Religion and Theology

One of the most controversial and misunderstood religion in the world is also the fastest growing religion in the world. Following the 911 attacks, many of us have become familiar with what Islam is and what its message is. Although, it is safe to say that the message of Islam was not always internationally clear. There are 7 million Muslims in America (second largest religion in the U.S.) and its history dates all the way back to the slave trade. Since then, there have been 4 major waves of Muslim immigration. The fourth wave of Muslim immigrants came in the mid 1900s (1968-present), and these immigrants were very educated, they spoke English fluently and were much more westernized than the past three waves of Muslim immigrants. Many of these immigrants that came during the fourth wave either came to settle down, gain work experience and to obtain a higher education. Also, depending on the country that they came from, many immigrants like to escape from the ideologies and regulations of their home country. This escape can sometimes be temporary and it can sometimes become permanent. Other than an influx of Muslim immigrants, the 1970s also gave birth to the Islamic Medical Association (IMA), the Association of Muslim Social Scientist (AMSS), and the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers (AMSE).

The west has influenced Islam just as much as Islam has influenced the western world. The close ties that the U.S. has with Israel helps import western culture into the Islamic world. Islam is influenced by the West because globalization seems to be inevitable regardless of where in the world you are. Satellite TV, the internet, movies, McDonalds, godless physics, too low oil prices, unfavorable exchange rates, and so on and on. If the West, on the contrary, shut down TV satellites and blocked the internet, Muslims would cry discrimination. Muslims import and adjust to these western ideals simply because the oil proceeds are spent in dollars and euros. In Islam, contrary to Western beliefs, the rights of the community are considered more important than the rights of the individual.(CNN, 1997)

The September 11th attacks changed the lives of many Muslims around the world, in particularly, in the U.S. Many non-Muslims got the chance to discover Islam, something that had not happened before despite the large number of Muslims in the U.S. as well as worldwide. Gender is also something that has been highly influenced by Western culture, especially for the Muslim women living in the U.S.  Muslim women in the United States benefit from their direct access to the Quran, which alleviates their dependence on patriarchal interpretations that have developed in other countries and during other eras. Despite this freedom, they continue to face substantial community pressure to marry and to remain married. Many divorced women find themselves both without the financial guarantees provided by the shariah legal system in Muslim countries and reluctant to avail themselves of the relief available through the American legal system. At the same time, traditional gender roles have been altered significantly. Women are utilizing the countrys associational freedom to create womens self- and mutual-help organizations. The growing number of single Muslim mothers in this country may begin to affect gender role perceptions, as may the nascent field of Islamic gender studies.

However, just as much as the U.S. has influenced the way the Muslims live in the U.S., the U.S. has also clearly been influenced by Islam as well. Despite the soaring convert rates, especially amongst white American women, the number of mosques in the U.S. is also soaring. The identity of the over 1,200 American mosques is in flux. Mosques have traditionally been viewed as places of worship without members, and as a result worshippers financial contributions to mosques have been low. Gradual adoption of the American congregational model, however, means that many worshippers are beginning to view themselves as members of specific mosques and are becoming more involved with them both financially and in day-today management. Similarly, the concept of the mosque leader as unpaid and responsible only for prayer leadership, rather than performing a pastoral function, is changing. Other than the growing number of Mosques in the U.S., there is also a growing number of Islamic schools. Islamic schools in the United States are striving to identify their goals and define an appropriate Islamic curriculum. While the number of Islamic schools is on the rise, their growth has been hindered by the differing approaches to Islamic education favored by many African-American and immigrant Muslims.

Each year, Muslims living in the U.S. become more and more familiarized and accustomed to the American culture. Therefore, each year they become more comfortable with the way American life is and their customs. For the most part, many Muslims today blend in with the American culture and way of life, they have learned to accept the differences in between the two cultures, yet they respect one another. Although, following the 911 attacks, Muslims often fell victims to discrimination and harassment, however, those days are beginning to slowly diminish due to the fact that America is slowly starting to accept Islam for what it truly is, rather than what extremists have turned it into. The high convert rates in the U.S. and the world have presented us with a peaceful side of Islam that most of the world had not been familiar with.

The fourth wave of Muslim immigrants were mainly students whom were coming to the U.S. for experience and higher education. During the 70s and 80s Muslim countries were not half as westernized as they are today, therefore all the individuals that came to America had quite the culture shock. Therefore many held tight to their original values and beliefs since America seemed to have held opposing ones at the time. However, the third and fourth generation immigrants are much more Americanized than one would believe. Even though, growing up around first generation immigrants that have their own beliefs and values, many of these kids go to school with other Americans, therefore making it very difficult not to adapt and become accustomed with American culture and values. The Muslims that have been in America for decades show a much less primitive side to themselves, and they have also opened a door to a more liberal way of thinking.