The Shia Muslim community in the United States has witnessed a rapid increase in its size and proportion within the past few decades. In the southern California region alone, there are now 22 Shia Islamic centers, mosques, and organizations. These organizations represent the wide spectrum of various Shia Muslim communities in terms of background, nationality, language, ethnicity, and outlooks. Such a rapid growth of the Shia Muslim community in southern California, coupled with the need for organization, cooperation, and representation, prompted a number of dedicated southern California Shia Muslim community leaders and members to come together and – after two years of continuous meetings and discussions – collectively form an independent non-profit umbrella organization, the Shia Muslim Council of Southern California (SMC).

The primary objective of SMC is to provide members with a platform to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences, to enhance and support both individual and joint member religious, social, and educational initiatives, and to cooperate regarding a vast array of issues pertaining to the promotion of the Shia Muslim community specifically, as well as to the general larger Muslim community in the region and nation. These objectives will be pursued in cooperation with SMC members, as well as other relevant Muslim and non-Muslim organizations.

The Shia Muslim Council of Southern California (SMC) is an independent umbrella organization comprising various Shia Muslim centers, mosques, and organizations in southern California. SMC is composed of 16 founding members.