Established in 2008, the first masjid in Myrtle Beach, and the religious home of the Grand Strand ever since.
Grand Strand Islamic Society is a cornerstone of faith, community, and service in Myrtle Beach. Since our founding we have been dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming space for individuals and families seeking spiritual growth, guidance, and support. Rooted in the timeless principles of Islam, we aim to enrich lives, strengthen bonds, and serve our community with compassion and understanding.
Together, we weave threads of faith, compassion, and unity, creating a tapestry of hope and harmony for generations to come.
A masjid built in stages by a community that kept showing up.
Where we came from, what stands on the lot today, and why the building was deliberately named Phase I.
The Grand Strand Islamic Society was established in 2008 as a masjid and community center. It is the first established masjid in Myrtle Beach, and it is one of many mosques and Islamic centers in South Carolina. For the Muslims of the Grand Strand, that founding was the moment the community stopped borrowing rooms and started keeping its own address.
Phase I of the building was constructed in 2013. The masjid is 3,000 square feet, nestled on a nearly 2 acre lot with ample parking, and the building accommodates nearly 300 congregants with a private space for the sisters. It was named Phase I on purpose. The structure occupies a fraction of the land it sits on, and the rest of that lot is still there, waiting for whatever the community decides to build next.
The Grand Strand Islamic Society is a mosque and a gathering place for a diverse and dynamic community, composed of, among others, indigenous Muslims and immigrants in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. On a normal Friday the rows hold people born into the faith and people who came to it later in life, families who have been in Horry County for decades and families who arrived last year, and they all pray the same prayer shoulder to shoulder.
You will find the masjid at 4328 Waccamaw Blvd in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It sits in Horry County with easy access from South Carolina 31, which makes it reachable from most of the Grand Strand without a complicated drive.
Coming to see it for yourself
The Grand Strand Islamic Society welcomes visitors in order to foster a culture of tolerance and understanding in the Myrtle Beach area. The prayer times in particular are excellent times to visit the center, to meet local Muslims, and to observe Muslim worship.
- No appointment, no registration, and no phone call required
- Parking is on the lot, with no reserved spaces to worry about
- Modest, comfortable clothing is all that is expected of a visitor
- Visitors are never asked for money, at the door or afterward
- Sitting quietly at the back and simply watching is entirely welcome
First time in a masjid? The new here page walks the whole visit step by step, from the parking lot to the shoe rack to the back row. This week’s prayer times are on the homepage prayer card and on the prayer times page.
More than a place of worship.
A hub of learning, connection, and support, and five things this community tries to be for the people who walk through the door.
Our center is more than just a place of worship. It is a hub of learning, connection, and support. Through our wide range of services, from marriage ceremonies and counseling to answering religious questions and offering burial services, we strive to address the diverse needs of our members with care and dedication.
We believe in the power of education to transform lives and to bridge gaps. Our educational programs and workshops are tailored for all age groups, providing opportunities to deepen your understanding of Islamic teachings and to apply them to everyday life. These initiatives empower individuals with knowledge, confidence, and a sense of purpose.
GSIS is committed to providing quality Islamic education according to the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him. The center is committed to preserving a place of Islamic gathering on the Grand Strand and to keeping it easy to reach for anyone who needs it, whether they have lived here for thirty years or arrived on Tuesday.
Where the work actually happens
Almost everything described on this page has a practical door somewhere else on the site.
- The full catalog of what the masjid does is on the services page
- Classes, Sunday School, and the weekly rhythm are listed there too
- Anyone exploring Islam, or new to it, has a home at the new convert program
- Burial and janazah guidance is written out in advance on the janazah page
None of it requires membership. Membership is how people choose to support and steer the Society, and it is explained on the membership page. It has never been the price of admission.
Inclusive Community
A welcoming space for everyone to grow together in faith.
Nobody here is asked to prove how much they already know, how long they have been practicing, or where their family came from. The row is the same width for all of us.
Guidance and Support
Counseling and advice tailored to your needs.
Youth and adults both. Conversations about marriage, family, work, money, and faith, held privately and without a lecture attached to the end of them.
Spiritual Services
Marriage ceremonies, burials, and religious education.
Marriages officiated according to Islamic principles, burial handled with dignity and at a fixed price, and the daily religious life of the community held steadily in between.
Educational Events
Workshops and programs for all ages.
Sunday School for children and young adults, morning Quran classes, and night classes for adults who want to study something properly rather than in passing.
Charitable Outreach
Supporting those in need through donations and acts of kindness.
Zakat and sadaqah put to work locally, quiet help for families going through a hard season, and cooperation with other communities on the Grand Strand.
Join us
Belonging here is a decision, not an accident.
If this is already your community, membership makes it official, gives you a voice in how the Society is run, and steadies the budget that keeps everything above running.
The five aims we were founded to carry out.
Taken from the founding document of the Grand Strand Islamic Center of Myrtle Beach, SC, and still the measure of whether a year here was a good one.
Grand Strand Islamic Society is a non-profit tax exempt 501(c)(3) public charitable organization. The aims and objectives of the Grand Strand Islamic Center of Myrtle Beach, SC are:
- To unite, represent, and serve the interests of the Muslims of Myrtle Beach and the vicinity known as the Grand Strand area. One community rather than several scattered ones, with a single address that can speak for it when it needs to be spoken for.
- To propagate Islam according to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. Everything taught here is measured against those two sources, which is also why nobody is asked to take a teacher’s word for something without being shown where it comes from.
- To present Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims and to promote friendly relations and understanding between them. Visitors are welcome, questions are welcome, and neither one carries an expectation. The introduction to Islam exists for exactly this reason.
- To carry out religious, social, and scholarly activities. The five daily prayers and Jumuah, but also Sunday School, Quran classes, night classes, and Family Night on the third Saturday of the month.
- To develop service institutions to serve Islam and Muslims in cooperation with other communities in this area. The cemetery arrangement is the clearest example so far. It was built so that no family on the Grand Strand has to improvise a burial during the worst week of their life.
That charitable status is not a formality. It means the Society is a public charity, answerable to its members and to the public for what it does with what it is given, and that the building, the classes, and the cemetery arrangement all exist because people chose to fund them.
Who leads the prayer, and who carries the institution.
Two different kinds of responsibility, held by different people, and both reachable through one office.
Imam Hesham Saad
Imam and khateebImam Hesham Saad leads the congregation. He leads the daily prayers, officiates the Jumuah service as our khateeb, the speaker who delivers the sermon, and teaches across the week.
For most people here he is also the first person they bring a question to: a matter of practice, a family decision, a question of conscience, or something they have been carrying around for years and have never said out loud. Those conversations are private, and they are part of the job rather than an interruption to it.
The easiest way to speak with him is in person, right after one of the daily prayers, when he is already in the building and not in the middle of something else.
The boards
Alongside the imam, a Board of Directors and a Board of Trustees carry responsibility for the Society itself. That is the side of the work most people never see: the building and its upkeep, the budget, the cemetery arrangement, the charitable status, and the decisions that have to outlast any single year.
- The Board of Directors handles the running of the Society
- The Board of Trustees holds the longer term responsibilities
- Members of the Society have a voice in how both are directed
Serving board members sign in to the board portal to do that work. The portal is for board members only, so there is nothing behind it for the general public.
If you need to reach leadership, the office is the right door. Write to us or call through the contact page and your message goes to the person who can actually answer it, whether that is the imam, a director, or a trustee.
What we are trying to do, and what we are trying to become.
The first is the work of this year. The second is the reason anyone bothers.
Unite hearts, enrich lives, inspire change.
At Grand Strand Islamic Society, our mission is to foster a strong and inclusive community rooted in faith, compassion, and service. We strive to provide spiritual guidance, educational opportunities, and practical support to individuals and families, empowering them to lead fulfilling lives while upholding the values of Islam. Through our services and initiatives, we aim to unite hearts, enrich lives, and inspire positive change in Myrtle Beach and beyond.
A guiding light, and a lasting legacy.
We envision a community where faith, understanding, and compassion form the foundation of everyday life. At Grand Strand Islamic Society, we aspire to be a guiding light for individuals seeking spiritual growth, knowledge, and connection. By fostering unity and serving with integrity, we aim to build a harmonious society that thrives on shared values and mutual respect, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.
The things people ask before they visit.
Answered plainly, and answered the same way we would answer them at the door.
Where are you located?
We are located at 4328 Waccamaw Blvd in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29579. It is in Horry County with easy access from South Carolina 31.
There is ample parking on the lot and no reserved spaces, so pull in anywhere. If you would rather call before you come, the number is (843) 902-2808, and someone will happily talk you through the visit in advance.
What time are Friday prayers, and how many people attend?
One of the Grand Strand Islamic Society’s main religious activities is the Friday afternoon congregational prayer, Jumuah, which averages about 150 congregants per week. That compares with between 10 to 15 individuals who attend each of the daily five prayers, which is a good illustration of what Friday means in a Muslim community.
Khutbah begins at 1:30 PM and iqamah follows at 2:00 PM; arriving by 1:15 leaves time for parking and wudu. The homepage prayer card and the prayer times page carry the full daily schedule, which shifts with the season.
The Jumuah service begins with a sermon in English, then the call to prayer (azaan), individual customary prayers (sunnah prayers), a sermon in Arabic (khutbah), and ends with two cycles (rakahs) of obligatory (fard) prayer in congregation. The service is officiated by our Imam Hesham Saad, our khateeb, or speaker.
If you are visiting rather than praying, Friday is the day you will see the whole community at once. Arrive a few minutes early, because the lot fills up.
What exactly is a mosque?
A mosque, or masjid, is literally any place where Muslims make their daily five prayers (salat), performed in the direction of Mecca, the qiblah. It need not be a building. A clean patch of ground, an office at lunchtime, or a rest stop on the way to Charleston all qualify.
What a purpose built masjid adds is everything that grows around the prayer. This one holds a school, classes, marriages, funerals, counseling, and a place for families to see each other every week. That is why a community eventually wants a building even though the definition never required one.
Can I visit if I am not Muslim?
Yes, and you are genuinely welcome. The Grand Strand Islamic Society welcomes visitors in order to foster a culture of tolerance and understanding in the Myrtle Beach area, and that has been one of our five founding aims since 2008.
Nobody will pressure you to convert, ask you for money, or expect you to take part. You may sit at the back, watch the prayer, and ask whatever you want afterward. If you would like some background first, the introduction to Islam page is written for exactly that, and the new here page covers the practical side of a first visit.
Do I have to be a member to pray or to ask for help?
No. The masjid is open to every Muslim who wants to pray in it, and the imam and the community will help whoever asks, member or not. That has never been conditional.
Membership is something different. It is how people choose to support the Society and to have a say in how it is run, and it carries its own benefits, including priority access for services such as marriage, burial, and counseling. The detail is on the membership page.
Make a difference with your generosity.
At Grand Strand Islamic Society, your donations play a vital role in supporting our mission of faith, education, and community service. With your help, we can continue to provide meaningful programs, essential services, and outreach initiatives that benefit individuals and families in Myrtle Beach and beyond.
In plain terms, giving is what keeps the lights on in a 3,000 square foot building, keeps Sunday School running for the children, keeps the cemetery arrangement in place for families who will need it one day, and keeps the doors open to anyone who walks up to them.
Grand Strand Islamic Society, 4328 Waccamaw Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579. Call (843) 902-2808 or write to [email protected]. A non-profit tax exempt 501(c)(3) public charitable organization. Visitors are always welcome, and prayer times are the easiest moment to find someone who can help.