Overview
On July 25, 2025, the ACLU of Tennessee and Horwitz Law, PLLC filed a lawsuit challenging the City of Bartlett’s denial of a special-use permit that would allow the Bartlett Muslim Society to build a mosque. Despite submitting a thorough application and an expert traffic study — both of which confirmed the project met the city’s requirements — city officials voted to block construction. The denial appears to be rooted in religious bias, not legitimate public interests.
The Bartlett Muslim Society is a growing faith community seeking to establish a permanent place of worship to serve local Muslims in Bartlett and surrounding areas. Their application followed every required step in the city’s process, including hiring a respected traffic engineer to evaluate neighborhood impact. The city planner recommended approval with conditions – still, the Planning Commission and Board of Mayor and Aldermen rejected the application.
What's at Stake
Under federal law — including the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), the Tennessee Preservation of Religious Freedom Act and the First Amendment — the government cannot discriminate against religious groups or impose land use restrictions that substantially burden religious exercise without compelling justification.
By blocking this mosque while routinely permitting Christian houses of worship, Bartlett officials appear to have sent a clear and discriminatory message: not all religions are welcome in Bartlett, and we have no choice but to fight that in court.
Every community deserves the freedom to gather and worship. When a local government singles out one group based on religion, it violates the law and betrays our shared values of fairness and inclusion.
