Muslims in America

1. Muslims in America J. Bennett January 2011

2. 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

3. Who Are They? Ethnic origins of regular participants in American mosques: 33% - South Asians (Pak., Indians, Bang., Afghans) 30% - African-Americans 25% - Arabs 12% - Other (Eur., Malay., Ind., Turk., Iran, Cauc. Amer., Hisp., Filipino, Sub-Saharan Afr., etc.)

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. Foreign-born vs. Native-born • Foreign-born Muslims 65% • Native-born 35% • Percent of NB total who were converts to Islam: 21% • Those “born into” a Muslim family: 14%

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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%

12. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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 Club For complete list: See www.onenationforall.org

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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

21. 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.

22. Case Study: Los Angeles County • Muslims: 48 Mosques, 92,919 adherents

23. 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

24. 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”

25. 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

26. 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

27. Reaching Muslims in America Will not happen in an adequate way – unless the LOCAL CHURCH gets involved.

28. 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

29. 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