From a first shahada to a last rite, this masjid serves the whole arc of a Muslim life.
Learning the Quran. Saying the testimony of faith out loud for the first time. A marriage officiated properly. A conversation you can only have with someone who will not repeat it. A question you have carried around for years. A burial handled with dignity during the worst week of your life. These are the things Grand Strand Islamic Society does.
None of this requires membership, an appointment system, or a form you have to decipher first. Call the masjid at (843) 902-2808, or come by around a prayer time and ask for the imam. If we cannot help with something ourselves, we will say so plainly and point you toward someone who can.
Quran learning, starting from wherever you actually are.
All ages, all backgrounds, and no assumption that you already know the alphabet.
We believe learning the Quran is a lifelong journey that nurtures the soul and deepens a person’s connection to faith, which is another way of saying that it is never too late and you are never too far behind. Our Quran programs are built for individuals of every age and background, and the room is deliberately a supportive one rather than a competitive one.
If you are a complete beginner, you start with the Arabic letters and their sounds, and nobody will ask you to recite in front of the class until you want to. If you already read but want your recitation corrected, an instructor will sit with you and correct it patiently, one verse at a time. If you are memorizing, you will be given a pace you can sustain alongside a job, a commute, and a family.
Our focus is not only on reading and memorization but on understanding: what a passage means, why it was revealed, and what it asks of a person living on the Grand Strand in this century. Dedicated instructors teach these classes, and the lessons are tailored to the people in the room rather than read off a fixed script.
The aim is simple. We want every person who walks in to leave with the knowledge and the confidence to live a life guided by the principles of the Quran, and with a stronger connection both to Allah and to the community praying beside them.
Three things every class works on
Whatever level a student joins at, the same three strands run through the teaching.
- ReadingThe letters, the sounds, and the rules of recitation, taught slowly enough that they actually stick.
- MemorizationA pace set by your life rather than by a syllabus. Small portions, reviewed often, and held for good.
- UnderstandingMeaning, context, and application, so that what you recite is also something you can explain to your own children.
Who teaches: dedicated instructors from within the community, working with small groups so that no student sits at the back unnoticed for a term.
Adult Quran classes meet on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, listed in full in the weekly schedule further down this page. Children and young adults have a program of their own at the Weekend Qur’an and Arabic School, which runs every Sunday.
The shahada, and the people who will stand beside you when you say it.
It is one sentence. It is also the most consequential sentence a person ever says, and nobody here will rush you toward it or away from it.
The shahada, the declaration of faith, is the cornerstone of Islam and the first of the five pillars. It is a simple statement and a profound one, and reciting it with sincerity and conviction signifies a person’s acceptance of Islam and submission to the will of Allah.
There is no ceremony required, no fee, no examination, and no waiting period. A person may say it alone in their own home with no witness but God, and they are Muslim. Many people choose to say it here instead, in front of the congregation, because they want the welcome that comes with it. Both are valid, and the choice belongs entirely to the one saying it.
At Grand Strand Islamic Society we provide guidance and support for anyone ready to take this life changing step, and just as much for anyone who is still reading and thinking about it. Through personal counseling and education, we make sure every individual understands the meaning and the significance of the words before saying them, so that the journey of faith begins with confidence and clarity rather than confusion.
If you are exploring Islam, you are welcome to visit, sit through a prayer, ask the imam anything at all, and go home without anyone following up. If you have already decided, call ahead and we will arrange a time that suits you, quiet or public, whichever you would prefer. Either way our community is here to welcome you with open arms.
The declaration of faith
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadur Rasul Allah
I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Before you say it, and after. We will walk through the meaning of each phrase with you, answer whatever you want to ask in private, and stay with you afterward. A new Muslim is not expected to perform every act of the religion perfectly on day one. Prayer becomes steady over months, not over a weekend, and that is normal rather than a failure.
Roots and Belonging, our program for new and returning Muslims
No one should have to learn this faith alone. GSIS runs a full year of structured support for new Muslims and for Muslims coming back after time away. You are matched with a personal mentor of the same gender, you receive a welcome kit by hand, and you work through a 24 week foundations course covering belief, prayer, daily life, and character. It is volunteer led, it costs nothing, and it is open to anyone in the Myrtle Beach area.
Marriage, officiated properly, and a plain word about divorce.
We treat the marriage contract as the serious thing it is, for the couple’s sake first and for the community’s second.
We cherish the sanctity of marriage as a sacred bond rooted in faith and commitment. Our marriage services are conducted with care and respect, so that the union is officiated in accordance with Islamic principles. In practice that means the requirements are met properly and not waved through: consent freely given by both parties, the mahr agreed and recorded, witnesses present, and the guardian involved where that applies.
The service offers more than a ceremonial union. It is a commitment to the wellbeing of the couple and to their future together. We meet with couples before the day, talk through expectations honestly, and offer spiritual insight alongside practical advice about the years that follow. Where a couple wants it, the imam stays available afterward for the ordinary difficulties that every marriage eventually meets.
One thing we state plainly, because people ask: the masjid does not facilitate divorces. Our dedication lies in supporting couples to build enduring relationships guided by shared values and mutual respect. Families already navigating a separation are directed to qualified counsel elsewhere, and our counseling service stays open to them as individuals throughout.
Let us be part of your journey as you begin this chapter, in a welcoming and supportive environment, celebrating the foundation of a partnership built on faith and trust.
How to begin
Four steps, and the first one you can do right now from this page.
- Complete the Marriage ApplicationIt collects what we need from both parties before anything is scheduled. Download it below.
- Return it to the masjidIn person, or by getting in touch with the office, and we will arrange a meeting with the imam.
- Meet togetherWe confirm the requirements are met, answer the questions both families have, and agree on a date.
- The nikahHeld at the masjid or another suitable place, witnessed, recorded, and conducted according to the Sunnah.
The application downloads as a Word document. If you cannot open it, or you would rather collect a printed copy and fill it in by hand, contact us and ask for the marriage application. We will have one ready for you at the masjid.
Somewhere to take the thing you have not said out loud yet.
For youth and adults, on personal, family, and spiritual matters, in a room where what you say stays in the room.
Life presents challenges, and our counseling service exists to offer guidance, understanding, and support to young people and adults alike. Whether you are navigating a personal issue, a strained family matter, or a spiritual concern that has been sitting on you for months, someone here will listen first and advise second.
We put real weight on creating a safe and judgment free space. People often arrive worried that they will be lectured, or that what they say will travel around the congregation by Friday. Neither happens. Sessions are private, they are shaped around your particular needs rather than squeezed into a standard format, and you set the pace of what gets discussed.
Requests are made in person. Come to the masjid, ask to speak with someone, and a time will be arranged. A parent seeking help for a teenager is welcome to start that conversation themselves, and a young person is equally welcome to come on their own without a parent present.
Together we can work through obstacles and nurture your wellbeing, with thoughtful advice and practical solutions rather than platitudes, so that you can move forward toward a life of balance, peace, and purpose.
What people actually bring us
None of these will surprise anyone here, and none of them are too small to raise.
- Marriage strain, and the conversations a couple has stopped having
- Parenting, and raising children between two cultures at once
- Doubts about faith, and the fear of admitting to them
- Grief, loss, and the long year that follows a death
- Work pressure, money worries, and the decisions attached to them
- New Muslims handling a family that did not take the news well
- Young people under pressure at school or online
How to ask: in person at the masjid. Prayer times are the easiest moment to find someone, and no explanation is needed beyond saying that you would like to talk.
Answering religious questions, including the ones you think are too small.
Every query, big or small, deserves a respectful and informed response. There is no such thing as one that wastes our time.
Do you have a concern or an uncertainty about a religious matter? Grand Strand Islamic Society is here to provide clarity and guidance. Our knowledgeable team answers questions thoughtfully, offering insight grounded in Islamic teachings, whether the subject is a daily practice, a principle of belief, or a complicated spiritual topic that you have not been able to resolve on your own.
Our approach is rooted in compassion and inclusivity, and that matters most for the people who hesitate to ask. Converts who feel they should already know the answer. Muslims raised in the faith who never once got a straight reply. Neighbors who are not Muslim at all and are simply curious about what happens in the building on Waccamaw Boulevard. All of them get the same courtesy.
We would also rather tell you that a question needs a scholar than invent an answer to fill a silence. When something falls outside what we can responsibly address, we say so and help you find someone qualified to take it further. Through this service we aim to strengthen your understanding of your faith and give you the confidence to practice Islam with clarity and conviction.
Where to find us
Questions can be sent to the office at any time, and they can also be asked face to face.
- Write to the office and a member of the team will reply
- Ask the imam directly, most easily right after a daily prayer
- Bring it to a night class on Thursday, where discussion is the point
- Visitors who are not Muslim are welcome to ask anything, with no expectation attached
This week’s prayer times are on the homepage prayer card and on the prayer times page, which makes them the simplest way to plan a visit.
Prayer, fasting, wudu, obligations missed for years, and what to do while traveling.
Halal income, interest, debt, business dealings, and how to calculate zakat properly.
Marriage requirements, inheritance, and the duties owed to parents and relatives.
What is permitted, what is not, and how to be careful without becoming scrupulous about it.
What to do, what to say to a grieving family, and what is expected of those attending.
Doubt, other faiths, and the questions people are usually afraid to voice in a crowded room.
Burial with dignity, at a price a family can plan around.
Honoring a loved one should never begin with a negotiation. Here is exactly what the masjid provides and exactly what it costs, written out in advance so that no family has to ask during the hardest week of their life.
Grand Strand Islamic Society has a cemetery arrangement that provides a complete burial service, including the headstone, for a single fixed price. The masjid’s cemetery grounds are at 3659 Mt. Pisgah Cemetery Rd outside Conway; the janazah page has the map and directions. Our dedicated team guides families through every step of the process, offering practical assistance and emotional support alongside it, so that you can honor your loved one with a service that reflects their dignity and their faith.
What the service covers
Five things, all included in the price above.
- The burial plot
- Grave digger fees and grave preparation
- An engraved granite headstone bearing the name of the deceased
- The plywood box, for the burial itself
- Cemetery maintenance
The headstone
Made to a fixed specification, so families know what to expect.
- Material
- Granite, 4 inches thick, 8 inches wide, and 16 inches long.
- Engraving
- In English, showing the name of the deceased with no titles, the date of birth, and the date of death.
- Arabic
- Can be added at $5.00 per letter, on top of the price above.
- Timeline
- 4 to 6 weeks from order to placement at the grave.
What to do when someone dies
Call the janazah coordinator first: Mustafa, at (843) 655-7621, any hour, by call, text, or WhatsApp. During the day the masjid office at (843) 902-2808 can also reach him. A member of the community will walk with you through every step. The full guidance, from that first phone call through ghusl, kafan, the janazah prayer, and the burial itself, along with what the community will do for your family in the days after, is set out on the janazah page. It also covers transport out of state or overseas.
What happens here in a normal week.
Our regularly scheduled services run on a steady cycle so that families can plan around them. The five daily prayers happen every day in addition to everything listed here.
| When | What | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Sunday School10:30 AM to 1:45 PM | A structured and enriching Islamic education for children and young adults. Engaging lessons and activities nurture their understanding of faith and values, week after week. |
| Tuesday | Morning Quran Classes | Start the day with spiritual nourishment. These sessions deepen your understanding of the Quran and its teachings in a supportive and engaging environment. |
| Thursday | Night ClassesAfter Isha prayer | Insightful discussion and study for adults, held after Isha. It begins after Isha, so the start time follows that night’s iqamah, and the calendar carries each week’s date. |
| Friday | JumuahKhutbah 1:30 PM | The congregation gathers every Friday: khutbah begins at 1:30 PM and iqamah follows at 2:00 PM. Arriving by 1:15 leaves time for parking and wudu. The full daily schedule lives on the prayer times page. |
| Saturday | Morning Quran Classes | The second of the two weekly morning sessions, open to the same students and to newcomers who could not make Tuesday. |
| Third Saturday | Family NightEvery third Saturday of the month | A warm and welcoming gathering for all ages. A chance to connect, share, and strengthen bonds within the community over enriching activities and discussion. |
Weekly off days. Please note that the center is closed on Sundays after Sunday School and all day on Wednesdays, so that our staff and community members can rest and recharge. A death in the family is the exception to every schedule: whatever the day or hour, call Mustafa, the janazah coordinator, at (843) 655-7621 (during the day the office line can also reach him), and see the janazah guide.
Almost all of this starts with one phone call.
You do not need to be a member, you do not need to know the terminology, and you do not need to have any of it figured out before you get in touch. Tell us what you need and we will tell you honestly what we can do about it.
Grand Strand Islamic Society, 4328 Waccamaw Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579. Call (843) 902-2808 or write to [email protected]. Visitors are always welcome, and prayer times are the easiest moment to find someone who can help.