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Islam in America Today

By , About.com Guide

The number of Muslims in the United States today is estimated to be between 6-8 million. According to several surveys commissioned between 2006-2008, African-Americans make up about 25% of the Muslim population of the U.S.

The vast majority of African-American Muslims have embraced orthodox Islam and have rejected the racially-divisive teachings of the Nation of Islam. Warith Deen Mohammed, a son of Elijah Mohammed, helped lead the community through a transition away from his father's black nationalist teachings, to join the mainstream Islamic faith.

The number of Muslim immigrants to the United States has increased in recent years, as has the number of native-born converts to the faith. Among immigrants, Muslims come largely from Arab and South Asian countries. A major study conducted by Pew Research Center in 2007 found that American Muslims are mostly middle-class, well-educated, and "decidedly American in their outlook, values and attitudes."

Today, Muslims in America represent a colorful mosaic that is unique in the world. African-Americans, Southeast Asians, North Africans, Arabs, and Europeans come together daily for prayer and support, united in faith, with the understanding that they are all equal before God.

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