Islam in the United States

This article focuses on Islam in the United States, which has one of the most diverse Muslim communities in the world. For information on Islam in other parts of the world, please see Islam by country. To learn more about Islam as a religion, please visit Islam and Muslim.

Contents

1 Muslim History in the US 2 Demography and Ethnic Background 2.1 Muslim Population in the US 2.2 Controversy 2.3 Islamophobia 3 Muslim Organizations in the US 3.1 Political 3.2 Charity 3.3 Other 4 Influential Muslims in the US 4.1 Religious Leaders 4.2 Others 5 Methodologies in the US 6 References 7 See also 8 External links 8.1 Organizations 8.2 Other

Muslim History in the US

As with many religious communities in the United States, the history of Islam began with immigration of those of a particular religion. Among those sold into slavery in the United States as many as 30 percent are believed to have been Muslim by some estimates. One of the most well-known Muslim slaves was named Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori. He was a former prince in West Africa. In 1893, a large migration to the U.S. by Muslims began. Among the immigrants included Syrian, Lebanese, Jordanian, and Palestinian Muslims. As the Muslim population grew, they began to establish Islamic institutions, such as mosques and Islamic schools. For example, immigrants from Poland, Russia, and Lithuania founded the first Muslim organization in 1907 in New York City. Although the first mosque was built by Albanian Muslims in 1915, the first building built specifically to be a masjid was established in 1935 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although the first mosque was built in the US in 1915, few mosques were built until 1960. 87% of the US mosques were founded within the last three decades according to the Faith Communities Today (FACT) survey.

Demography and Ethnic Background

According to the FACT survey, the ethnic origins of regular mosque attendees includes those of the following descent: South Asian (33%), African-American (30%), Arab (25%), Sub-Saharan African (3.4%), European (2.1%), White American (1.6%), Southeast Asian (1.3%), Caribbean (1.2%), Turkish (1.1%), Iranian (0.7%), and Hispanic/Latino (0.6%). The FACT survey also states that converts make up 30% of the U.S. mosque participants. Of those converts, 64% are African-American, 27% are White, 6% are Hispanic, and 3% are classified as Other. Most mosques (80%) are located in a metropolitan area.

Muslim Population in the US

Since the US Census Bureau does not collect data on religious identification, the actual number of Muslims in the United States is unknown, and various institutions and organizations have produced some widely varying estimates about how many Muslims live in the USA. The following are a few recent estimates on the number of Muslims residing in the USA:

• 1.2 million (2000) National Opinion Research Center [0.4% of the national population]
• 1.6 million (2000) Glenmary Research Center [0.5% of national population]
• 1.8 million (2001) City University of New York - American Religious Identification Survey [0.6% of national population]
• 1.9 million (2001) American Jewish Committee [0.6% of national population]
• 2.0 million (2000) Hartford Institute for Religious Research [0.7% of national population]
• 2.8 million (2001) American Jewish Committee (revised figure) [0.9% of national population]
• 4.1 million (2001) Britannica book of the Year[1] (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A7459-2001Nov23&notFound=true) [1.4% of national population]
• 5.8 million (2001) The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2001, Page 689 [2% of national population]
• 6.0 million (2001) Council on American-Islamic Relations [2% of national population]
• 6.7 million (1997) J. Ilyas Ba-Yunus[2] (http://www.soundvision.com/info/yearinreview/2001/profile.asp) [2.2% of national population]
• 7.0 million (2004) Council on American-Islamic Relations and three other US Muslim groups [2.3% of national population]

Controversy

There is a wide discrepancy between the estimates by non-Muslim organizations and institutions and the estimates by Muslim groups. All recent independent studies and surveys have concluded that there are more than 1 million but fewer than 3 million Muslims in America today, while Muslim groups have claimed that there are no fewer than 6 million. Muslim organizations (especially CAIR) have been accused of deliberately inflating the number of Muslims in the USA and/or of using faulty methodology in their estimates in order to obtain more social and political influence. Muslim groups have claimed that all of the recent independent studies and surveys have undercounted the Muslim population for a variety of reasons (e.g., with anti-Muslim sentiment high in the US, some Muslims might be wary of responding that they are Muslim in a survey, many Muslims do not attend mosques), and that their own estimates, which put the number of US Muslims at as many as 7 million, are indeed more accurate.[3] (http://www.danielpipes.org/article/76)[4] (http://www.post-gazette.com/headlines/20011028usmuslimsnat7p7.asp)

Islamophobia

Islamophobia is the irrational fear and/or hatred of Islam, Muslims or Islamic culture. A nationwide survey conducted in 2003 by the Pew Research Center and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reported that the percentage of Americans with an unfavorable view of Islam increased to 37 percent, up from 33 percent in 2002. The percentage responding that Islam was more likely than other religions to encourage violence nearly doubled, from 25 percent in March 2002 to 46 percent in July 2004.

Muslim Organizations in the US

Like Christianity and Judaism, Islamic organizations in the United States are not unified; there are many organizations and groups that work to promote various forms of Islam. Below is a short list of some of the prominent Muslim groups in America.

• The largest of these groups is the American Society of Muslims (ASM), the successor organization to the Nation of Islam also known as the Black Muslims. The American Society Of Muslims identifies with the leadership of the Honorable Warith Deen Muhammad. It is an expression of identity characterizing the evolution of a Muslim community from the ideology and structure of the Nation (or Temples) of Islam (1930-1975) through a 23 year process of religious reorientation and organizational decentralization that included other designations such as the American Muslim Mission. The number of Black Muslims is unknown. Estimates have placed its numbers between the hundreds of thousands and 1-2 million. As the name of the organization suggests, the overwhelming majority of Black Muslims are African Americans.

• The second largest group is the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). ISNA is an association of Muslim organizations and individuals that provides a common platform for presenting Islam. It is mostly comprised of immigrants and some Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic converts. Its membership may have recently exceeded ASM as many independent mosques throughout the United States are choosing to affiliate with it. ISNA's annual convention is the largest gathering of Muslims within the United States. External Link:Official Site (http://www.isna.net/)

• The third largest group is the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA). ICNA is a non-ethnic, open to all, independent, North America wide, grass root organization. It is mostly comprised of immigrants and some Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic converts. Its membership may have recently exceeded ASM as many independent mosques throughout the United States are choosing to affiliate with it. External Link:Official Site (http://www.icna.org/)

• The Islamic Supreme Council of America (ISCA) represents many Muslims, aims to provide practical solutions for American Muslims, based on the traditional Islamic legal rulings of an international advisory board, many of whom are recognized as the highest ranking Islamic scholars in the world. ISCA strives to integrate traditional scholarship in resolving contemporary issues affecting the maintenance of Islamic beliefs in a modern, secular society. External Link: Official Site (http://www.islamicsupremecouncil.org)

• The Islamic Assembly of North America (IANA) is a leading Muslim organization in the United States. According to its website, among the goals of IANA is to "unify and coordinate the efforts of the different dawah oriented organizations in North America and guide or direct the Muslims of this land to adhere to the proper Islamic methodology." In order to achieve its goals, IANA uses a number of means and methods including conventions, general meetings, dawah-oriented institutions and academies, etc. External Link: Official Site (http://www.iananet.org)

• The Muslim Student Association (MSA) is a group dedicated, by its own description, to Islamic societies on college campuses in Canada and the United States for the good of Muslim students. The MSA is involved in providing Muslims on various campuses the opportunity to practice their religion and to ease and facilitate such activities. MSA is also involved in social activities, such as fund raisers for the homeless during Ramadan. The founders of MSA would later establish the Islamic Society of North America and Islamic Circle of North America. External link: Official Site (http://www.msa-natl.org)

Political

Muslim political organizations lobby on behalf of various Muslim political interests. Several political organizations, such as the American Muslim Council, have closed down since the 9-11 tragedy.

• The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a non-profit pro-Islam organization, established to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. CAIR portrays itself as the voice of mainstream, moderate Islam on Capitol Hill and in political arenas throughout the United States. However, critics of CAIR accuse it of being essentially an Islamist propaganda group that supports extremists, pointing to CAIR's public support for terrorist groups[5] (http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=13175) such as Hizbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad. A CAIR spokesman has claimed that these allegations are not true, he said, "We condemned suicide bombings in a number of statements. This is a straw man...In our 10 years of existence we have not used the word Hamas other than to refute these scurrilous accusations" [6] (http://www.freemuslims.org/news/article.php?article=57). In addition to its non-Muslim critics, CAIR is also criticized by moderate Muslim organizations such as the Islamic Supreme Council of America.

• The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is an American Muslim public service & policy organization headquartered in Los Angeles and with offices in Washington D.C. MPAC was founded in 1988. The mission of MPAC "encompasses promoting an American Muslim identity, fostering an effective grassroots organization, and training a future generation of men and women to share our vision. MPAC also works to promote an accurate portrayal of Islam and Muslims in mass media and popular culture, educating the American public (both Muslim and non-Muslim) about Islam, building alliances with diverse communities and cultivating relationships with opinion- and decision-makers." External link: Official Website (http://www.mpac.org)

• The American Islamic Congress is a small but growing moderate Muslim organization that promotes religious pluralism. Their official Statement of Principles states that "Muslims have been profoundly influenced by their encounter with America. American Muslims are a minority group, largely comprising African-Americans, immigrants, and children of immigrants, who have prospered in America's climate of religious tolerance and civil rights. The lessons of our unprecedented experience of acceptance and success must be carefully considered by our community." Their Statement of Principles (http://www.aicongress.org/principles.htm) describes their full agenda.

Charity

In addition to the organizations just listed, other Muslim organizations in the United States serve more specific needs. For example, some organizations focus almost exclusively on charity work. As a response to a crackdown on Muslim charity organizations working overseas such as the Holy Land Foundation, more Muslims have begun to focus their charity efforts within the United States.

• Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) is one of the leading Muslim charity organizations in the United States. According to the Inner-City Muslim Action Network, IMAN seeks "to utilize the tremendous possibilities and opportunities that are present in the community to build a dynamic and vibrant alternative to the difficult conditions of inner city life." IMAN sees understanding Islam as part of a larger process to empower individuals and communities to work for the betterment of humanity. External Link: Official Site (http://www.imancentral.org)

Other

With the growth of Islam within the United States, Muslims with similar interests and ideas have organized for various purposes. Among the types of Muslim organizations that exist are those for entertainment purposes as well as for professionals, such as doctors and engineers. The most well-known organization for Muslims within the medical profession is the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA). Among the Muslim organizations for women include the Muslim Women's League. Latino Muslims have also developed organizations, such as the Latino American Dawah Organization and Alianza Islámica.

Influential Muslims in the US

Muslim Americans can be found in all professions in the United States. Muslim doctors, lawyers, teachers, and businessmen serve large and small communities. Muslims have made contributions to the cultural, scientific, political, and economic life of the United States. For more information on American Muslims and their contribution within the United States, see List of American Muslims.

Religious Leaders

• Hamza Yusuf Hanson, influential modern-day Islamic scholar.
• Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, American Muslim, Islamic studies scholar.
• Warith Deen Muhammad, leader of one of the largest Muslim organizations in the United States.
• Siraj Wahaj, American Muslim, influential Islamic scholar.
• Ingrid Mattson, Islamic scholar.
• Yusuf Estes, modern-day Islamic scholar.

Others

• Michael Wolfe, journalist.

Methodologies in the US

Within the Muslim community in the United States exists a variety in different methodologies. As true with the rest of the world, Sunni Islam is the dominant side of Islam in the United States. Shi'a Islam is also found in the United States. All four major schools of fiqh are found among the Sunni community within the US. Many Muslims within the US are members of various global Islamic movements including the Salafi Movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Tablighi Jamaat.

References

• Timeline of Islam in the United States (http://mediaguidetoislam.sfsu.edu/intheus/10_timeline.htm)
• A Brief History of Islam in the United States (http://www.islamamerica.org/history.cfm)
• A Brief History of Islam in the United States (http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/MSA/find_more/iia.html)
• A Brief History of Islam in the United States (http://www.islamfortoday.com/historyusa1.htm)
• The Islamic Community In The United States: Historical Development (http://www.sunnah.org/history/islamamr.htm)
• About the number of Muslims in the US (http://www.prb.org/Template.cfm?Section=PRB&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=7298)
• Faith Communities Today (FACT) (http://fact.hartsem.edu)

See also

• Western Muslims
• List of Muslims
• Timeline of Islamic history
• List of Islamic and Muslim related topics

External links

Organizations

• Muslim American Society (MAS) (http://www.masnet.org)
• Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) (http://www.isna.net)
• Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) (http://www.icna.org)
• Islamic Assembly of North America (IANA) (http://www.iananet.org)
• Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) (http://cair-net.org)
• Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) (http://mpac.org)
• Latino American Dawah Organization (LADO) (http://www.LatinoDawah.org)
• Muslim Women's League (http://www.mwlusa.org)
• American Islamic Congress (http://www.aicongress.org)
• American Society Of Muslims (http://www.ar-razzaq.org/MosqueCares/asm.htm)

Other

• MuslimHeritage.com (http://www.muslimheritage.com)
• IslamicFinder.com (http://islamicfinder.com)
• IslamiCity.com (http://www.islamicity.com)