PORTRAIT OF MUSLIMS IN AMERICA
By Septia Eka Putri Journalist at Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
“America and Islam are not exclusive … They are complementary and share common principles … Let there be no doubt: Islam is a part of America.”
~ President Barack Obama, Cairo, Egypt ~
In several speeches at home and abroad (Cairo 2009), President Barack Obama has underlined the importance of the US relationship with the Islamic world.
Muslim immigration to the United States began in the late 19th century
From the areas under the Ottoman Empire including Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Turkey. The bulk of immigrants settled in mega cities like New York City, Chicago and Detroit.
According to scientists Alixa Naff, they are working (trade) to get to North Dakota, South Dakota and parts of rural Iowa, Michigan and Illinois.
In his book titled “Becoming American: The Early Arab Immigrant Experience”, Naff cited a newspaper footage from 1967 of the Muslims of Damascus who settled near Crookston, Minnesota, around 1902:
“Initially the pioneers of the Muslim peddle their wares on foot throughout Nort Dakota, but using a horse and buggy when they could afford it. Some traders are more successful could even buy a car, ”
After laws restricting immigration from Asia to the United States was lifted in 1965, opened the back door to immigrants from countries that are predominantly Muslim, over many Muslims immigrated. Immigration law is softened so as to allow family members to join relatives already in the United States. Another law encourages skilled individuals to emigrate.
Pretty much take this opportunity to be American so that the current American Muslims can be found throughout the United States, in any kind of work.
Ross, North Dakota, is the first Masjid in the US, which was once known, was built in 1929.
Islam is the fastest growing religion in America today. Many in the American media that cite Islam as the religion of the future of America.
The founders of the United States, to know Islam and maintaining strong relationships with the leaders of Muslim countries from the beginning of the formation of the republic. Some preliminary agreement signed between the US and foreign governments, is the Muslim countries, including Morocco, Ottoman Tripolitania and Tunisia.
Muslims in the US experienced a significant dynamics of starting early entry until now. In the United States there are at least three groups of adherents of Islam, namely; first, Muslims of African descent, Muslim Whites Native Americans and the Immigrants from many nations.
Although a lot of criticism of Islam in public life, especially after bomb blasts US World Trade Center (WTC), but the number of Islamic institutions in the United States increased to more than 2,300, and 1,300 of them in the form of Masjid and Islamic centers.
The following link is a statement of American Muslims:
Please click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJi-mHpHPj4
Rapid development of Islam in America. Muslim growing rapidly there, who would have thought they could live in the country a federal constitutional.
American Muslim doctors volunteer their time for free treatment
For those who do not have insurance. American Muslim youths to feed the homeless and help rebuild houses. Other cleaning highways and parks.
America is one of the country’s most ethnically diverse in the world, and American Muslims are a community of faith of the most ethnically diverse in the United States.
American Muslims, on average younger than in other religious groups, with an average age of 35 years, compared with age 54 or older than other communities. This means that they are more likely to be employed and contribute to the growth of the American economy as workers and job creators.
American Muslims become doctors and engineers, but also lawyer, teachers, police, filmmaker and elected officials.
Regions populous Muslim in America
American Muslims living in the United States, from Alaska to Hawaii, from the East Coast to the West Coast.
Most Muslims in the United States also say they identify strongly against the country and their religion, and like other Americans, there is no difference with the other residents. Currently, 94 Masjid decorate the city of Chicago.
Southeast Europeans who fled from instability causes of World War 1, the first Muslims who settled in Chicago. Muslims of Syria and Palestine joined them a decade later, for better economic opportunities.They increased greatly when Chicago native population converted to Islam in the early 1920s.
Changes in US immigration policy in 1965 sparked a new wave of Muslim immigrants from South Asia. Now the Muslim community of Chicago is one of the largest communities of Muslims and most diverse in the United States.
Chicago Metropolitan area is home to about 9.7 million people, more than 300 thousand of them are Muslim. Including immigrants from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, Muslims and converts who were born in the United States, both young and old alike.
See figure “Fazlur Khan”
Fazlur Khan (Engineers structural engineering)
From the Blue Masjid to the Alhambra, the famous Islamic culture for achievements in architecture and engineering. But many do not realize that the skyscrapers of the most famous in Chicago was built by a Muslim engineer, who namanyapun immortalized in one of the city streets, Fazlur R. Khan Way.
Khan International works include King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia and the Hajj Terminal at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, which makes Khan won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
Khan Died in 1982, but his legacy embodied in the new skyscrapers, including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, now the tallest building in the world. (P007/RO6)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
