arab american museum: islam and muslim americans · pdf filethat focuses on the history and...

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AANM Educational Series

This booklet was produced by the Arab American National Museum – the only museum among the 17,500 museums in the United States that focuses on the history and contributions of Arab Americans.

To learn more about the Arab American National Museum, visit www.arabamericanmuseum.org.

Islam and Muslim Americans

What is Islam?

Islam is one of the world’s three monotheistic religions. Monotheism is the belief in one God. The word Islam is a derivative of the Arabic word salam, which means “peace”; an alternative definition is “submission.” The word describing a follower of the faith of Islam is Muslim, or one who submits to God.

Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, with an estimated 1.5 billion Muslims spanning the globe. As the second-largest religion after Christianity, Muslims are more than 20% of the world’s population.

One common misconception is that all Muslims are Arabs. While the Arabic language is the mother tongue of Islam, Arabs are actually a minority in the Islamic World. Approximately 80% of Muslims live outside the 22 nations of the Arab World. Countries with the largest numbers of Muslims are found in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Many non-Arab African countries such as Nigeria, Senegal and Mali are mostly Muslim; a sizable percentage of the people of Ghana, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are also Muslim. In Europe, Muslims number more than 30 million. The majority of the populations of Turkey, Bosnia and Albania are Muslim. In fact, Muslims are present in nearly every nation and ethnic group.

In the United States, Islam is the third-largest religion, with an estimated population of over two million. Comprised of many different backgrounds, American Muslims include African Americans, Arab Americans, Asian and Southeast Asian Americans, as well as European Americans.

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Man praying at Medina (S.M. Amin/Saudi Aramco World/SAWDIA)

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Foundations of Islam

Islam is the youngest of the three major monotheistic faiths, following Judaism and Christianity. Muslims consider their faith to be an extension of Abrahamic traditions, since Islam recognizes all of the biblical prophets found in the Hebrew Scriptures. In Islam, Muhammad is considered to be the last prophet.

The Prophet Muhammad was born in the year 570 C.E. in Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. Muslims believe that in 610 C.E., at the age of 40, Muhammad received revelations through the Archangel Gabriel. These revelations are believed to be the word of God and comprise the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an (alternately spelled Qu’ran or Koran), which was revealed to Muhammad over the course of 23 years.

In 622 C.E., Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to the neighboring city of Medina, also in present-day Saudi Arabia, where the first Muslim community was formed. Mecca and Medina, along with Jerusalem (where Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to heaven), are among the holiest sites in Islam.

The Qur’an

The Qur’an translates literally as “recitation.” Although most Muslims are not of Arab descent, the Qur’an was originally revealed to Muhammad in Arabic, and accordingly, Muslims across the globe memorize and recite parts of the Qur’an in Arabic during their prayers. The Qur’an has 114 chapters divided into 30 sections. All but one chapter of the Qur’an begin with this verse: In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. In some cultures, the completion of the recitation of the entire Qur’an is a rite of passage for children and is marked with a celebration.


The Art of Beautiful Writing

In the Arab and Islamic Worlds, the calligrapher was the most respected of all artists. Because the angel Gabriel revealed the word of God to the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic, it became the official language for the holy book, the Qur’an. A scribe copying the Qur’an thus performed a pious act and his goal was to make the word of God as beautiful as possible. Scribes created different styles of calligraphy in their efforts to enhance the appearance of the text. Today, handwritten Qur’ans are extremely valuable and are found in museums around the world.

Basic Beliefs and the Five Pillars of Islam

The word “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for “God.” In addition, there are 99 attributes or other titles by which Muslims may address God. Among them are The Compassionate, The Merciful, The All Peaceful, The Creator and The Forgiver.

Central to the belief system of Muslims is the existence of only one God. Muslims also believe in angels, prophets, books of revelation, a day of judgment and an afterlife.

There are five religious requirements that are known as the Pillars of Islam:

1. Declaration of Faith (Shahada): This is the belief in one God and in Muhammad as God’s last messenger. If a person wants to become a Muslim, he or she has only to believe in and recite the Shahada – “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his messenger.”


Sultan Ahmed Mosque (“Blue Mosque”) in Istanbul, Turkey (Sue Kellerman)


2. Prayer (salat): Observant Muslims pray five times a day. Prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and finally, nightfall. Before praying, Muslims perform a ritual ablution or personal cleansing called wudu. Prayers may be performed individually or collectively. Muslims can pray at home, at their workplace or at school; they do not need to be in a mosque. There is an oral call to prayer known as the athan that acts as a public invitation to pray, typically performed by a member of a mosque. Every Friday, devout Muslims gather for a congregational midday prayer known as Salat-al-Juma.

3. Fasting (soum): Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic (lunar) calendar. Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from God during Ramadan. During this period of fasting, reflection and prayer, Muslims attempt to rectify their misdeeds through devotional acts. During Ramadan, all Muslim adults are expected to fast by abstaining from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset. Exceptions are made for pregnant or nursing women, the sick, the elderly, children and travelers. In these circumstances, people must make up missed days at a later time of the year. If this is not possible, as is the case with an elderly or a chronically ill person, then he or she, if financially capable, must feed a single needy person for every missed fasting day. Through fasting, Muslims come to understand and empathize with people who are less fortunate, while also experiencing self-restraint. The ritual of breaking the fast is usually shared with members of the extended family as well as neighbors and friends. This ritual is considered an important communal aspect of Ramadan. During

the month, many visit the mosque to perform extra prayers and

recitations of the Qur’an. The last day of Ramadan is known as waqaf, when Muslims prepare for Eid al-Fitr festivities to mark the end of this month.


4. Charity (zakat): The act of alms-giving in Islam is called zakat. It is compulsory for Muslims to give annually to charity. Traditionally, Muslims give their zakat during the month of Ramadan. While all Muslims are supposed to give according to their financial capabilities, some Muslim scholars specify the amount to be 2.5% of an individual’s overall wealth, while other interpretations specify giving a percentage of one’s annual income. If one cannot afford to give, he or she may follow the Prophet’s advice that even a smile is charity. If someone gives more than the mandatory amount of zakat, it is known as sadaka.

5. Pilgrimage (hajj): This pillar of Islam requires Muslims who are physically and financially capable to perform the hajj once in their lifetime. This annual ritual takes place during Thul Hijja, the last month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar. Today, with improvements in transportation and standards of living, an estimated three million pilgrims arrive in Mecca each year from around the world. During the hajj, all pilgrims wear simple white garments intended to erase distinctions of wealth and create a feeling of equality in front of God. One of the special rituals of the hajj is the circling of the Ka’ba, an act known as tawaf. Muslims believe that the Ka’ba is the first house of worship, built by Adam and later rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael. When praying, Muslims worldwide position themselves facing in the direction of the holy city of Mecca.


Islam and the Lunar Calendar

Ramadan, the hajj and all Muslim holidays occur according to the lunar calendar, which has 354 days, or 11 days fewer than the Gregorian calendar used in most of the world. While the Gregorian calendar has 12 months and is based on the 365-day rotation of the earth around the sun, the lunar calendar also has 12 months, each starting with the new moon and having 29 or 30 days. Muslim holidays always fall on the same date annually on the lunar calendar, but fall 11 days earlier than the previous year on the Gregorian calendar. For example, if Ramadan began on August 15 in 2009, it will begin on August 4 in 2010. For that reason, the daytime fasting for Ramadan is shorter in the winter and much longer in the summer.

Important Muslim Celebrations and Commemorations

Throughout the year, there are many religious holidays that are important to Muslims worldwide. The most celebrated holidays are related to the two pillars of Islam soum, or fasting, and the hajj, or pilgrimage. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha marks the end of the hajj. These two holidays are as important to Muslims as Christmas and Easter are to Christians. Other important religious dates are the birth and death of the Prophet Muhammad. Historically, Muslim holidays were rarely mentioned by the media or noticed by the general public, which is not the case today. However, many Muslim Americans still have to attend school and work on their most important holidays.


The Ka’ba in Mecca (S.M. Amin/Saudi Aramco World/SAWDIA)


Eid al-Fitr denotes the end of Ramadan and the end of fasting for Muslims. Eid al-Fitr (fitr means breaking the fast) is a three-day celebration. This holiday is also called Eid al-Sagheer, or the small holiday. Many Muslims attend eid prayers at the mosque and greet each other by saying eid mubarak (blessed holiday) or Kul sana wa inta salem (May you be safe this year and every year.) The ways in which people celebrate these holidays vary according to culture and tradition. However, most celebrations include gift-giving and family visits or other communal activities.

Eid al-Adha, or Eid al-Kebir (the big holiday), is celebrated for four days starting on the tenth of the Islamic month of Thul Hijja, to commemorate the conclusion of the hajj. Eid al-Adha is the festival of sacrifice and refers to the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, because God willed it. Upon Abraham’s acceptance of God’s command, God replaced Ishmael with an animal to be sacrificed instead. Muslims celebrate this holiday in a variety of ways. Many start by attending eid prayers at a mosque, then gathering afterward to celebrate.

The events of Ashura occur on the first ten days of the Islamic month of Muharram. Ashura is derived from the Arabic word ashra, which means ten. Shi‘a Muslims consider this to be a mournful time as they commemorate the death of Husayn ibn ‘Ali (the grandson of the Prophet) and his companions, who were killed in the city of Karbala, Iraq, in 680 C.E. During these days many Shi‘a Muslims go to the mosque to recount the events of Ashura in memory of the tragedy.

Muslim Sects

Islam has two main branches or sects: Sunni (pronounced SUH-nee) and Shi‘a (pronounced SHE-ah). Roughly 85% of the world’s Muslims are Sunni and 15% are Shi‘a. The schism between these two groups developed shortly after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in the late 7th century, following disagreements over the religious and political leadership of the Muslim community.


Upon the death of Muhammad, one group of Muslims (who became known as the Sunni ) selected Abu Bakr – the Prophet’s close friend and one of the first Muslims – as Muhammad’s successor, and made him the first Muslim caliph (leader). This caused conflict with Muslims who believed that Ali ibn Abi Talib – the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law – should have been selected as the new leader. In fact, Shi‘a Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad had specifically appointed Ali to lead the faithful after his death. The majority of Shi‘a can be found in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. Although they have their own mosques and ceremonial traditions, Sunni and Shi‘a both adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam and have far more commonalities than differences.

In addition to these two major divisions, there are many smaller Muslim sects, often reflecting specific local cultures. One of the least understood branches of Islam is the Druze. The Druze trace their origins back to Cairo, Egypt, where they began as an Islamic reform movement in the 11th century. Along with the Qur’an, or Muslim holy book, the Druze have a collection of about 30 other manuscripts that outline specific Druze commandments and moral obligations. Today there are over one million members of the Druze community, the majority of them in Lebanon, Syria and Israel.

Sufism is a smaller but significant set of traditions within the Islamic faith. Not strictly a denomination, Sufism is a mystical-ascetic form of Islam. By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, Sufis strive to obtain direct experience of God by making use of “intuitive and emotional faculties” that one must be trained to use.

Sacred Geography

For Muslims, Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem are sacred cities, central to the origins of the faith. The Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca and died in Medina. Jerusalem is home to the Dome of the Rock, built in the 7th century. It is located on the site where Muslims believe that


Muslim African woman in hijab (Ilene Perlman/Saudi Aramco World/SAWDIA)


Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. Before Muslims began praying in the direction of Mecca, where the Ka’ba is located, they prayed facing Jerusalem. Jerusalem is also the home of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Both the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque are located on large grounds known as Haram as-Sharif, considered by some Muslims as the third holiest site after Mecca and Medina. For many Shi‘a Muslims, the shrine of the Prophet’s grandson Husayn in Karbala, Iraq, is considered sacred. Many Muslims make it a point to travel to these locations because of their historical and religious significance.

Practicing Islam

Like Christians and people of other faiths, some Muslims are more devout than others. Some strictly follow the Five Pillars of Islam and practice their religion on a daily basis. Others might practice one or two components of the faith but not all. They might celebrate the holidays but forego fasting; fast and not pray; or pray only on Fridays or on major holidays. For some, Islam is more of a cultural identity. There are many secular Muslims who might limit their religious participation to major holidays. This diversity in practice can be found within each Muslim ethnic group, within individual families or even within a single household. For example, it is not unusual to find a husband who fasts during Ramadan while his wife does not, or a pair of sisters, only one of whom wears the modest style of Islamic dress and head covering called the hijab.

Islamic Art

When speaking about Islamic art, it is important to consider that the term does not necessarily refer to art based on religion, but rather based on culture. For example, Islamic art not only includes mosque decorations, but also objects of everyday life such as garments, ceramics, glass and metalwork, which could be found in mosques,


palaces, homes and urban centers. Islamic art also refers to Islamic architecture, considered one of the most beautiful styles in history. Among the most famous Islamic monuments are the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which dates from the 7th century; the 14th century Alhambra Palace in Cordoba, Spain; and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, built in the 17th century. In religious contexts, figural representations of both humans and animals are discouraged to prevent idolatry. Because of this limitation on figural representations, other forms of Islamic art flourished, such as calligraphy, geometric designs and tile painting. In secular contexts, artistic depictions of humans and animals can be found in every period in almost every area of the Islamic world, especially in frescoes and sculptures.

There is hardly a reputable museum in the world that does not have an Islamic art collection, many of which include ornate Qur’an manuscripts. These collections, assembled from around the world, reflect the deep diversity of Islamic art. Some of these collections include rooms imported intact, complete with mosaic floors, carved wooden walls and central fountains. U.S. museums that have large Islamic art collections include:

Art Institute of ChicagoAsian Art Museum – San FranciscoBrooklyn Museum of ArtCleveland Museum of ArtDetroit Institute of ArtsFreer Gallery of Art/Arthur M. Sackler Gallery – Washington, D.C.Honolulu Academy of ArtsIndianapolis Museum of ArtLos Angeles County Museum of ArtMuseum of Fine Arts BostonMetropolitan Museum of Art – New YorkNelson-Atkins Museum of Art – Kansas CitySan Diego Museum of ArtWalters Art Museum – Baltimore


Muslim Americans

“We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth...”

- excerpt from President Barack Obama’s 2009 inaugural address

Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the U.S., and Muslim Americans are estimated to number more than two million (some estimate up to six million). They have been a part of American society since its inception. Muslim Americans are as diverse as America itself. This diversity is reflected in their time of immigration, country of origin, ethnicity, cultural heritage and theological perspective and practice. While we do not know the exact date when the first Muslim arrived in the United States, it is believed that Zammouri, a slave from Morocco also known as Estebanico, landed in the Gulf of Mexico around 1528 C.E. The many others who followed also came as slaves from various African countries, including some of the North African Arabic-speaking countries. Some Muslims came to the U.S. to participate in the World’s Fairs of the 19th and early 20th centuries and ended up staying, while others came during the great wave of immigration from 1880–1924. Most Muslim Americans; however, are more recent immigrants. They arrived starting in the late 1960s and early 1970s due in part to the lifting of some restrictions in American immigration law, as well as war and social and economic hardships in their home countries. Most came to the U.S. seeking better lives for themselves and their families, and with the hope of becoming permanent residents. A 2011 Pew Forum study found that Muslim immigrants attain U.S. citizenship at a much higher rate than the general immigrant population.


U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim American elected to Congress(Courtesy of Rep. Keith Ellison)


African American Muslims

Between the 1600s and the mid-1800s, an estimated 10-15% of African American slaves were Muslim, and many spoke Arabic. Many of these slaves came from West Africa and North Africa, where Islam was already a major religion. While the majority of these enslaved African Muslims adopted Christianity, many continued to integrate their African Islamic religious traditions into their lives, including styles of dress and musical forms. In the early 1900s, African American Islamic practices became more institutionalized and grew rapidly among communities in Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and cities throughout New York. Because of Islam’s long history in the U.S., the contemporary practice of Islam among African Americans is very diverse, though most follow Sunni traditions.

Education and Socio-economic Status

Like other religious groups in the U.S., Muslim Americans are diverse in terms of their education, range of professions and levels of economic success. Muslims are found in every stratum of American society, from unskilled laborers to highly trained professionals. Many recent immigrants who come from various Arab, African and Asian countries are doctors, engineers, scientists and educators. Some own and work in family businesses such as hotels, restaurants or grocery stores, while others are factory workers in Detroit or migrant farm workers in the valleys of California, for example. Some Muslim women are working mothers while others stay home and care for their families. Muslim women – whether recent immigrants or third- and fourth-generation Americans – are found on nearly every university campus in America, as both students and educators. In addition, Muslim women are found in most every profession –


business administration, teaching, law, medicine and engineering. Muslim women have even worked on U.S. auto assembly lines dating back to the 1940s.

Cultural Diversity

Religion is one element of an individual’s identity. A person’s “culture” embodies a much more complex set of norms and traditions involving community relationships, food, dress, work ethic, dance, music and more. Because Muslim Americans come from various ethnic and national backgrounds, they have a variety of cultures. For example, a Chinese American Muslim will likely have much more in common with a Chinese American Christian than he might have with a Muslim from Iran. The same applies for Christians – an Arab American Christian might have much more in common with an Arab American Muslim than he might have with a Christian from Brazil. Oftentimes, being a citizen of a country, working in a profession, or residing in a certain city or neighborhood is an important element of personal identity. For example, a Muslim woman doctor who lives in a Los Angeles suburb will have much more in common with her Christian or Jewish colleagues who live in the same area than she might with a Muslim woman store owner living in a rural town.

Organizations and Mosques

When the first Muslim immigrants began arriving in America, practicing their religion was rather difficult. They did not have places of worship. They practiced their religion in the privacy of their homes or in buildings intended for other uses. For instance, in 1907 a group of Polish, Lithuanian and Russian Muslims in New York City met for prayers in a rented space. The first purpose-built mosque was constructed by Arab Americans, mostly Lebanese, in 1921 in


Highland Park, Michigan. In the 1920s and 1930s, mosques were being built all over the country, in small towns and big cities. Some of these mosques were also called Islamic centers and functioned as a central community space, with one part for prayers and the other for events and celebrations. Today, there are close to 2,000 mosques in the U.S.; they are found in each of the 50 states, and most large cities have several. For example, the Detroit metropolitan area (including the city of Dearborn) has around 60 mosques, while Houston has as many as 100 Muslim prayer spaces.

Arab American Muslims

Population estimates for Arab Americans range from 1.7 to 5.1 million. The majority of Arab Americans are Christian, but there is a sizeable, and growing, Arab American Muslim population. According to a 2002 Zogby International survey, of the estimated 4.2 million Arab Americans, 24% are Muslim; 63% are Christians; with the remaining 13% belonging to another faith or not practicing any faith.

Zammouri may have been the first slave to come to America from an Arab country, but he was not the last. There is limited documentation about slaves who came from current Arab countries such as Algeria or Morocco; however, there are some records from as early as 1717 that refer to Arabic-speaking Muslim slaves who would not eat pork. Ben Ali is among the few well-documented Muslim slaves. He was a prisoner on a French vessel who jumped ship in America. Later, he was a scout for the famous General Thomas Sumter during the Revolutionary War. Ben Ali changed his family name to Benenhaly. His sons later fought with the Confederate Army.


Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, MI (Courtesy of the Arab American National Museum)


Omar Ibn Said was another Arabic-speaking Muslim slave. He had been trained in Qur’anic Arabic in his native land. John Owen, an early governor of North Carolina, decided to free Said on account of his apparent education. Said was later buried in the Owen family plot.

The first significant number of Arabs came to the U.S., along with tens of thousands of other immigrants, during the period of mass immigration from 1880–1924. The number of Arab Muslims was small, estimated at just 5-10% of all Arab immigrants. The majority of these Muslim immigrants came from rural areas in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, and had limited formal education. Like many other immigrants, most of them were single men hoping to make some money and return to their country of origin. Making money was not as easy as they had hoped; many ended up settling in the U.S. Some returned to their country of origin, got married and came back with their wives; other members of their families followed.

The few Arab Muslim immigrants who arrived in the United States during the period of mass immigration were Sunni, Shi‘a or Druze. They worked in a variety of trades – as peddlers and assembly line workers; in the lumber, mining and shipping industries; and in transportation, building both roads and railroads. Some even homesteaded in the Dakotas. By the early 1900s, Arab Muslim communities were forming in cities across the country, particularly in New York, Detroit and Chicago.

Because of their small number and scattered locations around the country, it was very difficult for Arab Muslim immigrants to establish their places of worship. This was not the case for Arab Christians, who were larger in number and were able to temporarily attend established churches of other ethnic groups until they could build their own. Arab American Muslims often practiced their religion at home or at the home of an elder who would lead the Friday and holiday prayers. The mosque that opened in 1921 in Highland Park, Michigan, survived for only four years as the community moved to


Dearborn, Michigan, for well-paying jobs following the opening of Ford Motor Company’s new Rouge Plant. In 1925, an Arab mosque was established in Michigan City, Indiana, which is still in use today. Another Arab mosque and community center was built in 1934 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; this one was rebuilt in 1971. Today, there are hundreds of Arab mosques in the U.S.; they are found in almost every major U.S. city.

Between World War I (1914–1917) and World War II (1939–1945), restrictive immigration laws allowed only a few Arab immigrants, Muslim or Christian, into the U.S. That situation changed after World War II, when the U.S. was aggressively recruiting highly educated people such as physicians, engineers and scientists – regardless of their religion or national background – in order to enhance its status as an emerging technological superpower. The U.S. also opened the door for a larger number of foreign university students; many of them came with the intention of returning to their home countries after graduation, but ended up staying for employment opportunities. This wave of Arab immigration, which extended into the 1960s, was different from the earlier wave because it included a larger number of Muslims from various countries. In addition to Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, they also came from urban middle-class backgrounds in Egypt, Iraq and Jordan. This highly educated and professional group of Arab Christians and Muslims built their new lives in cities and suburbs across America.

The most recent wave of Arab immigrants, who began arriving here in the early 1970s, includes a larger number of Muslims who came mostly from war-devastated countries like Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. This wave of immigrants also included small numbers of Muslims from the African/Arab countries of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan and Somalia. Today, large Arab Muslim communities are found in major metropolitan areas including Detroit, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.


Conclusion

Although Muslims have been part of our nation since its inception, and Islam is the third-largest religion in the U.S., the general public knows very little about Islam or Muslim Americans. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, many Muslim Americans were treated with suspicion and their civil rights were violated. In the meantime, there has been an increased interest in learning about this important and vibrant segment of American society.

Much of the suspicion of and misinformation about Muslims stems from the fact that the majority of Americans do not personally know anyone who is Muslim (62% according to a 2010 TIME poll). There is also a lack of accurate information about Muslim Americans in the mainstream media. But there are many opportunities for people to learn more about Islam and their Muslim neighbors. National organizations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life publish free, engaging reports about Islam and Muslim Americans.

Personal experience is also a valuable way to learn more, and local mosques and Muslim student associations at colleges and universities provide many venues for interaction and education. Learning more about other religions and ethnic groups is a constructive way to foster mutual understanding.


Frequently Asked Questions About Islam

1. What is Islam?Islam is the youngest of the three Abrahamic religions, which includes Christianity and Judaism. Its followers are called Muslims. There are an estimated 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, with representation in nearly every country on the globe.

2. What does Allah mean?Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Allah is used by Arab Muslims, Christians and Jews to refer to the same, one God.

3. What does Muslim mean?Muslim means “one who submits.” In Islam, it means the person who submits to God. It is the name given to the followers of the faith of Islam.

4. Does Islam have dietary restrictions?Yes. Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol, pork, blood and any animal that has been found dead. In addition, animals must be slaughtered in a quick and merciful way known as halal, which is similar to the Jewish concept of kosher.

5. Do Muslims believe in Jesus?Yes. Muslims believe that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary, that he is a prophet and messenger and performed miracles. In Islam Jesus is referred to as Rooh Allah, which means the Spirit of God.

6. What does Islam have in common with Christianity?Both Muslims and Christians believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus and his administration of miracles. The Virgin Mary is the only woman with a chapter named after her in the Qur’an and is mentioned several times: “O Mary! Surely God has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the world”


[3:41]. Muslims also acknowledge the same biblical prophets: “Say: We believe in God and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit” [3.84].

7. How does Islam view Judaism and Christianity?Islam acknowledges both Judaism and Christianity in the Qur’an. Islam gives the title “People of the Book” to both Jews and Christians. Jesus and Moses are considered prophets and are mentioned numerous times in the Qur’an. Chapter 2, verse 62 in the Qur’an states: “Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them nor shall they grieve.”

8. Is Islam mostly an Arab religion?No, it is quite the contrary. Although the majority of Arabs are Muslim, the majority of Muslims are not Arab. Only about 20% of the Muslim population worldwide is Arab. There are more Muslims in Indonesia, for example, than in all the Arab countries combined. Large populations of Muslims reside in Iran, India and other parts of southeastern Asia, and in sub-Saharan Africa. In the United States, Islam is the fastest-growing religion.

9. What is jihad?Jihad is the Arabic world for “struggle.” It means to struggle or strive to be a better person. It often refers to the internal struggles and challenges humans endure in facing their limitations as they pursue God’s intended way of life on Earth. The struggle for justice is part of jihad.


10. Is Islam a violent religion?The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word for “peace.” The Qur’an states: “For he who takes a life, it is like killing all of humanity, and for he who saves a life, it is like saving all of humanity” [5:32]. Oftentimes in history, people commit violent acts in the name of religion. This happens with all religions, and Islam is no exception.

11. Do women have rights in Islam?Yes. Muslim women have the right to earn their own income and keep their own money. They have the right to a marriage contract (similar to a prenuptial agreement), a dowry and divorce. They have the right to own property and to maintain their maiden name. In addition, Muslim women have the rightto obtain an education. The status of Muslim women, as is the case of Christian women, varies from one country to another and the gap is very wide. Some Muslim countries have elected female presidents and legislators, while in other countries Muslim women are denied the most basic rights. This is mostly due to culture rather than religion.

12. Why do some Muslim women wear head scarves while others do not?Wearing the head scarf is a religious practice observed by some Muslim women. Both Muslim men and women are expected to dress modestly. Wearing the hijab is not universal among Muslim women, and varies from one culture to another, among people in the same neighborhood or even within a single family. For many Muslim women hijab refers to covering their hair and allowing only the face and hands to show. Some Muslims believe that women are required to wear the hijab, while others do not. This is the result of different interpretations of the Qur’an.


13. Do men have a dress code in Islam?In Islam, men and women are instructed to obtain modest dress. In Islam, men are required to be covered from the navel to the knee. Men are also encouraged to dress modestly by wearing loose-fitting clothes.

14. What is shari‘a law?Shari‘a is the comprehensive values and guidelines of Islam. It can have a personal, community, or state enacted dimension. Shari‘a influences daily prayer rituals, fasting, charity, funeral rituals and more. Muslims in the U.S. can stay faithful to shari‘a while being full participants of U.S. civil society and law-abiding citizens. Some Muslim majority countries choose to interpret shari‘a and use it as a basis for many of their laws, while other countries have secular legal systems.


A Muslim American family in Michigan (Courtesy of ACCESS)


Key Terms

Athan – oral call to prayer.Allah – the word meaning God in Arabic.Druze – a small branch of Islam that developed in the 11th century.

The largest Druze community in the Arab World can be found in Lebanon.

Hadith – the sayings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad.Hajj – the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of the

prophet Muhammad; is also one of the Pillars of Islam, but only to those who are physically and financially capable.

Imam – a Muslim religious leader. Imams lead the congregational prayers at noon on Fridays.

Qur’an – the holy book for Muslims. Its original language is Arabic.Ramadan – the ninth lunar month and a time of fasting from sunrise

to sunset. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Salat al-Juma – Friday congregational prayer.Salah/Salat – is the Arabic word for prayer. Pious Muslims pray five

times a day.Shahada – this is the basic declaration of faith for Muslims which

says, “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his messenger.” This is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Shari‘a – the code of Islamic law, which derives from scholars’ interpretations of the Qur’an and Hadith.

Shi‘a – a branch of Islam. The Shi‘a have a significant following in Lebanon and southern Iraq. In the Middle Eastern (but non-Arab) country of Iran, they are the majority.

Sunni – a branch of Islam. The majority of Muslims worldwide are Sunni.

Wudu – a ritual washing, or ablution, that Muslims perform before prayer.


Timeline – Muslims in America

1619-1800s Roughly 10 million Africans were brought as slaves to North America, 10-15% of whom were Muslim.

1775 Peter Salem, a former slave, fights during the American Revolution and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

1807 An African slave, Yarrow Mamout, is set free. He becomes one of the first shareholders of the second chartered bank in America, the Columbia Bank.

1828 The former prince of Timbuktu-turned-slave Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori is freed by the order of U.S. Secretary of State Henry Clay and President John Quincy Adams.

1856 The United States Cavalry brings from Syria an Arab Muslim by the name of Hajji Ali (“Hi Jolly”) to raise camels in Arizona for military service.

1907 Polish, Lithuanian and Russian Muslims form the American Mohammadean Society and meet for prayer in a rented space in New York City.

1921 An Arab American mosque, the first purpose-built mosque in the U.S., is founded in Highland Park, Michigan.

1926 In Brooklyn, New York, a Polish-language mosque is established by Tatars.

1934 In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the oldest continually-standing mosque is constructed. It is known as the Mother Mosque of America and is still in existence today.


1963 The Muslim Students Association (MSA) is established. Today, MSAs can be found on almost every American university campus.

1991 Charles Bilal of Kountze, Texas, becomes the first Muslim mayor in America.

1993 Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad is appointed the U.S. Army’s first Muslim chaplain.

1996 The first White House celebration of Eid al-Fitr is observed.

1999 U.S. State Department hosted its first iftar (breaking of the fast) dinner during Ramadan.

2001 A 34-cent Eid stamp is issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

2006 Keith Ellison becomes the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress as a member of the House of Representatives from Minnesota.

2010 Fareed Zakaria becomes Editor at Large for TIME magazine and host of CNN’s international affairs program Fareed Zakaria GPS.

2011 The Learning Channel (TLC) airs All-American Muslim, a reality television show chronicling the lives of Muslim families from Dearborn, Michigan.


Print Resources for Further Study

Encyclopedia of Muslim-American History, edited by Edward E. Curtis IV, Facts on File, 2010

Islam and Human Rights: Advancing a U.S.-Muslim Dialogue, edited by Shireen Hunter and Huma Malik, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2005

What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, by John Esposito, Oxford University Press, 2002

Women and Gender in Islam, by Leila Ahmed, Yale University Press, 1993

Internet Resources

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Religions—Islam: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/

Building Islam in Detroit (BIID): http://biid.lsa.umich.edu/

The Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding: http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/

Institute for Social Policy and Understanding: http://ispu.org/

One Nation: http://www.onenationforall.org/

Oxford Islamic Studies Online: The Essential Reference for Islamic Studies: http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com (pay site)

Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life: http://pewforum.org/Topics/Religious-Affiliation/Muslim/

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) programs: Islam: Empire of Faith: http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/index.html and Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet: http://www.pbs.org/muhammad/

13624 Michigan AvenueDearborn, Michigan 48126

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