History of ISLAM in America

History of ISLAM in America

Muslims have remained an important part of the American history since pre-Columbus times. The past experiences of Muslims in America date back to 18th Century. Later on, many other Muslims migrated from the Ottoman Empire and South Africa and assimilated into the American society. Almost fifteen to twenty percent of the African slaves were Muslims. The major increase came in the 2oth century because of immigration, conversion and increasing birth rate and according to estimate; there were more than 115,000 Muslims in America by 2009.

 

History of ISLAM in America

The major wave of Islam came in the United States in 50s when a lot of Muslim professionals approached the country for higher education and finding their countries inhospitable settled in America. This was the time when major Muslim developments occurred in places like Detroit, Ann Arbor, Gary (Indiana), Cedar Rapids (Iowa) and Sacramento. After that, visiting Muslim scholars and evangelist groups travelled from Middle East and Indo-Pak Subcontinent and Islam began to expand in America. At that time, there was an organization formed in the US which was so-called “Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada” and was later on named as “Islamic Society of North America”. Regional and state conferences of Muslims for the argument on subjects of common apprehension were rationalized during this period. Many Muslims who had never experienced their religion now found their way back to their origins and began, for the very first time, to escalate the worth of their belief.

After this came the period of Black Muslim movements in America when a small number of African Americans started to form groups based on Islamic and Black Supremacist teachings. The people were advocating the return of Islam that had gone away in the form of slavery and oppression. The first Muslim organization created at that time was called NOI, Nation of Islam, and it demanded the different form of Islam against the white people calling them as “devils”. This anti-white and anti-Christian movement led to anti-Muslim sentiments in America. However, after this wave of anti-Islamic sentiments was over, there came an increase in the Muslim population of America living their lives fully according to Islam.

Today, mosques, Islamic centers and schools are created in every municipal of any size. Islamic administrations and organizations flourish, now at last able to cleric to the needs of the Muslim audience in America. Muslims' voices are got overheard for their belief in official circles, to the broadcasting and in every arena of struggle, and Muslims are now able to make a substantial contribution, particularly in the dominion of spirituality, ethics and morals, to the life of the American nation.

Muslims are the fastest growing community in the United States and according to a report, it was estimated that the Muslims will one day be in much greater number than the Methodists. Muslims are active in almost every field in US; the defense department contains more than 9000 Muslims in the armed forces (It is also reported that during the Gulf war alone, more than three thousand Americans were converted to Islam). Thus, Islam grew speedily in America and is still growing further with Muslim having their rights and status properly established overthere.