Being Muslim In America | NBC News

At the "I am Muslim too" rally in Times Square, New York, we asked what it means to be Muslim in America today.

Minneapolis Muslims: Sharia Law Better Than American Laws

Sep. 21, 2016 - 4:04 - Ami on the Street: Satirist Ami Horowitz asks Minneapolis Muslims if they prefer Sharia law over American laws, is it right to kill someone for depicting the prophet Muhammad

Father of Fallen US Soldier Asks Trump to Read Constitution

The Muslim-American father of a slain soldier brought the DNC audience to their feet in an emotional moment. He challenged Donald Trump to read the constitution, pulling out his own copy and offering to lend it to the GOP nominee.

American Muslims Fear a New Wave of Islamophobia

REUTERS.COM: Muslim Americans responded with a mix of frustration, exasperation and anger to what many see as a growing wave of Islamophobia fueled by two of the Republican Party’s most popular presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Ben Carson.

At the Islamic Institute of Orange County, which houses a mosque and a school in Anaheim, in southern California, tensions were already mounting since a group of white men screamed at mothers and children arriving at the center on this year’s anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, calling them cowards who did not belong in America.

Many of the country’s 2.8 million Muslims say such tensions could become uglier during a presidential race that they fear is already tapping a vein of anger and bigotry.

“It’s pretty troubling that someone running for president would make those claims,” Zuhair Shaath, Palestinian-American, said of Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who on Sunday said Muslims were unfit for the presidency of the United States.

Carson's campaign defended his comments on Monday, saying he was not suggesting a Muslim should be barred from running for president. But his campaign said he would not advocate for that person becoming a leader and would not support it.

Later on Monday, Carson said he "absolutely" stood by his comments but would be open to a moderate Muslim candidate who denounced radical Islamists.

The remarks by Carson, who is near the top of opinion polls for the crowded field of Republican candidates for the 2016 election, followed billionaire Trump’s failure to challenge comments made on Friday by a supporter who labeled U.S. President Barack Obama a Muslim. » | Tim Reid | Anaheim, Calif. | Monday, September 21, 2015

Shock Poll: 51% of U.S. Muslims Want Sharia; 25% Okay with Violence against Americans

BREITBART.COM: The Center for Security Policy released a poll Tuesday that should give all Americans pause. The results show that a startling number of American Muslims, our fellow citizens, agree that violence is a legitimate response to those who insult Islam. A full majority of 51% “agreed that “Muslims in America should have the choice of being governed according to shariah.” » | John Nolte | Wednesday, June 24, 2015

American Muslims: Latino Converts to Islam

We visit the Islamic Center of Greater Miami to look at the rising number of Latino Muslims in the US—as many as 250,000, according to estimates. Some of the converts say that in Islam they have found theological simplicity and “no intermediaries with God.” The Islamic Circle of North America reports that more than half of US Latino converts are women. “I just felt that the minute I put my head down to the ground, “ says Nadia Echevrria, “I was really talking to God.” – Friday, June 05, 2015 (Originally published on July 25, 2014)

Large Majority Of Muslim-Americans Support Obama In Decade-Long Shift Toward Democrats
THINK PROGRESS: The Council on American-Islamic Relationsreleased poll results this week showing that 68 percent of American Muslims support President Obama while just 7 percent support Mitt Romney (1 in 4 remain undecided). These results reflect a new reality for Republicans: American Muslims are rushing toward Democrats. In 2008, 49 percent of Muslim-Americans felt “closer” to Democrats. Now that number has shot up to 66 percent. That’s in contrast to the population as a whole, where Democratic favorability has actually gone down 11 percent. » | Hamed Aleaziz | Thursday, October 25, 2012

USA/Islam: Muslims Educate Americans on Sharia
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC NEWS AGENCY: WASHINGTON DC, 11 Rabi al-Thani / 4 March (IINA)-A leading US Muslim group has launched a campaign to educate Americans about Islamic Sharia long affected by post-9/11 politics as well as campaigns led by Republican presidential candidates.

“ICNA is making an honest attempt to reach out and connect to our fellow Americans and introduce them to our Islamic faith,” Naeem Baig, the Islamic Circle of North America’s vice president of public affairs, told CNN.

“We see it as our responsibility to clarify misconceptions about American Muslims.”
The campaigns launched by ICNA is aimed at “educating Americans” on what it says is the noble meaning of Sharia. » | AH/IINA | Sunday, March 04, 2012

Number of Mosques Nearly Doubles in Decade

THE WASHINGTON POST: NEW YORK — The number of American mosques has increased dramatically in the last decade despite post 9/11 protests aimed at Muslim houses of worship, according to a new study. The new Islamic centers serve Muslims who moved into the suburbs and newer immigrants from Africa, Iraq and elsewhere.

Researchers conducting the national count found a total of 2,106 Islamic centers, compared to 1,209 in 2000 and 962 in 1994. About one-quarter of the centers were built between 2000-2011, as the community faced intense scrutiny by government officials and a suspicious public. In 2010, protest against an Islamic center near ground zero erupted into a national debate over Islam, extremism and religious freedom. Anti-mosque demonstrations spread to Tennessee, California and other states.

Ihsan Bagby, a professor at the University of Kentucky and lead author of the study, said the findings show Muslims are carving out a place for themselves despite the backlash. » | Associated Press | Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Welcome to the First Annual Celebrity Religion Swap
THE AMERICAN MUSLIM: Muslims worldwide groaned upon hearing the news that Oliver Stone’s son, Sean, converted to Islam while filming a documentary in Iran.

Although we — the collective 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide — assume Sean Stone is a fine, upstanding man and sincerely wish him spiritual contentment, we earnestly ask Allah why Islam only attracts controversial celebs (in this case, the son of a controversial celeb) who further tarnish our already toxic brand name?

We plead to the heavens for an answer as to why he converted in Iran, of all places, which is currently the most feared and loathed country in America and about as popular as herpes.

We have patiently endured, oh, Allah.

We miraculously survived Mike Tyson, who converted to Islam while incarcerated, and then angrily threatened Lennox Lewis in an infamous interview: “I want your heart. I will eat his children. Praise be to Allah.”

Awesome.

Islam has the lowest favorability rating of any religion in America. If Islam were a world economy, it would be Greece. If it were a professional athlete, it would be San Francisco 49ers punt returner Kyle Williams, who muffed two critical punts, which helped the New York Giants reach the Super Bowl. If Islam went to the prom, it would be the ugly girl with freckles and an overbite standing in the corner with a bucket of pig’s blood teetering precariously over its head. If Islam were a Republican presidential candidate, it would be Newt Gingrich. » | Wajahat Ali | Thursday, February 23, 2012

Listening Post – Boycotting Reality: 'All American Muslim'
What has an American Muslim reality TV show revealed about US media in a post-9/11 era?

Police Chief Angers NY Muslims
The appearance by the New York police department commissioner, Ray Kelly, in a film depicting an "Islamic flag" over the White House and Muslims shooting Christians has angered the city's Muslim population. The Muslim community sees the screening of the film to 1,500 trainees and Kelly's participation in it - which he at first denied but later admitted to after his appearance became public knowledge - as part of a pattern of discrimination against their community. Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler reports from New York

Radical Cleric Breaks Silence on Mideast Unrest
Mar 31, 2011 – Will Al Qaeda benefit from changes in the region?

WIKI: Inspire magazine »

Hearing on ‘Radicalized’ Muslims

Muslim Women Who Wear the Hijab and Niqab
CNN: Nadia and Aliya, two Muslim American women who cover themselves in adherence to their faith's promotion of modesty, explain their choice.

U.S.-born Cleric Calls on Muslims to Kill U.S. Civilians
DETROIT FREE PRESS: CAIRO, Egypt -- A U.S.-born cleric who has encouraged Muslims to kill American soldiers called for the killing of U.S. civilians in his first video released by a Yemeni offshoot of al-Qaida.

Dressed in a white Yemeni robe and turban and with a dagger tucked into his waistband, Anwar Al-Awlaki used the 45-minute video posted Sunday to justify civilian deaths -- and encourage them -- by accusing the U.S. of intentionally killing a million Muslim civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

American civilians are to blame, he said, because "the American people, in general, are taking part in this and they elected this administration and they are financing the war." >>> Maamoun Youssef, Associated Press | Monday, May 24, 2010

Al-Awlaki: "Kill Americans"

Imam’s Path From Condemning Terror to Preaching Jihad
THE NEW YORK TIMES: WASHINGTON — In the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, the eloquent 30-year-old imam of a mosque outside Washington became a go-to Muslim cleric for reporters scrambling to explain Islam. He condemned the mass murder, invited television crews to follow him around and patiently explained the rituals of his religion.

“We came here to build, not to destroy,” the cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, said in a sermon. “We are the bridge between Americans and one billion Muslims worldwide.”

At first glance, it seemed plausible that this lanky, ambitious man, with the scholarly wire-rims and equal command of English and Arabic, could indeed be such a bridge. CD sets of his engaging lectures on the Prophet Muhammad were in thousands of Muslim homes. American-born, he had a sense of humor, loved deep-sea fishing, had dabbled in get-rich-quick investment schemes and dropped references to “Joe Sixpack” into his sermons. A few weeks before the attacks he had preached in the United States Capitol.

Nine years later, from his hide-out in Yemen, Mr. Awlaki has declared war on the United States.

“America as a whole has turned into a nation of evil,” he said in a statement posted on extremist Web sites in March. Though he had spent 21 of his 39 years in the United States, he added, “I eventually came to the conclusion that jihad against America is binding upon myself, just as it is binding on every other able Muslim.” >>> Scott Shane and Souad Mekhennet | Saturday, May 08, 2010

R.O.P. Strikes Again*! Times Square Car Bomb: Security Slip Let Faisal Shahzad Board Plane
THE TELEGRAPH: The suspect in the failed car bomb attempt on Times Square was allowed to board a plane and almost make it out of the country despite being on a no fly list, it has emerged.



Faisal Shahzad had boarded a jetliner bound for the United Arab Emirates before federal authorities arrested him. Although under surveillance since midafternoon, he had managed to elude investigators and head to the airport.

The night's events, gradually coming to light, underscored the flaws in the nation's aviation security system, which despite its technologies, lists and information sharing, often comes down to someone making a right call.

As federal agents closed in, Mr Shahzad was aboard Emirates Flight 202. He reserved a ticket on the way to John F. Kennedy International Airport, paid cash on arrival and walked through security without being stopped.

By the time Customs and Border Protection officials, using a no-fly list updated on Tuesday, spotted Mr Shahzad's name on the passenger list and recognised him as the bombing suspect they were looking for, he was in his seat and the plane was preparing to leave the gate.

At the last minute, the pilot was notified, the jetliner's door was opened and Shahzad was taken into custody.

After authorities pulled Mr Shahzad off the plane.

He later claimed to have been trained at a terror camp in Pakistan's lawless tribal region of Waziristan, according to court documents. That raised increased concern that the bombing was an international terror plot.

New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that Mr Shahzad was cooperating with investigators and had waived his Miranda rights, which grant him the right to a lawyer and full US constitutional legal rights. >>> | Wednesday, May 05, 2010

*But Bloomberg wants Americans not to connect the dots! Fighting the Jihad this way, the West is going to need infinite resources, to say nothing of immeasurable patience and understanding. He wants the people of New York – and the rest of the West, I suppose – to “turn the other cheek”, indefinitely! So keep on turning that cheek folks! – © Mark

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Terrorism Suspect, Charged, Said to Admit to Role in Plot : A Pakistani-American man arrested in the failed Times Square car bombing has admitted his role in the attempted attack and said he received explosives training in Pakistan, the authorities said Tuesday. >>> Mark Mazzetti, Sabrina Tavernise and Jack Healy | Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Related:

Obama appoints two devout Muslims to Homeland Security posts. Presumably to keep Americans safe! Go figure! >>>

Statement by Secretary Napolitano on President Obama's Intent to Nominate David Heyman as Assistant Secretary for Policy and her Appointment of Arif Alikhan as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development >>>

U.S.-born Terror Suspect on Video

Terroristes «Made in USA» aussi dangereux qu'Al-Qaïda, selon le FBI
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: MENACES | Les terroristes agissant seuls ("loups solitaires") et ceux ayant grandi sur le sol américain font désormais peser sur les Etats-Unis une "menace aussi grande" qu'Al-Qaïda, affirme le patron du FBI Robert Mueller.

Le patron du FBI s'exprimait devant des parlementaires américains. "Al-Qaïda et ses branches cherchent toujours à nous frapper aux Etats-Unis", a déclaré M. Mueller, rappelant l'attentat manqué contre un avion américain le jour de Noël, revendiqué par le chef d'Al-Qaïda Oussama ben Laden, et des complots visant le métro de New York.

Mais les extrémistes ayant grandi aux Etats-Unis et "les loups solitaires sont une menace aussi grande", a ajouté le patron du FBI (police fédérale), qui s'exprimait devant la commission du Sénat chargée de la répartition des fonds fédéraux. >>> ATS/AFP | Vendredi 16 Avril 2010