Muslims in America

J. BennettJanuary 2011

How Many?

Estimates vary from 2 ½ million to 9 million!

Evangelical Missions Quarterly - 4.1 million

Encyclopedia Britannica - 4.7 million Council of American Islamic Relations –

8 to 9 million 2007 PEW research estimates - 2.35

million Global Initiative - 4-6 million

Who Are They?

Ethnic origins of regular participants in American mosques:

33% - South Asians (Pak., Indians, Bang., Afghans)

30% - African-Americans25% - Arabs12% - Other (Eur., Malay., Ind., Turk.,

Iran, Cauc. Amer., Hisp., Filipino, Sub-Saharan Afr., etc.)

America’s First Muslims

14% to 20% of slaves coming from Africa to America were Muslims.

Some were literate in Arabic. Result: Cut off from their families &

faith communities, Islamic faith wavered.

Modern research result: Many African-Americans “revert back” to Islam.

Immigration Trends

1st Wave – late 19th Century - Syrian Arabs

2nd Wave – After WWI 3rd Wave – After WWII – immigrants

were better skilled & educated

- Prime reason for immigration during these periods was to escape political oppression and persecution.

4th Wave Muslim Immigrants

Presently: Approximately 100,000 Muslim immigrants annually.

Since 1967 when new immigration laws took effect, more Muslims are:

- Professionals - Speak English - Have a sophisticated global

perspective

Foreign-born Muslims 65%

Native-born 35%

Percent of NB total who were converts to Islam: 21%

Those “born into” a Muslim family: 14%

Foreign-born vs. Native-born

Overall Profile of American Muslim Community

Approximately same size community as Hispanics 25 years ago.

.06% of U.S. adult population 56% between 18-39 Average household size: 4.9 67% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher 66% of Muslim HHs earn over $50,000 yr. 26% over $100,000 per yr. 1 in 10 Muslim HHs has a medical doctor

Other

47% of Muslims in the U.S. say they think of themselves first as a Muslim, rather than an American. By contrast, 75% of European Muslims say they are Muslim first, rather than citizens of a European country.

40% of American Muslims doubt that “Muslims” were responsible for 9/11.

When asked “Is religion very important in your life?” – 72% of American Muslims said yes.

Top 10 Occupations(Cornell University)

Student 20.2% Engineer 12.4% Physician/Dentist 10.8% Homemaker 10.0% Programmer 7.0% Corporate Manager 6.4% Teacher 6.4% Small Business Owner 4.4% Researcher 4.1% Admin. Assistant 2.8% Total 84.5%

Muslim “Religious” Profile

50% - identify with Sunni Islam 16% - identify with Shia Islam 22% - say they are “just Muslims” 86% - say the Quran is “the word of

God” 96% - believe in “one God,” Allah 94% - believe Muhammad is THE

prophet 91% - believe in a “Day of Judgment” 87% - believe in Angels

Muslim Publications

90-100 regular Islamic publications in America

Islamic Horizons The Muslim Journal Islamica

Azizah The Message Muslim Advocates Elan

Illume Islam America The American Muslim

Muslim Organizations Council of American Islamic Relations

CAIR Islamic Society of North America Islamic Circle of North America Muslim Public Affairs Council American Society for Muslim

Advancement Institute for Islamic Understanding &

Education Institute for Social Policy and

Understanding Nawawi Foundation Zaytuna Institute

Council on American-Islamic Relations

(CAIR)

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group, with 30 regional offices in 19 states. The national headquarters is located on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CAIR’s vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding.

Multi-Media Resources

Islam: An Empire of Faith Islam in America The Islam Project Muslim Life in America Threats to One Humanity Active Voice in the Workplace The Faith ClubFor complete list: See

www.onenationforall.org

African-American Muslims

Majority identify with Sunni Islam – The World Community of Islam in the West - Wallace [Warith] Deen Muhammad.

Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam is a minority.

While only 40% of all Muslims say they go to the mosque weekly, 54% of African-American Muslims claim attendance.

30% of incarcerated African-Americans are Muslims.

Largest conversion conduit for African-Americans is prison.

Conversion to Islam

• 21,000-25,000 convert to Islam every year.

• More would convert - except for the negative stereotypes that many Americans hold regarding Islam, especially post 9/11.

• 53% say it is more difficult to be a Muslim

in a post Sept. 11 setting.

Conversion to Islam

Those converting to Islam in America say:

It is a simpler religion It is a more rational religion (3=1) It is a package deal that affects my

politics, economics, ethics - (the here and now)

It is a religion for all races, genders, and age groups

It is a “do it yourself” religion

Conversion “History”

Studies of new Muslims in Illinois found 41% leaving Islam within a few years.

In New York state 61% left within a few years.

Male converts on university campuses walk “in and out” the revolving door of Islam.

Case Study: Los Angeles County

Muslims: 48 Mosques, 92,919 adherents

Case Study: Hispanic Islam

Fasting growing population of New Muslims/U.S.A

What has assisted in this process? - Reading the Quran - Curiosity - Answers their problems - Can still love Jesus and Mary - Never really understood Catholicism or

Christianity - Trouble with the trinity - Have friends teaching The Seven Steps

for the Development of an Islamic Community

Case Study: Hispanic Islam

- “Evangelism” Methodology - Translating books & Islamic texts

into Spanish

Two translations of Quran in Spanish

Radio programs – Focus on Faith

TV programs – including free cable access

Classification – “reversions”

Case Study: Hispanic Islam- “Evangelism” Methodology -

PIEDAD – Propagacion Islamica par la Devocion a Ala’ el Divino – a Latin American Women’s Association

LALMA – Los Angeles Latino Muslim Association

MSA – Muslim Student Association - scholarships

Reaching Muslims in America

Assemblies of God U.S. Missions: 22 missionaries in Muslim outreach ministries

Church planting, radio/TV, internet, children’s programs, campus ministry, discipleship programs, teaching English & refugee ministry

Sites include: Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, New Jersey, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, Arizona and Oklahoma

70,000 Muslim college students in America

Reaching Muslims in America

Will not happen in an adequate way – unless the LOCAL CHURCH

gets involved.

Reaching Muslims: Models For The Local Church

San Antonio, TX – 1st A/G – Amigo Program

Tucson, AZ – Friendship Program Champaign/Urbana, IL – Student

Outreach Fremont, CA – Afghan Outreach Lincoln, NE – Refugee Outreach Tucson, AZ – Refugee Outreach Oklahoma – Network to Muslims Dearborn, MI – Teaching English/Arab

Church Chicago, IL – Teaching English/Church

planting Jacksonville, FL – Church planting among

Arabs

In the past, the Church's response has been…

Ignore them We want someone else to do it Hide/fear Complacency We give up before we start