Texas Judicial system.”

“Anyone or any entity that seeks to subvert the codified state and federal laws of this country will be stopped dead in their tracks,” Paxton said. “If the Islamic Tribunal is undermining the rule of law or misleading Texans about the legal authority it claims to hold, my office will ensure its operation is shut down. This is America, and we will not be governed by sharia law.”

As part of the inquiry, Paxton’s office sent a Request to Examine, or RTE, to the Islamic Tribunal to compel the production of documents. No charges have been filed and the investigation is at an early stage.

While the First Amendment protects religious institutions’ right to govern themselves, Paxton’s office argues that right does not allow a religious organization to act as a court, apply foreign laws that conflict with Texas or federal law, or issue rulings that imply government authority.

The Islamic Tribunal describes itself differently. The group has updated its website to emphasize that its practices are strictly spiritual and that it does not practice law, function as a court, issue legally binding decisions, or provide legal advice. The group describes itself as providing voluntary, faith-based religious guidance for individuals and families for divorces and other issues.

Religious mediation groups exist across Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Other Dallas groups include the Christian Legal Society and Magen David Congregation.

Monday’s action did not emerge in isolation. Paxton’s legal action comes after Governor Greg Abbott instructed local and state officials in Dallas and Collin counties to investigate the Islamic Tribunal and other Islamic mediation groups in November 2025, calling them “Sharia courts” trying to supersede Texas law. A spokesperson with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said at the time that neither the governor nor any law enforcement agency had contacted the DA’s office about Islamic mediation groups.

CAIR’s Texas chapter called Abbott’s claims of sharia courts an “anti-Muslim conspiracy theory.” “Greg Abbott appears to understand the law as well as he understands Texas Muslims, not at all,” CAIR-Texas stated. “If Abbott is referring to private arbitration that businesses, religious communities, and others sometimes choose to engage in, every American has the right to engage in voluntary arbitration, only official courts can enforce private arbitration decisions, and such decisions must not violate public policy or the law.”

The investigation is part of a sweeping pattern of state legal action against Muslim organizations in Texas. In February 2026, Paxton sued to shut down CAIR despite arguing in another case that local CAIR chapters were not included in Abbott’s terrorist declaration. Paxton and Abbott are also attempting to block the development of The Meadow, a Muslim-focused housing development proposed by the East Plano Islamic Center. A Collin County judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the group from exercising authority except to comply with Paxton’s lawsuit.

Two Texas chapters of CAIR sued Abbott and Paxton in response to the governor’s terrorist designations.