The Islamic Center of Nashville is suing the state in federal court for denying a retroactive property tax exemption under a law the center says discriminates and creates an unfair burden based on religion. … “Officials did not pursue tax collection until they saw that the ijarah agreement involved a title transfer, despite the fact that the property was being used for tax-exempt purposes all along,” said Christina Jump, an attorney representing the mosque. “We believe the Tennessee statute is unconstitutional because it imposes a burden on Muslim institutions that it does not place on those of any other faith community.” … The center is represented by Jump and Charles Swift, Texas lawyers at the non-profit Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America. According to its website, the organization represents individuals and Islamic groups in cases in which religious discrimination is a possible issue. It is funded by the Muslim Legal Fund of America.
