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nation, many have settled in major metropolitan

ences: the African American and the immigrant.

areas along the two coasts and in the Midwest:

Immigrant Muslims and African-American Muslims

New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit/

have worked to establish their voices in politics

Dearborn. The 10 states with the largest Muslim

and society, sometimes together, but more often

populations are California, New York, Illinois,

on their own. While they share an identity as

New Jersey, Indiana, Michigan, Virginia, Texas,

Muslims, their racial, cultural, socioeconomic,

Ohio, and Maryland. There are also established

and historical circumstances have differed widely.

communities near state universities, which often

MOSQUE diStribUtiOn in thE UnitEd StatES

In working toward full political participation, im-

have sizable numbers of foreign-born Muslim stu-

migrant Muslims have a great deal to learn from

Calling itself the Global Muslim eCommunity, IslamiCity.com has compiled information about Muslims in the United States dents and faculty.

since 1995. Its online database tal ies more than 2,300 mosques, Islamic schools, and organizations in the 50 states. Listed the successes of African-American Muslims, par-The 2007 Pew survey found that Muslim

here by state is the number of mosques in the IslamiCity.com database in December 2008. The statistic for the District of ticularly in building institutional capacity and com-Columbia is from the Islamic Center of Washington, DC. The total is 1,018.

Americans generally mirror the U.S. public in edu-

municating effectively with other Americans.

cation and income levels, with immigrant Muslims

Alabama

Illinois

mt Montana

Rhode Island

slightly more affluent and better educated than na-

Ak Alaska

Indiana

ne Nebraska

sc South Carolina

AZ Arizona

Iowa

nv Nevada

sd South Dakota

tive-born Muslims. Twenty-four percent of all Mus-

Ar Arkansas

Kansas

nh New Hampshire

tn Tennessee

lims and 29 percent of immigrant Muslims have

cA California

198

Kentucky

New Jersey

Texas

college degrees, compared to 25 percent for the

co Colorado

Louisiana

nm New Mexico

Utah

U.S. general population. Forty-one percent of all

ct Connecticut

me Maine

nY New York

131

Vermont

Muslim Americans and 45 percent of immigrant

de Delaware

md Maryland

NC North Carolina

Virginia

dc District of Columbia

MA Massachusetts 13

nd North Dakota

WA Washington

Muslims report annual household income levels

Sources: Statistical data excerpted from Muslim Ameri-

Florida

Michigan

oh Ohio

Wv West Virginia

cans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream Pew Re-

of $50,000 or higher. This compares to the na-

gA Georgia

mn Minnesota

ok Oklahoma

WI Wisconsin

search Center, May 22, 2007. Text for this article

tional average of 44 percent. Immigrant Muslims

excerpted from Strengthening America: The Civic

Hawaii

ms Mississippi

or Oregon

WY Wyoming

and Political Integration of Muslim Americans , The

are well represented among higher-income earn-

Idaho

mo Missouri

Pennsylvania

neIghBorhood mosques

Masjid Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq

4425 David Drive, Metairie, Louisiana

Masjid Abu-Bakr (Colorado Muslim Society)

2071 South Parker Road, Denver, Colorado

The architecture of the Masjid Abu-Bakr al-Siddiq is

With a weekly prayer attendance between 2,000 and

unique, as it is the only mosque in the New Orleans

3,000 people, the Colorado Muslim Society is a pillar

area that was built specifically as a mosque, with a

of Islamic life in Denver. It recently undertook a large ex-

geodesic dome and minaret. The 250 to 300 wor-

pansion project that doubled the size of its prayer space

shippers are mostly first- and second-generation Ameri-

in order to accommodate an increasing population of

cans from Pakistan, India, and the Middle East. Twenty

Muslims in the area. Located on one of the area’s busi-

Islamic Society of Central Florida

Islamic Community Center / Tempe Masjid

percent of the congregation are recent immigrants and

est thoroughfares, the society serves as the hub for Mus-

1089 N. Goldenrod Road, Orlando, Florida

131 E. Sixth Street, Tempe, Arizona

converts. The mosque serves Muslims from bordering

lim civic life, especially for its younger members. Young

Kenner, Lousiana, and Orleans Parish. Fortunately, the

adults serve as teachers in the society’s Islamic Sunday

The Islamic Society of Central Florida had modest begin-

A cultural center, masjid, and school located just north of

mosque suffered little damage from Hurricane Katrina.

school. In addition to the Sunday lessons, the society

nings in Orlando in the early 1970s. The first mosque,

Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, the Islamic

Most members have returned to their homes, and the

is involved with Islamic education through the Crescent

Masjid al-Rahman, or Mosque of the Merciful, was built

Community Center welcomes members from more than

mosque has retained most of its members.

View Academy. Educating Muslims and non-Muslims

in the early 1980s. Rapid growth in the area led the

75 nationalities and all socioeconomic backgrounds.

from kindergarten through eighth grade, the academy

society to expand. Today, the society has nine mosques

The center was founded in 1984 to bring together Mus-

places strong emphasis on learning Arabic and general

throughout the area, serving 40,000 Muslims from ethni-

lims who had previously worshipped in small groups

Islamic knowledge.

cally diverse backgrounds. In 2001, the society founded

in homes across the area. About 300 attend Friday

the Center for Peace, which works to dispel stereotypes

prayers, but the mosque is actively involved in both

about Muslims and promote peace and understanding

the Muslim Student Association at Arizona State and in

among people. The Islamic Society of Central Florida

the community at large. The center maintains a small

also supports the Muslim Student League at the Univer-

library with resources on Islam and gives tours of the

sity of Central Florida.

mosque, which is modeled after the Dome of the Rock

in Jerusalem, for the general public. Providing social

services such as marriage ceremonies and burials, the

center also operates the Phoenix Metro Islamic School

for elementary students.

Islamic Society of Greater Kansas City

Masjid Al-Muslimiin (Islamic Center of Columbia)

8501 E. 99th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

1929 Gervais Street, Columbia, South Carolina

A group of residents in Kansas City began planning

Five hundred Muslims worship at Masjid al-Muslimiin

for a mosque in the early 1970s after the first Salah

in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. With its close

(prayer) for Eid al-Fitr. Ten years later, the Islamic Society

proximity to the University of South Carolina, the cen-

of Greater Kansas City opened the doors of its mosque

ter, which began operation in 1981, often works with

to the public and was incorporated as a nonprofit. The

students to bring prominent Islamic speakers to the

society has been expanding ever since, acquiring prop-

area. The center offers many services to its members,

erty for a community park and a Muslim cemetery. A full-

including Sunday school for Muslim children in Quranic

time Islamic school opened at the center in 1987 and

recitation and Islamic history and a women’s forum for

has more than 100 students. The society estimates that

educational development, health, and social activities.

it serves more than 8,000 Muslims in the Kansas City

Actively involved in spreading the Muslim faith to the

area, but its reach extends into the non-Muslim commu-

Masjid Al-Islam

community at large through its prison outreach program,

nity. Visits to the center are encouraged, and the center

40 Sayles Hill Road, North Smithfield, Rhode Island

the center hopes to improve its transitional living assis-

opens its study sessions on Arabic language, Islam, and

tance to Muslim ex-offenders and all Muslims new to the

Albanian Islamic Center

the study of the Quran to the public.

community. The center also plans to develop a Muslim

19775 Harper Avenue, Harper Woods, Michigan

The largest masjid in Rhode Island, Masjid al-Islam was

built in 1994 to serve the needs of the growing Muslim

community food co-op.

The Albanian Islamic Center was founded in 1962 by

population in North Smithfield. The masjid openly wel-

the Albanian-Muslim population in the Detroit area. Lo-

comes Muslims of all religious affiliations from all racial

cated in the suburbs of Wayne County, the center serves

and ethnic backgrounds, but holds primary the Quranic

about 150 families of Tosk and Gega Albanians, as

scriptures and the Sunnah. Governance of the mosque

well as Iranians, Palestinians, Maltese, Arabs, and In-

is democratic; a committee of six congregants attends to

dians. Worship styles have fluctuated with immigration.

administrative matters, but all major issues are brought

Tosk Albanians, from the southern region of the country,

before the community before a decision is finalized.

are considered reformed Muslims and have lived in the

Masjid al-Islam works to build interfaith dialogue and

United States since the 19th century. Their worship style

actively reaches out to the Christian and Jewish com-

and social norms are more relaxed. The Gega Alba-

munities for collaboration on community programming.

nians, who are from northern Albania, tend to reflect

Future plans include partnering with local hospitals for

more traditional Islamic practices. As immigration pat-

yearly health screening, as part of a health education

terns have changed, so has the style of worship.

day for the community. About 250 at end Jumah prayers,

but no formal membership is required.