Type of paper: Essay
Citation style: MLA
Pages: 2
Sources: 0
Level: Undergraduate
The Muslim population in the United States is somewhere between two million to seven million individuals. The figure is not clearly available because the US census does not strictly use religion as a parameter for demographics (US Embassy). However, a large number of the Muslims living in the US today are first generation Muslims. This indicates that either Muslims are immigrants or converts from the original population. In either of the cases, the Muslim community in the US is highly diversified and has all forms of Islamic faiths knit together. The diversity also exists in terms of ethnicity, countries of origin etc. These groups include Arabs, Europeans, Africans, Asians and Americans (US Embassy). A large portion of the Muslim population is of Asian origin. One of the fastest growing ethnic groups amongst the Muslims are the Asian Indian Muslims. Nearly sixty five percent of the Muslim population are naturalized US citizens and more individuals are added to this number each year. The following paper discusses the Muslims of Asian Indian Origin as members of the Muslim community in the United States of America.
The Asian Muslim community originates from several Asian countries. The country groups include South Asian countries of India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar (Leonard & Irwin). Asian Indians are a fairly small community and comprise of one percent of the total US population (Pew Forum). Asian Indian Muslims comprise of ten percent of this population, which makes them one of the largest groups of Muslims in the country, besides the African American Muslims and the Arab Muslim communities (Pew Forum). The Arab community itself has religious groups of Muslims, Jews and Christians. Indian Muslims are a mosaic of diversity in themselves. The culture of the Indian Muslims is similar to all the Muslims, with observation of celebrations in accordance with the world Muslim calendar. However, they have certain differences owing to their ethnicity. Although the Indian Muslim has knowledge of Arabic, they do not strictly speak the language. Indian Muslims speak English, Hindi and other Indian languages, and Urdu; a language derivative from Pasto, Arabic and Hindi, spoken specifically by Muslims of Asian Indian origin. Indian Muslims have a rich culture of their own and congregate with other Muslims during times of celebrations without ardor. They do not have any problem in mixing with Muslims from other South Asian countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, owing to common ethnic history.
As indicated previously, nearly sixty five percent of the Muslim population is naturalized in the US (Pew Forum). Indian Muslims have a good stature in the American society. South Asian Americans have higher education qualification, have prowess with English and understand the concepts of democracy (Leonard & Irwin). Asian Indian Muslims assimilate with the rest of the American population easily. Indian Muslims follow the traditional Muslim attire as well as latest fashion trends in the US. In India, the Muslims are a minority too, although they have certain degree of representation in Indian politics. In the US, Asian Indian Muslims are a minority, although they find political presence through prominent American Muslim councils like the Indian Muslim Council (US Embassy). In fact the South Asian Muslim community was the first to appear on the political scene to help the African American Muslim community during the 1920s (Leonard & Irwin). Their congregations vary from orthodox Islamic to liberals. Without a doubt the Asian Indian Muslim community is an exemplary indicator of how the Muslim community in the US and elsewhere in the world does not strictly apply to the people of Arab origin.
US Embassy. “Muslims in America – A Statistical Portrait.” Embassy of the United States, Baghdad, Iraq. 2007. Web. Available at http://iraq.usembassy.gov/resources/information/current/american/statistical.html
Leonard, Karen and Irwin, U.C. “American Muslims: South Asian Contribution to the Mix”. French and US approaches to understanding Islam. Stanford. 14 Sept, 2004. Web. Available at http://stanford.edu/dept/france-stanford/Conferences/Islam/Leonard.pdf
Citation style: MLA
Pages: 2
Sources: 0
Level: Undergraduate
Muslim Minority in the USA
The Muslim population in the United States is somewhere between two million to seven million individuals. The figure is not clearly available because the US census does not strictly use religion as a parameter for demographics (US Embassy). However, a large number of the Muslims living in the US today are first generation Muslims. This indicates that either Muslims are immigrants or converts from the original population. In either of the cases, the Muslim community in the US is highly diversified and has all forms of Islamic faiths knit together. The diversity also exists in terms of ethnicity, countries of origin etc. These groups include Arabs, Europeans, Africans, Asians and Americans (US Embassy). A large portion of the Muslim population is of Asian origin. One of the fastest growing ethnic groups amongst the Muslims are the Asian Indian Muslims. Nearly sixty five percent of the Muslim population are naturalized US citizens and more individuals are added to this number each year. The following paper discusses the Muslims of Asian Indian Origin as members of the Muslim community in the United States of America.
The Asian Muslim community originates from several Asian countries. The country groups include South Asian countries of India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar (Leonard & Irwin). Asian Indians are a fairly small community and comprise of one percent of the total US population (Pew Forum). Asian Indian Muslims comprise of ten percent of this population, which makes them one of the largest groups of Muslims in the country, besides the African American Muslims and the Arab Muslim communities (Pew Forum). The Arab community itself has religious groups of Muslims, Jews and Christians. Indian Muslims are a mosaic of diversity in themselves. The culture of the Indian Muslims is similar to all the Muslims, with observation of celebrations in accordance with the world Muslim calendar. However, they have certain differences owing to their ethnicity. Although the Indian Muslim has knowledge of Arabic, they do not strictly speak the language. Indian Muslims speak English, Hindi and other Indian languages, and Urdu; a language derivative from Pasto, Arabic and Hindi, spoken specifically by Muslims of Asian Indian origin. Indian Muslims have a rich culture of their own and congregate with other Muslims during times of celebrations without ardor. They do not have any problem in mixing with Muslims from other South Asian countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, owing to common ethnic history.
As indicated previously, nearly sixty five percent of the Muslim population is naturalized in the US (Pew Forum). Indian Muslims have a good stature in the American society. South Asian Americans have higher education qualification, have prowess with English and understand the concepts of democracy (Leonard & Irwin). Asian Indian Muslims assimilate with the rest of the American population easily. Indian Muslims follow the traditional Muslim attire as well as latest fashion trends in the US. In India, the Muslims are a minority too, although they have certain degree of representation in Indian politics. In the US, Asian Indian Muslims are a minority, although they find political presence through prominent American Muslim councils like the Indian Muslim Council (US Embassy). In fact the South Asian Muslim community was the first to appear on the political scene to help the African American Muslim community during the 1920s (Leonard & Irwin). Their congregations vary from orthodox Islamic to liberals. Without a doubt the Asian Indian Muslim community is an exemplary indicator of how the Muslim community in the US and elsewhere in the world does not strictly apply to the people of Arab origin.
Works cited
Pew Forum. “Indian Americans' Religions". Projects.pewforum.org. 18 Jul, 2012. Web. Available at http://projects.pewforum.org/2012/07/18/religious-affiliation-of-asian-americans-2/asianamericans_affiliation-6-2/US Embassy. “Muslims in America – A Statistical Portrait.” Embassy of the United States, Baghdad, Iraq. 2007. Web. Available at http://iraq.usembassy.gov/resources/information/current/american/statistical.html
Leonard, Karen and Irwin, U.C. “American Muslims: South Asian Contribution to the Mix”. French and US approaches to understanding Islam. Stanford. 14 Sept, 2004. Web. Available at http://stanford.edu/dept/france-stanford/Conferences/Islam/Leonard.pdf
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