Final Presentation on Muslim Americans

1. MUSLIM AMERICANS
June 30, 2012

2. WHAT IS A MUSLIM?
“If you are a Muslim, Islam is your identity. You can be
a dutiful Muslim, or a sinful one, still your identity is
a Muslim. In order to be a Muslim, you have to
consider yourself to be a slave, and a servant of
Allah; accountable to His command and subject to
His will.”
– IslamiCity.com

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF MUSLIM
AMERICANS
 Practice the religion of Islam
 Live in America (immigrants, U.S. born, or converts)
 Exist to serve Allah (God)
 Follow six major beliefs in
 One God
 Angels of God
 Books of God (Quran, Torah, Gospels, Psalms, Scrolls)
 Prophets or Messengers of God
 Day of Judgment
 Divine Decree – whatever happens in life is Allah’s will
 Level of commitment and practice varies (as with all
religions and ways of life)

4. CULTURE - BACKGROUND
 Extremely diverse group from over 80 different
countries
 Africans, Asians, Europeans, and Arabians
 Predominantly African American
 Common connection -- Islamic religious beliefs
 People were created to worship Allah (God)
 Strong sense of commitment to family and
community
 Continually changing demographics due to high
rates of conversion to Islam in existing U.S.
population

5. CULTURE – FOUNDED ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
 Acts of Worship Form a Way of Life
 Declaration of Faith
 Prayer
 Charity
 Fasting
 Pilgrimage
 Guiding principle for assimilation
“…everything in a culture is permissible except that which
is explicitly prohibited by Islamic teaching….”
(Husain & Ross-Sheriff, 2011, p. 362)
 Many beliefs are consistent with Christianity and
Judaism

6. CULTURE – ISLAMIC VALUES
 Peacefulness and charity are treasured
and practiced
 Prayer is primary source of guidance
 Men and women are deemed equal
 Marriage and family are expected and valued –
strong allegiance to extended family and elderly
 Education is paramount
 Modesty is emphasized (dress and behavior)
 Harm to one’s self is prohibited
(alcohol, drugs, some meats, gambling, greed)
 Charity is promoted (2.5% tithing)

7. U.S. HISTORY – EARLY ARRIVALS
 First Muslim explorers came to U.S. in 1100s
 Most notable arrivals (approximately 10 million)
were part of the African slave trade in 1500s
 Immigrants in 1900s came from
Palestine, Lebanon, and Pakistan – mostly
unskilled looking for work
 Skilled professionals and students arrived in 1950s
looking for improved living conditions
 Rise of Muslim communities and Islamic groups
 Increase in Black Muslim representation

8. PRESENT DAY POPULATION GROWTH
 Conversion to Islam accounts for significant growth
in Muslim American communities
 Immigration continues through family
sponsorship, refugees, and government issued
lottery visas

9. POPULATION STATISTICS
 1.57 billion Muslims worldwide
 2.5 –10 million Muslim Americans (estimated – not
tracked)
 65% of Muslim Americans are 1st generation immigrants
 35% of Muslim American population born in U.S.
 Two-thirds of Muslim American population came to
America after 1990
 Arab countries, South Asia, Africa, and Europe
 Population increasing due to third generation births and
conversion to Islam
 Fastest growing religion in the United States

10. HISTORY - OPPRESSION
 Oppression stems from U.S. relations with Muslim
countries and perceived connections to terrorism
 Racism and bigotry also prevail, particularly if Black or
dark skinned
 Culturally derived misconceptions exist about women
 Post-9/11 struggles with harassment and bullying
 Assimilation and peer pressure challenge youth
where modesty and American culture conflict
(music, dress, dating)

11. U.S. POPULATION CONSTRUCT
 54% Male and 46% Female
 Generally young, educated, and financially sound (many
are now third generation Americans)
 Education and financial stats align with general U.S. population
 41% have household income of $50,000 or higher
 24% have college degrees
 48% are between age 30-49
 72% say religion is very important
 Geographically dispersed throughout U.S. with heavy
concentration in cities on coasts

12. U.S. POPULATION CONSTRUCT CONTINUED
 Political attitudes follow general American
population except where foreign policy is concerned
 Despite practiced American patriotism, Muslims
face increasingly intense scrutiny and anti-Islamic
behavior
 Concerns about mental health and substance
abuse due to dual identity (Muslim and American)
 Not likely to seek treatment; turn to prayer
 Privacy concerns

13. ELDERLY
 Often immigrants, unskilled, and poorer
 Highly respected
 Typically reside with extended family
 Access to health care is a concern since Medicare
and Medicaid cover nursing homes or long-term
care facilities, limiting coverage of care at home

14. WOMEN
 Considered equal to men
 Encouraged to receive an education and pursue
careers
 Inspiration of children’s education and upbringing
 Practice modesty; although styles vary
 Exploitation, abuse, and oppression are not the
Muslim way, but rather byproducts of other cultural
practices.

15. YOUTH
 Raised to be respectful and obedient
 Particularly respectful of elders
 Encouraged to become educated
 Girls practice modesty (dress and behavior) and
are not permitted to date before marriage
 Lead double lives with “American” friends and
“Muslim” friends
 Subject to extreme bullying and peer pressure

16. BARRIERS TO EDUCATION
 Education among men and women is strongly
encouraged
 Greatest challenge for the Muslim American student
is bullying
 Given the vast diversity within the Muslim American
community, additional challenges (racism ) exist due to
other cultural influences or circumstances.
 Bullying often leads to depression and addiction
 Allah is primary source of guidance
 Not likely to seek help from social workers or health
care providers

17. STRATEGIES FOR TEACHERS
AND SCHOOLS
 First, educate yourself…adults are often
the root cause of Muslim American bullying
 Educate students about
 Muslim American history, beliefs, and values
 Middle East and Asia
 History of Islam
 Draw on prior knowledge
 9/11 vs. Timothy McVeigh vs. Hitler
 Leverage social media and technology
 Bring in guest speakers to make it real

18. STRATEGIES FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL
 Be Aware of Bullying
 Know the signs
 Actively address concerns
 Create a culture of respect and tolerance
 Acknowledge religious practices, holidays, and
prohibitions
 Encourage discussions, questions, role playing and
debates on current events
 Promote student advocacy

19. LESSON PLAN –
APPRECIATING ISLAM (INTRODUCTION)
 Student Population: Grade 6 Catholic School
Students
 Subject Area: Religion
 Background: Strong understanding of Christianity.
Very little understanding of other religions. Strong
connection to events of 9/11 through media and
school. A fair number of family members are in the
military stationed in Afghanistan. Weak appreciation
of diversity.

20. LESSON PLAN – APPRECIATING ISLAM
(INTRODUCTION) CONTINUED
 Objective: Raise student awareness of Islamic beliefs
and practices in order to foster an environment of
respect and tolerance and appreciation of diversity.
 Activator: Collectively brainstorm a list of core beliefs
and practices in Catholicism. Next brainstorm a list of
what students know or believe about Muslims and Islam.
 Introduction: Video introduction to Islam; Introduce and
describe (unveil) the six major beliefs, five major
duties, prophets, sacred texts, and “leadership” of Islam.
Discuss similarities and differences to Catholicism.
 Activity: Students create a Venn diagram comparing
their Catholic beliefs and practices to those of Islam.
Students present diagrams and discuss prior
misconceptions.
 Wrap Up: Summary video of Islam

21. LESSON PLAN – APPRECIATING ISLAM
(INTRODUCTION) CONTINUED
 Extensions:
 Continue to explore Muslim and Catholic comparisons in
a social context including
dress, music, foods, holidays, and prayer. Students
write about or role-play a common social situation they
experience and how it would differ if they were Muslim.
 Discuss the impact of 9/11 on Muslim Americans.
Introduce students to anti-Islamic scenarios and discuss
bystander vs. upstander responses. Students role-play
different responses.

22. INTERNET RESOURCES
 IslamiCity
 Islamic American University
 Islamic Society of North America
 Muslim American Civic and Cultural Association
 Muslim American Society
 Muslims for America
 Quran Institute
 The American Muslim
 The Straight Path Initiative

23. COMMUNITY RESOURCES
 Mosques – A place of
prayer, socialization, celebration, and learning at
the community level
 Islamic Schools – Community-based alternative to
public schools instilling Islamic values and
practicing Muslim ways of life
 Muslim American Society – Local chapters provide
education about Islam, community service, and
activism
 Islamic American University – Designed to teach
Islamic sciences and Arabic language to
undergraduate and graduate students

24. COMMUNITY RESOURCES
 Scouting – working with the Girl and Boy Scouts of
America to teach the fundamentals of scouting and
provide a source of recreation and community
service
 Quran Institute – Help Muslims to fully understand
the teachings of the Quran; primarily done in a
homeschool format online via Skype
 The Straight Path Initiative – Aimed at 15-30 year
olds, focused on helping youth and young adults to
combat extremism and radicalism while developing
bicultural competence

25. SOURCES
 A brief history of Islam in the United States. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.colostate.edu/orgs/MSA/find_more/iia.html
 Ahmad, I. (2011, November 20). Defining the American Muslim
identity. Retrieved from
http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC1111-4931
 Al-Disi, H. & Addams, J. (2003, November). The Zakat: An act of
charity, a tax and a tithe. Retrieved from
http://www.islamawareness.net/Zakat/tithe.html
 Al-Heeti, R. (2007, May 11). Why nursing homes will not work: Caring
for the needs of the aging Muslim American population. The Elder
Law Journal, 15, 206. Retrieved from
http://www.lawonclark.com/pdfs/Al-Heeti.pdf
 Auda, J. (2011, January 4). The role of the mosque. Retrieved from
http://www.onislam.net/english/reading-islam/understanding-
islam/worship/prayers/450408-the-role-of-the-mosque.html
 Bryner, J. (2008, October 30). The truth about Muslims in America.
Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/5157-truth-muslims-
america.html

26. SOURCES
 Clock, G. (Ed.). (2008, December 18). Muslims in America – A
statistical portrait. In Being Muslim in America. Retrieved from
http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-
english/2008/December/20081222090246jmnamdeirf0.4547083.html
 Hakim, S. (n.d.). Muslims teachers guide: Beliefs and daily lives of
Muslims. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/muslims/beliefs.html
 Holcomb, S. (n.d.). Muslims in America: When bullying meets
religion. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/42528.htm
 Husain, A. & Ross-Sheriff, F. (2011). Cultural competence with
Muslim Americans. In D. Lum (Ed.), Culturally competent practice: A
framework for understanding diverse groups and justice issues (pp.
358-389). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
 Numan, F. (1992, December). American Muslim history: A
chronological observation. Retrieved from
http://www.islam101.com/history/muslim_us_hist.html