Arson suspected in fire at Islamic center

Ahsan Zahid, assistant Imam, walks through the charred Quba Islam Institute after it burned Friday morning, Feb. 13, 2015. Ahsan Zahid, assistant Imam, walks through the charred Quba Islam Institute after it burned Friday morning, Feb. 13, 2015. Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Arson suspected in fire at Islamic center 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

An early morning fire Friday at an Islamic center in southeast Houston left the facility's faithful wondering if what appears to be an intentionally set fire was tied to their religion.

"I hope it's not a hate crime," said Ahsan Zahid, one of the imam's son's. "Preliminary results say it's arson."

Zahid, a 25-year-old political science student at the University of Houston, said arson investigators with the Houston Fire Department told him that an accelerant was used in the fire that broke out about 5:30 a.m. at Quba Islamic Institute.

Later Friday, HFD officials said they had not yet confirmed the cause of the fire and had no further information to release.

Driving on FM 1959 a few blocks east of the Gulf Freeway, it would be easy to miss the two single-story brick buildings that house the community and prayer center.

The low slung red-brick wall that faces the road and the green lawn out front sit among the kind of small office buildings that have sprung up all over Houston. Across the street, tall oaks tower over a massive apartment complex near Gulfstream Park.

Between the buildings of the Islamic center is a parking lot with a basketball hoop hovering over concrete painted as a basketball key.

Zahid said the fire started behind the back building, in a makeshift wood hallway that connected the back door to a 3,000-square-foot prefabricated metal building used for storage. He was not told what kind of accelerant may have been used.

The storage building and its contents, giant doors, rolls of carpet and other construction materials was a near total loss, Zahid said. The community center, which caters to about 100 families, was closed at the time of the fire, and no one was inside. No injuries were reported.

He said two working theories are being pursued. The fire was started on purpose to damage the building or it was started by a homeless person who broke in to the building because of the cold.

"But they said there were accelerants used," he said. "So that doesn't sound like a homeless person."

He also noted that it was the only wood exterior on the property.

The possibility of religious targeting brought calls for state and federal investigations from the Texas office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

"Given the unprecedented level of anti-Muslim rhetoric in our society, it would only be prudent to investigate a possible bias motive for this apparent arson attack," said Ruth Nasrullah, a spokeswoman for the organization.

Zahid said he is hopeful that the facility was not targeted.

"It's tough thinking it could be (a hate crime), but it's a product of the times we're living in, the Islamophobia," he said. "We don't hate anyone."

Leaders there are concerned that it could, citing the recent shooting deaths of three Muslims in North Carolina. Police in Chapel Hill have said they are investigating whether the shootings were sparked by religious or ethnic hatred.

Zahid's brother, 19-year-old Salman Zahid, teaches etiquette and manners to school children at the center. He said he believes that hardship generally precedes bounty.

"It doesn't make me afraid when someone tries to burn down my building," he said. "This is terrible but whatever happens next will probably be better."