Chapter 2
The RAPID SPREAD OF ISLAM IN AMERICA I
In the previous chapter, we related that
people were beginning to reject atheism and turn toward religion, and
asked for what religion they were searching. The growing number of people
turning to Islam in the last few years shows that the true answer to this
question is starting to be discovered. Every day, interest in Islam is
increasing throughout the world, and many people are converting after
reading the Qur'an and studying the Prophet Muhammad's life. In addition,
there are people who may have not started to practice Islam yet but who
are very influenced by the Qur'an's moral teachings and say that the best
way of life for human beings is the one described in the Qur'an.
Thirty or forty years ago, the great majority of people knew almost nothing
about Islam; now, Islam has become the most talked about, written about,
and researched religion in the world, as well as the religion about which
the most programs have been prepared. Of course, this state of affairs
has contributed to society's learning about Islam. On the one hand, those
involved in such activities have expanded their knowledge about Islam;
on the other hand, those to whom this information is directed may have
taken the opportunity for the first time in their lives to gain knowledge
about Islam. So, it is from the lack of information or wrong information
that people who have had little contact with Islam are coming to this
religion in droves.
This movement is quite noticeable in the United States, a country founded
on religious values. When Americans speak about their country, one of
the things they stress is that people from every religious background
are free to live together in peace and security. This situation has given
Muslims immigrants a place to practice their religion freely and to talk
about their faith. As a result, the number of Muslims increases daily.
In spite of this, for years Muslims have remained small in numbers and
economically and politically weak.
But over the past 10 years, these economic, social, and political difficulties
have begun to disappear. In some states, existing mosques are filled to
overflowing and new ones have been built. Hundreds of Islamic schools,
both full-time and weekend, have opened and have had to expand to meet
enrollment figures. Many companies have begun to set aside rooms for their
Muslim employees, many banks have begun to open departments that operate
according to Islamic law, and many state institutions have begun to hire
Muslims for high-level positions.
A recent issue of Christianity Today, one of America's best-known
magazines, contained an article entitled "Are Christians Prepared for
Muslims in the Mainstream?" It gives this account of Islam's rise in America:
Islam could be the second-largest religion in America by 2015, surpassing
Judaism, according to some estimates. By other estimates, Islam has achieved
that rank already.
(Above) The voice of Islam rises, with 7 million
muslims living in America, islam has become the country's third
largest religion. It is estimated that within the next 10 years,
there will be more Muslims than Jews in America. |
Muslims moving to the West are changing the cultural
and religious landscape. A hospital in Detroit offers Muslim patients
copies of the Qur'an; Denver International Airport includes a chapel for
Muslim prayers; the U.S. Senate has invited a Muslim cleric to open its
session in prayer; the military has hired four Muslim chaplains; the White
House sends greetings (like its Christmas cards) on Id al-Fitr, the feast
that ends Ramadan; the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Washington D.C. sends
100 Qur'ans a month to prisons while imams (spiritual leaders) send volunteers
to teach Arabic. "On Capitol Hill … weekly Muslim prayer services and
forums to expose congressional staffers to Muslim viewpoints have become
regular fare," notes Ira Rifkin of Religion News Service (Nov. 30, 1999),
"and a bill has been introduced in Congress to issue a postage stamp commemorating
Ramadan."38
These striking developments have attracted the interest of many sociologists.
One of the most important names associated with this issue is Professor
Dianne Eck, known for coining the name "Pluralism Project" for an enterprise
in interfaith dialogue. In her book, A New Religious America,
she gives an account of what she has determined about Islam's rapid rise:
As Muslims become more numerous and visible in American
society, public officials have begun to shift from speaking of "churches
and synagogues" to "churches, synagogues, and mosques." The annual observance
of the Ramadan month of Muslim fasting now receives public notice and
becomes the occasion for portraits of the Muslims next door in the Dallas
Morning News or the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The fast-breaking
meals called "iftar" at the close of each day have become moments of recognition.
In the late 1990s there were iftar observances by Muslim staffers on Capitol
Hill, in the Pentagon, and in the State Department. In 1996 the White
House hosted the first observance of the celebration of Eid al-Fitr at
the end of the month of Ramadan, a practice that has continued. The same
year also saw the U.S. Navy commission its first Muslim chaplain, Lieutenant
M. Malak Abd al-Muta' Ali Noel, and in 1998 the U.S. Navy's first mosque
was opened on the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia, where Lieutenant Noel
was stationed. When 50 sailors attend Friday prayers at this facility,
they signal to all of us a new era of American religious life.39
Professor Diana Eck, who has done important
work with The Pluralism Project and in the field of interfaith dialogue,
has attracted attention with her book A New Religious America. (Right)
The Internet site of the Project. |
Eck considers these developments a sign of the beginning of a new age,
one in which Islam will spread quickly, not only throughout America but
throughout the world.
Developments After 9/11
American interest in Islam reached its pinnacle in
the last quarter of 2001. The most important reason for this was the 9/11
attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Several studies
undertaken to determine the roots of terrorist ideology, as well as investigations
of Islam, have enabled people to learn that Islam is a peaceful religion
that enjoins tolerance, justice, mercy, and love. Islam has suddenly become
a major topic of discussion all over the world. More and more world-renowned
statesmen, political scientists, researchers, and thinkers consider it
necessary to understand Islam correctly, and have given speeches underlining
Islamic tolerance and willingness to reach agreement. Americans have approached
Muslim organizations in order to find the most accurate information about
Islam and Islamic history. As a result of this interest, the Middle East
Media Research Institute reported that after 9/11, 34,000 Americans converted
to Islam.40
The Egyptian weekly al-Ahram al-Arabi published a letter by
Dr. Walid A. Fatihi of the Harvard Medical Faculty. In it, he stated that
when he first heard of the attack, he thought that the work he had done
to introduce Islam to America would be set back by 50 years. However,
he soon realized how wrong he was. He continues:
On Saturday, September 15, I went with my wife and children to the biggest
church in Boston, [Trinity Church in] Copley Square, by official invitation
of the Islamic Society of Boston, to represent Islam by special invitation
of the senators of Boston. Present were the mayor of Boston, his wife,
and the heads of the universities. There were more than 1,000 people there
...
I read an official statement issued by the leading Muslim clerics condemning
the incident [i.e., the attacks]. The statement explained Islam's stance
and principles, and its sublime precepts. Afterwards, I read Koranic verses
translated into English…
One said to me: "I do not understand the Arabic language, but there is
no doubt that the things you said are the words of Allah."
On Sunday, September 16, the Islamic Society of Boston issued an open
invitation to the Islamic Center in Cambridge, located between Harvard
and MIT. We did not expect more than 100 people, but to our surprise more
than 1,000 people came, among them the neighbors, the university lecturers,
members of the clergy, and even the leaders of the priests from the nearby
churches, who invited us to speak on Islam. All expressed solidarity with
Muslims. Many questions flowed to us. Everyone wanted to know about Islam
and to understand its precepts…
That same day, I was invited again to participate in a meeting in the
church, and again I saw the same things. On Thursday, a delegation of
300 students and lecturers from Harvard visited the center of the Islamic
Society of Boston, accompanied by the American Ambassador to Vienna. They
sat on the floor of the mosque, which was filled to capacity. We explained
to them the precepts of Islam, and defended it from any suspicions [promulgated
in the media]. I again read to them from the verses of Allah, and [their]
eyes filled with tears. The audience was moved, and many asked to participate
in the weekly lessons for non-Muslims held by the Islamic Center…
On Friday, September 21, the Muslims participated in a closed meeting
with the governor of Massachusetts. In the meeting, a discussion was held
on introducing Islam into the school curriculum, to inform the [American]
people and to fight racism against Muslims arising from the American people's
ignorance regarding the religion …
These are only some of the examples of what happened
and is happening in the city of Boston, and in many other American cities,
during these days. Proselytizing in the name of Allah has not been undermined,
and has not been set back 50 years, as we thought in the first days after
September 11. On the contrary, the 11 days that have passed are like 11
years in the history of proselytizing in the name of Allah. I write to
you today with the absolute confidence that over the next few years, Islam
will spread in America and in the entire world, Allah willing, much more
quickly than it has spread in the past, because the entire world is asking,
"What is Islam!"41
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| (Above) A New York Times report
entitled "Terror Attacks Could Change Paths of Faith" dealt with the
increasing number of people turning to religion after 9/11. An investigation
that appeared in the report revealed that after 9/11, four in every
five persons prayed or attended a religious service. (Middle) In a
New York Times report in the entitled "Islam Attracts Converts by
the Thousands, Drawn Before and After the Attacks," the growth in
the number of Americans converting to Islam was discussed. The report
stressed the rising number of converts after 9/11. (Below) One of
the most striking scenes shown by the media after 9/11 was that of
Muslims and Christians sharing their grief and praying together. |
(Above) The 9/11 attack was severely condemned by Muslims (above).
Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations, stressed in a report that there was no place for terror
in Islam. (Middle) Muslims throughout the world prayed for those who
died in the 9/11 attacks. Muslims living in London gathered to pray
in Hyde Park. (Below) In a Kansas City Star report entitled "Muslim
faith opposed to terrorism, experts say," experts state that Islam
is against every kind of terror. After 9/11, many newspapers and television
programs reported the Muslim opposition to terror. |
On a television program broadcast one week after 9/11, Eck related what
that event had changed:
And yet most of us don't really see it [positive changes].
I think one of the real gifts, if we could call it that, of the last week
has been the recognition that we are religiously diverse in ways we had
never imagined…42
This increased interest in Islam caught the American press' attention,
and the issue became a topic on television news programs. One newspaper
that took up this issue was The Los Angeles Times. An article
entitled "Expressions of Support Surprising to Muslims" reported that
one of the most unexpected results was that Americans had begun to study
and investigate Islam, and that this interest was so intense that it even
surprised Muslims:
Many Americans also are investigating, some for the
first time, one of the world's great faiths and oldest civilizations.
Bookstores are selling out of copies of the Koran. University classes
and teach-ins on the Middle East and Islam are filled to capacity. Middle
East scholars are being invited on television news shows repeatedly and
being spotted on the street like celebrities. And many everyday Middle
Easterners-Muslim or not-are fielding a daily barrage of questions about
Islam from neighbors, co-workers and strangers… "We are overwhelmed,"
said Mahmoud Abdel-Baset, religious director of the Islamic Center of
Southern California. Since the attacks, the Los Angeles-based center has
hosted a steady stream of dignitaries, including Gov. Gray Davis, Los
Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn...
Richard Hrair Dekmejian, a USC professor on Middle Eastern politics, said
this thirst for knowledge about Islam is a result of the powerful impact
of the Sept. 11 attacks and the general lack of religious knowledge in
America.43
(Above) The Muslim population has passed 7
million, In America, many mosques were filled to overflowing at
Friday prayers and streets were filled with Muslims performing their
prayers.(Middle) America is learning about Islam, (Below) An internet
site called "Islam-World's Fastest Growing Religion" carries many
items about the growth of Islam. (www.geocities.com/Pentagon/3016/fastest.htm)
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In America today, the interest begun with 9/11 continues to intensify
and become more widespread. In the following pages, we will see the rise
of Islam in America. As we look at all of these developments, we must
keep in mind one basic fact: God has given the good news of His promise
to believers that true religion will be established among human beings.
The events we have experienced show us that, God willing, the fulfillment
of this promise is very near. For this reason, we are living in a crucial
period and a time of profound change. Believers must realize the value
of this period, offer the best and most accurate information to those
who are slowly turning to Islam, answer their questions in the most satisfactory
way, and be zealous representatives of Islam. As the verse below says,
this is an important charge given by God to believers:
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair
admonition, and argue with them in the kindest way. Your Lord knows best
who is misguided from His way. And He knows best who are guided. (Qur'an,
16: 125)
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| (Above) Interest in Islam increases in the US, Islam
will spread in the US, (Middle) One
of the frequently reported topics in the American press is about converts
to Islam. An ABC report entitled "An American in Mecca" recounts Michael
Wolfe's pilgrimage. His mother is Christian and his father is Jewish.
(Below) The Chicago Tribune deals with the rise of Islam in an article
called "Searching Americans Embrace the Logic behind the Teachings
of Islam." |
(Left) One of the places where Islam is most discussed
in America is in universities. In this Christian Science Monitor report,
we see a meeting held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), one of America's most prestigious universities.(Middle) As
a result of the post-9/11 interest in Islam, Muslims were inundated
as never before with questions about Islam. Newsday reported that
a mosque on Long Island is overflowing with people interested in learning
about Islam.(Right) In an ABC report on its Internet site shows images
of Muslims performing their prayers on New York streets. |
Muslims in America
There are between 6 and 7 million Muslims in America today. In other
words, Muslims outnumber some Christian denominations and are equal to
the number of Jews. Research done in the year 2000 by prominent American
universities and Islamic foundations show that the number of Muslims is
increasing rapidly and that Islam is growing stronger day by day.
The above graphic representation shows the
rising numbers of mosques in America. |
The main theme of this research, known as the Mosque Study Project,
is the establishment of mosques in America. The reason for this is that
mosques occupy a very special place in any statistical compilations done
with regard to the American Muslim community. Mosques in America are both
houses of worship and gathering places for talking with one another and
launching cultural activities to make Islam more widely known. Every mosque
establishes a relationship with the press to introduce Islam to a wider
audience, speaks with local politicians, visits schools and churches,
engages in interfaith dialogue and carries on other such activities. Thus,
research done on these mosques is one of the most useful tools for gathering
accurate and enlightening information on this community's state.
According to this research, America now has about 1,209 mosques, most
of which were constructed very recently. Thirty percent of these mosques
were built in the 1990s, and 32% were built in the 1980s. Other statistics
show that in 1994, the total number of mosques in America was 962; in
2000, there was a 25% increase in this number.
These data show a natural parallel with the growing
number of Muslims. For example, according to determinations made in 1994,
the number of Muslims attending mosque services was 500,000; in 2000,
this figure had increased to 2 million-an approximately 300% increase.
A significant part of this number is composed of people who converted
to Islam. The same research shows that about 30% of those worshippers
are converts. According to these data, about 20,000 Americans accept Islam
every year.44
The above figures are the result of research done before 9/11 and rely
on data from the year 2000. In 2001, especially after 9/11, these figures
have increased several fold.
Above we see pictures of mosques in various
states. |
This rapid growth of Islam in America is related in a news article, "Islam
Is Growing in America," on the American army Internet site (www.defenselink.mil)
Muslims, those who believe in Islam, are everywhere
in the United States. They may be your doctor or drive your taxi. They
may serve you in restaurants or advise you in law. And they increasingly
may be in the same foxhole, manning the same position or working on the
same aircraft as you … In the United States, Islam is the fastest growing
religion …45
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| An important indication of Islam's rapid growth
in America is the increasing number of schools offering an Islamic
education. A New York Times report on New York's Islamic schools tells
of the students' intense interest. (Right) San Diego's Muslims, as
well as many others in America, were faced with a barrage of questions
after 9/11. This appeared in a report entitled "Muslims bridge religious
gaps by teaching more about faith." |
(Above) A report on the Worldnet Daily Internet
site states that after 9/11, students joined special educational programs
to learn more about Islam. They were required to memorize Qur'anic
verses and study Islamic history. (Middle) A report in The Oregonian,
entitled "New Focus: Exploring Islam and Its Traditions," gives general
information about American Muslims and Islam. (Below) In the above
edition of the New York Times, a report entitled "Ramadan Enters New
York City School Life" tells about the special Ramadan arrangements
made in New York district schools for Muslim students. |
A New York Times article, "Islam Attracts Converts by the Thousands,"
contains interviews with converts, analyzes Islam's rapid rise in America,
and states:
With some 6 million adherents in the United States,
Islam is said to be the nation's fastest-growing religion, fueled by immigration,
high birth rates and widespread conversion. One expert estimates that
25,000 people a year become Muslims in this country; some clerics say
they have seen conversion rates quadruple since Sept. 11.46
An ABC News segment, "Islam: Rising Tide in America,"
reported that some sociologists predict that within 15 years there will
be more Muslims than Jews in America.47
First chart we see the ethnic distribution
of American Muslims. The great majority of America's Muslim population
is South-Central Asian.Second chart on the right shows the rising
mosque attendance rates by American Muslims. There has been a 77%
increase. The fact sheet below, prepared by the U.S. Department
of State, includes the main figures about Muslim life in America.
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The continually rising influence of Islam has provided
better opportunities for Muslims living in America. One place where this
growth and development is most noticeable is in Dearborn, Michigan. An
article in the Detroit News about the spread of Islam, particularly
in Dearborn, mentioned the city's growing number of mosques. But, according
to the article, this is not the only sign of Islam's rising influence;
the effects of this growth can be seen in restaurants, shopping centers,
and hospitals. For the first time in Michigan, in a McDonald's restaurant,
meals are available using meat cut according to Islamic law. Prominent
supermarkets in Dearborn have begun to sell "halal" meat. Oakwood Hospital
officials have started to adjust the hospital's meal service especially
for Muslim patients. Moreover, throughout the month of Ramadan, the cafeteria's
service hours are arranged to suit Muslims.48
Like Dearborn, Muslims in Chicago are also quickly
gaining influence. Here, the Muslim community is distinguished by its
high level of education and prosperity. Research conducted in the 1990s
demonstrated that 16% of the Muslim community's members were medical doctors,
33% were engineers, 44% had doctorate degrees, 84% had at least a bachelor's
degree, and only 2% had less than a high school education. Moreover, Muslims'
contributions to Chicago were highlighted. For example, the architect
of the John Hancock Center and the Sears Tower was a Muslim: Dr. Fazlur
Rahman. There is hardly a hospital without a Muslim doctor on its staff
and there is hardly an engineering or electronic equipment manufacturer
without Muslim engineers.49
(Above) A Florida Times report, "Finding Faith
in Islam," tells about the converts' thoughts and ideas. A Seattle
Times article entitled "Mosque overflows with faithful" reports
that Seattle Muslims are crowding into their mosques. (Below) A
report on the American Ministry of Defense's Internet site, entitled
"Islam Growing in America," gives an account of the Muslims' increasing
influence in American social life and introduces basic Islamic values.
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Muslims in the American Army
The Muslim presence in the American
army is increasing day by day. At the beginning of the 1990s there were
2,500 Muslims in the army; now there are between 15,000 and 20,000 soldiers.50
There are two reasons for this rapid increase: the general increase of
the Muslim population in America and that some soldiers who served in
Muslim countries converted. Their continual increase has allowed them
to perform their religious duties in peace. The first of these was the
army's appointment of a Muslim chaplain to minister to Muslim soldiers,
an important indication that the Muslims' presence in the army has been
officially recognized. Colonel Herman Keizer spoke of this fact in a 1994
speech: "This reflected the growing number of Muslims in the services
over the past 10 years. It mirrors growth in the US society … where Islam
is the fastest growing religion in the United States."51
The famous John Hancock Center and the Sears
Tower were constructed by a Muslim architect. |
As a result, the army has made some concessions to make life easier for
Muslim soldiers. For example, pork is not included in their meals, they
can perform their Friday congregational prayers, and those who wish to
make pilgrimage have an easier time of fulfilling this obligation. These
concessions were reported in the Washington Post in 1998:
During Ramadan, when Muslims refrain from food and
drink during daylight hours, military commanders are urged to accommodate
their fasting servicemen and women-excusing them, in some cases, from
rigorous physical exercise. The commanders also allow flexible work hours
so Muslims can take iftar, the traditional fast-ending meal, and attend
the social gatherings and community prayers that usually follow.52
Thus the American armed forces are genuinely interested in Muslims and
try to meet their needs when possible. One of the main reasons for this
is certainly the religious character of the American people. The belief
of many Americans in God has led them to adopt a respectful and tolerant
attitude toward Muslims, especially after they have learned about Islamic
values. On of the best instances of this can be seen in an address given
by the former Deputy Defense Secretary John Hamre:
I think that as Muslims and as Christians, we understand
what it means to live under a world of authority-the authority that's
been revealed to us by God…. We are partners and we are friends and we
celebrate with our Islamic brothers and sisters tonight in this feast,
and throughout the year. In an America that sometimes is too busy worrying
about the latest fad in clothes, or the newest model of car or other material
things, it is good to be with people who think in a broader way, who think
about their relationship to God, who think about charity, alms giving,
as one of the central mandates of life. This is a great thing. You're
a great people to be with.53
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