Selected Readings
“From Muslims in America to American Muslims”
Simmons, Gwendolyn Zoharah. Journal of Islamic Law & Culture, 2008, Vol. 10 Issue 3, p254-282, 27 pages.
In this essay the author gives an historical overview of Islam in America from its earliest beginnings in pre-Columbia America until the present. Details on the origins, growth and spread of the three largest American Muslim groups - African American, Arab and South Asian - are explored as are the tensions and frictions between the three communities, which undermine the unity of these adherents and their potential influence on the United States' domestic and foreign policies. Also explored are the ideological struggles some Muslims - perhaps a large percentage in the three groups - have regarding their position in the American mosaic. Are they “Muslims in America” or are they “American Muslims?”
“Muslim Americans: A National Portrait”
Delinda C. Hanley. Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, May/June 2009, 2 pages.
The article reports that an in-depth analysis of the Muslim-American community and its habits, perspectives and beliefs has been launched by the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies (GCMS) at a Newseum briefing in Washington, D.C. on March 2, 2009. According to Dalia Mogabed, Gallup's executive director, Muslim Americans are the most racially diverse religious group surveyed in the U.S. Results of the survey revealed that 80% treat religion as an important factor in their lives while only 8% were identified as Republicans.
“Muslim Faith Communities: Links with the Past, Bridges to the Future”
Kristine J Ajrouch. Generations. Summer 2008, 4 pages.
This article examines the role of immigrant Muslim faith communities in serving the needs of elders through attention to the development and role of mosques and the tenstion between cultural ideals and pragmatic realities within Islam, concludes with a focus on an immigrant faith community addressing the needs of older members.
“Muslims in America”
Jen'nan Ghazal Read. Contexts, Fall 2008, 5 pages.
Recent research into the diverse opinions held by Muslim Americans suggests just how inaccurate the prevailing stereotypes really are. This author investigates perception versus reality with regard to Muslim Americans, as well as up-close looks at exonerees, the "family values" of Hollywood and the role of gender in politics.
Shared Values, Shared Fate: Muslim Identity in the Global Age
Muslim Networks Conference, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). July 2007, 4 pages.
This paper is a summary of a one-day conference held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The conference brought together a broad range of scholars from a wide spectrum of disciplines, with expertise stretching around the globe. The purpose of the conference was to better understand the forms of Muslim identity, how non-radical networks function, and how identities shape Muslims’ views.
How Muslims Compare with Other Religious Americans: In Intensity of Religious Identity, Not Unlike Evangelicals
Robert Ruby and Greg Smith. Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Pew Research Center. July 6, 2007.
Muslim Americans represent a small minority in the U.S. (less than one percent of the country’s population); but in many ways, they stand out not for their differences but for their similarities with other religious groups. This survey found that “with respect to the intensity of their religious beliefs, Muslim Americans most closely resemble white evangelicals and black Protestants. Within all three groups, large majorities . . . say religion is ‘very important’ in their own lives.” This survey also reflects that Muslim Americans have similar religious and political values of most other Americans.
Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream
Pew Research Center. May 22, 2007. 108 pages.
The Pew Research Center conducted more than 55,000 interviews to obtain a national sample of 1,050 Muslims living in the United States. Interviews were conducted in English, Arabic, Farsi and Urdu. The resulting study, which draws on Pew's survey research among Muslims around the world, finds that Muslim Americans are a highly diverse population, one largely composed of immigrants. Nonetheless, they are decidedly American in their outlook, values and attitudes. This belief is reflected in Muslim American income and education levels, which generally mirror those of the public.
Strengthening America: The Civic and Political Integration of Muslim Americans: Report of the Task Force on Muslim American Civic and Political Engagement
Task Force Series, Chicago Council on Global Affairs. 2007. 59 pages.
The task force was convened in February 2006, and consisted of 32 Muslim and non-Muslim Americans. The Task Force was charged with examining the Muslim American experience and providing a roadmap for accelerating Muslim Americans into civic affairs and political life.
The Diversity of Muslims in the United States: Views as Americans
Qamar-ul Huda. United States Institute of Peace Special Report No. 159, February 2006, 20 pages.
With the war against terrorism and an increased attention on the Muslim world, this report analyzes ways Muslims in the United States understand their roles as Americans in combating terrorism and their unique contributions toward conflict prevention and peacemaking. The assimilation and integration of American Muslims has effectively enabled the flourishing of dozens of national and regional organizations to work in areas of civil rights, human rights, interfaith dialogue, education, charity, public diplomacy, political activism, and other religious and secular activities. Despite the post 9/11 scrutiny of the Muslim community, American Muslim groups have devised sophisticated grassroots campaigns on counter-terrorism and anti-extremist ideology.
"Food, Fashion and Faith"
Economist, August 4, 2007, 1 page.
This article focuses on the issue of companies marketing to Muslim consumers. A study by advertising agency JWT showed that Muslims in America are among the wealthiest and most educated of the population. JWT claims that food, finance and packaged goods are the three consumer markets most affected by Islamic law.
"Muslim Team Enters Race for Cure"
Delinda C. Hanley. Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, August 2007, 2 pages
The article reports on the participation of a team of Muslims in the annual Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure in Washington, D.C. on June 2, 2007. The team carried its own "Muslims Care" banner. Many of the women participants wore pink Islamic head scarves to symbolize breast cancer awareness.
“The American Face of Islam”
Newsweek, July 30, 2007, 1 page.
The article offers information on Muslims living in the United States in 2007. Charts are provided that report on where these Muslims originally come from, who they are in terms of age, sex, education, and household income, as well as their religious beliefs and religious commitment. Additionally, a public view poll of American’s perceptions on Muslims is presented.
“My fellow American Muslims...”
Andrew Stephen. New Statesman, July 9, 2007, 3 pages.
The article discusses a study which found that Muslims living in the U.S. enjoy a better life than those in Great Britain. The research, conducted by the Pew Research Center, found that most U.S. Muslims are assimilated and moderate to many issues in the Muslim world. The study found that British Muslims identify themselves first as Muslims and second as Britons, the opposite of U.S. Muslim sentiment. Also discussed is the effect of the Iraq War and the War on Terror on Muslim attitudes.
“How Muslims Compare with Other Religious Americans: In Intensity of Religious Identity, Not Unlike Evangelicals”
Robert Ruby and Greg Smith. Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, July 6, 2007, 108 pages.
Muslim Americans represent a small minority in the U.S. (less than one percent of the country’s population); but in many ways, they stand out not for their differences but for their similarities with other religious groups. This survey reflects that Muslim Americans have similar religious and political values of most other Americans.
“Strengthening America: The Civic and Political Integration of Muslim Americans: Report of the Task Force on Muslim American Civic and Political Engagement”
Task Force Series, June 21, 2007, 59 pages.
The Task Force examines the challenges and opportunities for greater Muslim American civic and political participation and to develop a report of findings and recommendations. The report found that although Muslim Americans are a highly educated, diverse group, they lack strong institutions and effective voices to gain access to government and media.
“Muslims in America: Creating a New Beat”
Andrea Elliott. Nieman Reports, Summer 2007, 2 pages.
The article discusses the author's experiences of covering the social conditions of Muslims in the Unite States as a "New York Times" reporter. She describes the manner in which Egyptian imam Sheik Rada interacts with Muslims in the United States. She assesses the impact of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States on Muslim businesses, homes, and mosques. The author also discloses the rich texture of American Islam which draws not only from ethnicity but also from a spectrum of religious expression.
“Muslims in American”
Andrew Walsh. Current, February 2007, 5 pages.
The author discusses the lives of Muslims in the United States. According to him, as the fifth anniversary of 9/11 nears, there was also a remarkable surge in journalistic interest in the lives of American Muslims. He mentions that Muslims report a sense of pressure, tension and suspicion. He says that among the most usual complaints, particularly among Muslim men, has been the way they are targeted by various post-9/11 security regimes, specifically at airports.
“Islam, USA.”
Stephen J. Adler. Business Week, January 15, 2007, 1 page.
The article presents an editorial that discusses Muslims in the United States. An adaptation of the book "American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion," by Paul Barrett is presented in this issue. The author of this editorial believes that Muslim Americans are similar to the demographic profile of the readership of "BusinessWeek."
“They're Muslims, and Yankees, Too”
Business Week, January 15, 2007, 5 pages.
The article presents a discussion of Muslims in the United States, adapted from the book "American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion," by Paul M. Barrett.
“Rep that Islam”
Suad Abdul Khabeer. Muslim World, January 2007, 17 pages.
The article considers the place of hip hop in the personal and community identity of American Muslims. The author argues that American Islamic hip hop functions as a means of creating an authentic American Muslim culture. The author interviewed nine American Muslims involved in the hip hop community.
“U.S. Muslims Feel `Under a Spotlight'”
CQ Researcher, November 3, 2006, 2 pages.
The article focuses on the effect of the growing population of Muslims on the American society in the U.S. It is inferred that it presents a host of new issues, which caused anxiety to many Americans about terrorism threats around the world. Also, several Americans converted their faiths to Islam. Most of the population are well-educated, higher income professionals and managers. In effect, Muslims are becoming active politically since the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.
"Universal Values and Muslim Democracy"
Anwar Ibrahim. Journal of Democracy, July 2006, 8 pages.
The author, former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, notes that the building blocks of constitutional democracy are also moral imperatives of Islam, despite arguments to the contrary. He contends that the key to fostering democracy in Islamic countries is to engage a broad spectrum of thinkers in the political system. For democracy to succeed in Islamic countries public opinion must be embraced, even if the public favors conservative leaders.
"Mosques, Collective Identity, and Gender Differences among Arab American Muslims"
Amaney Jamal. Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, Winter 2005, 26 pages.
Immigrant women face a host of obstacles that pose serious difficulties for mainstream political participation in the US. Here, Jamal argues that the differences in political engagement among Arab Muslim men and women are not solely constructed by factors specific to gender per se; rather, they are mediated by specific patterns of civic engagement and involvement in the US.
"American Muslim Poll 2004: Muslims in the American Public Square: Shifting Political Winds & Fallout from 9/11, Afghanistan, and Iraq"
Project MAPS and Zogby International, October 2004, 52 pages.
American Muslims are at a political and social crossroads at the end of 2004. In a few short years, they have undergone massive political shifts, and have become a relevant part of the political landscape. The poll, conducted by interviewing 1,846 persons, 18 years and older, nationwide who identify themselves as Muslim, covers demographics, religious practices, opinion and behavior on social and political issues, media and financial habits, and fallout from 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq.
"American Muslims Reach Out To Fellow Citizens Through Media"
Rosyatimah Tukimin. Malaysian International News Agency, September 8, 2004, 1 page.
Tayyibah Taylor, editor-in-chief cum publisher of "Azizah", the United States' first magazine for Muslim women, is profiled.
"Faces of American Islam"
Daniel Pipes and Khalid Duran. Policy Review, August/September 2002, 12 pages.
Pipes and Duran discuss just one portion of Western Islam, namely those Muslims who live in the US and who are either immigrants or their descendants. Unlike the Muslim immigrants in Europe who live in ghetto-like areas, Muslim immigrants to the US are highly dispersed.
"A Muslim Woman Finds Her Voice"
Sharifah Sakinah Aljunid. Asia Aftrica Intelligence Wire, August 10, 2004, 2 pages.
American Muslim Tayyibah Taylor, the editor-in-chief of the only lifestyle magazine in America for Muslim women, believes they should define their roles and let non-Muslims know them.
"Soul Survival: The Road to American Muslim Political Empowerment"
Abdullah A Al-Arian. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, March 2004, 9 pages.
Al-Arian discusses the political empowerment of American Muslims. after the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
"Religion-Media: Azizah Celebrates Muslim American Women"
Rebecca G. Dorr. Global Information Network, April 4, 2003, 1 page.
Azizah, loosely translates from Arabic to English as "daringness, strength and nobility," was entering its third year of quarterly publication. Taylor, the founder and visionary behind the title, hopes it will counter stereotypes.
"Muslim Women Find a Voice in Magazine"
Tracy Landers. King County Journal, August 4, 2002, 2 pages.
Marlina Soerakoesoemah, the creative producer of Azizah, the nation's only magazine written for and by Muslim women, is profiled.
"A Magazine of Their Own"
Lorraine Ali. Newsweek (US Edition), May 27, 2002, 1 page.
An interview with Tayyibah Taylor on the debut of Azizah, her new Muslim women magazine.
"Arab and Muslim America: A Snapshot"
Shibley Telhami. The Brookings Review, Winter 2002, 2 pages.
The author describes a difference of being an Arab and being a Muslim in America. He details prtejudices and misunderstanding towards Muslims and Arabs after the wake of September 11 attacks.
"Dress and Diversity: Muslim Women and Islamic Dress in an Immigrant/Minority Contexts"
Hollie Kopp. The Muslim World, Spring 2002, 21 pages.
Kopp discusses some of the ways American Muslim women in the US feel about Islamic dress, the reasons for their own choice of dress, and the importance of Islamic dress generally in the formation of local Muslim communities.
"Islam in the United States"
Gerald A. Larue. The Humanist, March/April 2002, 4 pages.
Larue discusses the ways in which Islam as practiced in the US is very different from Islam as practiced by Osama bin Laden, a practice known as Wahhabi. Muslims in the US should not be forced to suffer because someone else has used the name of their religion to condone acts of violence.
"Muslims in America"
Zaheer Uddin. The World & I, March 2002, 3 pages.
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, especially in the United States. Muslims are now live in every part of the United States, adding greatly to the American mosaic.
"Muslim in America"
Diane L Eck. The Christian Century, June 6 - 13, 2001, 6 pages.
Dawub Tauhdi, founder and principal of the Crescent Academy International in a suburb of Detroit, is a Euro-American convert to Islam with a Ph.D. in Islamic studies from the University of Michigan. Tauhidi describes how the school began.
"Interview: Tayyibah Taylor on Azizah Magazine for Muslim-American Women"
NPR Weekend Edition - Sunday, May 20, 2001, 1 page.
Tayyibah Taylor, the editor and publisher in chief of Azizah Magazine, which is designed for "the contemporary Muslim woman" is interviewed.
"Islam in America: The Manifest Destiny of American Muslims"
Muqtedar Khan. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, December 31, 2000, 2 pages.
Life in America presented two distinct challenges to Muslims: the struggle to overcome prejudice against and fear of Islam, and the challenge of modernity and the stress it put on the traditional understanding and interpretation of Islamic values. Building a Muslim community in America, therefore, had to take place on two levels--dealing with challenges from outside and from within.
"Hybrid Identity Formations in Muslim America: The Case of American Sufi Movements"
Marcia Hermansen. The Muslim World, Spring 2000, 40 pages.
Hermansen provides an overview of major groups involved in Sufi movements in America and discusses their history and their activities. She contends that these movements are worthy of attention and that their impact in terms of both the Muslim community and American culture is significant and increasing.
"Divergent Perspectives on Islam in America"
Samory Rashid. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, April 2000, 17 pages.
Rashid attempts to clarify public images of the phenomenon of Islam and African Americans by delineating its intellectual, cultural, and political milieu and by discussing the effects of anti-Muslim bigotry embedded in the language and culture. This delineation, it is hoped, will lay the foundation for a more accurate portrayal of the phenomenon of global Islam in the United States.
"Muslim Women Meet the Challenge in U.S. Government Positions"
Delinda C. Hanley. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, May 31, 2000, 1 page.
Profiles of two dynamic Muslim women who work in the U.S. government: Angela D. Williams, then the deputy director of the American Cultural Center in Damascus, Syria; and Rashidah A. Hasan, a police officer in Philadelphia, PA.
"Expanding Horizons for American Muslims"
Greg Noakes. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, December 1995, 3 pages.
American Muslims of all backgrounds now find themselves ready to expand their horizons, tackling larger issues and striving to make a difference within American and Canadian societies at large.
[Last update on July 15, 2009]