The Approach of the Fiqh Council of North America towards Identity Problems of Contemporary Muslim Minorities

The status of being a Muslim minority in a non-Muslim country has obtained public and international attention with the consequence of globalization and immigration in the contemporary world. The increasing rate of immigration to the United States after the 1980s resulted in a new identity that mainly includes two main ingredients: Muslim identity and American identity. Especially, the following generation of the first immigrants has unexpectedly confronted the issue of an identity crisis ensuing from the simultaneous belonging to American and Muslim identities. With permanent settlement and acquiring American citizenship, Muslim Americans have shouldered dual responsibilities and duties. Occasionally, the dual identity of Muslim Americans has resulted in clashes between the religious and citizenship responsibilities. The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA), a voluntarily established fatwā institution, tries to find Islamic legal solutions to that of American Muslims’ paradoxical predicaments. In the light of particular fatwās (legal opinion) issued by the FCNA, this paper will analyse how the identity crises of Muslim Americans are resolved; which Islamic legal methodologies are predominantly deployed to obliterate the mundane and religious paradoxes of those Muslim Americans; and whether the preponderance is given to American identity or Muslim identity by the FCNA.

Social Experiences of Muslim Americans Regarding the Intolerance Displayed by Non-Muslims

Non-Muslims in the United States have openly expressed their opposition regarding Muslim Americans, which has led to the racial profiling and unequal treatment of Muslim Americans. Literature regarding the intolerance displayed by majority members indicates a need for further research that explores the point of view of minorities in the United States. Intolerance is defined as the refusal and unwillingness to respect or tolerate persons of a different social group or members of minority groups who hold beliefs contrary to one’s own. The intolerance displayed among members of different religious and cultural backgrounds can limit the ability to discover new information needed in promoting positive social change among Muslims and non-Muslims in the United States. Semistructured interviews were used to explore the social experiences of Muslim Americans of Palestinian descent in Cleveland, Ohio, regarding prejudice and discrimination displayed by non-Muslims. The theory of planned behavior and impression management theory were used as the framework for this study. Convenience and purposeful sampling were used to recruit the 10 participants chosen for this study. Template analysis, Giorgio’s psychological phenomenological method, and coding were used to analyze the data obtained from this study. Participants revealed experiencing prejudice and discrimination “everywhere” and “anywhere,” including verbal attacks and emotional distress. Participants also described the intolerance among Muslims and non-Muslims as “good and bad” or “it depends.” Information from this study can help in the development of social strategies that can be used to improve the interactions among Muslims and non-Muslims in United States.

Muslim Americans’ Views on Making Organ Donation Decisions in the Department of Motor Vehicles Setting

Introduction: Organ donation-related education is offered, and decisions are made at state Department of Motor Vehicles; however, little is known about Muslim Americans’ attitudes toward these common practices. Research Questions: Are participants comfortable learning about deceased organ donation in the Department of Motor Vehicles setting? Are participants prepared to make deceased organ donation-related decisions at the Department of Motor Vehicles? Design: A survey of Muslim Americans attending an educational workshop at 4 mosques in two US cities. Primary study outcomes were self-reported (a) preparedness to make deceased donation-related decisions and (b) comfort with receiving organ donation education in the license renewal setting. We calculated Pearson product-moment correlations between these primary outcomes and participant characteristics including sociodemographic descriptors, religiosity and religious coping measures, and discrimination measures. Results: Most respondents indicated they were not prepared to make organ donation-related decisions at the Department of Motor Vehicles (79.6%). Preparedness did not vary by age, gender, country of origin or US residency duration, nor by religiosity, negative religious coping, or experiences of discrimination. However, higher scores on positive religious coping were associated with lower ratings of preparedness. A slight majority (58.9%) of respondents were comfortable receiving organ donation education. Conclusions: Muslim Americans are comfortable with learning about organ donation while at the Department of Motor Vehicles but are ill-prepared to make deceased donation-related decisions in the same setting. Further research is required to understand whether changes to the license renewal setting would improve decision-making outcomes in this population.

From Interpersonal Violence to Institutionalized Discrimination: Documenting and Assessing the Impact of Islamophobia on Muslim Americans

Background: Muslims and people perceived as Muslims in the U.S. face Islamophobia, defined as anti-Muslim or anti-Islam sentiments. Reports of hate crimes motivated by Islamophobia have increased, as have other forms of Islamophobia, such as workplace discrimination. This qualitative study examined the impact of Islamophobia on Muslim Americans, ranging from school and workplace discrimination to policies that target Muslims, such as government surveillance. The objectives of this study were: 1) Document the spectrum of Islamophobia in the U.S.; and 2) Assess the impact of Islamophobia on Muslim Americans.Methods: Components of grounded theory guided data collection and analysis. Using a semi-structured interview guide, a total of 40 participants (20 women, 20 men) were interviewed regarding self-reported experiences with Islamophobia and responses to bias incidents. Participants self-identified as Muslim, were at least 18 years of age, and represented various ethnic groups. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Nvivo 12.Results: Findings indicate that Islamophobia and xenophobia are significant sources of long-term stress. Participants discussed physical assaults in public locations, vandalism at their homes, persistent questioning regarding their country of origin, and verbal harassment in the form of derogatory terms.Conclusion: Islamophobia in the U.S. is multifaceted and a significant source of stress for Muslim Americans. Findings from this study and others on this topic highlight the need for interventions to support Muslim Americans.

Effects of Religious Discrimination and Fear for Safety on Life Satisfaction for Muslim Americans

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between two forms of religious discrimination (religious prejudice and environmental discrimination) and life satisfaction among a sample of Muslim Americans. Based on the framework of minority stress theory, we also hypothesized that higher levels of religious prejudice as well as environmental discrimination, would significantly relate to higher fear of safety, and in turn, would relate to lower life satisfaction. Method: A total of 192 Muslim American participants (Age M= 27.87) completed an on-line survey about their experiences as Muslim American. Women made up almost 75% of the sample.Results: Findings revealed that higher religious prejudice as well as environmental discrimination were both significantly related to lower life satisfaction and that fear of safety partially mediated both of these relationships. Conclusions:  Findings help illustrate that Muslim Americans are not immune to the social-political climate of Islamophobia and can experience religious discrimination in different ways. In addition, women and younger participants expressed higher fear of safety when compared to men and older participants. Professionals who work with individuals from the Muslim community are encouraged to consider the chronic and on-going impact of stress that Muslim Americans face especially within the context of the United States.

Promoting allyship among South Asian and Arab Muslims toward Black and Latino/a Muslims in American Islamic centers

Increased social justice awareness in the United States and shifting demographics are giving birth to a more diverse and egalitarian generation. Improving relations across social categories has been a key topic in di-versity, equity, and inclusion work, but less emphasis has been placed on cross-racial allyship within mi-nority populations. While allyship in racial contexts is often perceived as a White versus non-White issue, this binary position erases the diversity that exists within communities of color. A dichotomous approach to allyship that positions White heterosexual males as the primary holders of privilege does not address the disparities that exist within and across minoritized communities. While Arabs and South Asians are minori-ties in the US on a macrolevel, they often hold privileged positions in Islamic centers and other Muslim spaces—even though Black Americans make up a larger percentage of the Muslim population. Additional-ly, there is an increasing number of Latino/a Muslims in the US, but they are often invisible in larger con-versations about Islam in America as well as in discourse among Muslim Americans. In this chapter, we explore the concept of allyship and how South Asian and Arab Muslims can support and advocate for Black and Latino/a Muslims in American Islamic centers. We also discuss Islamophobia in the US as well as the anti-Blackness and racism that exists within Muslim communities and provide suggestions on how Islamic centers can serve as spaces of allyship and cross-racial dialogue.

Aesthetic Styles and the Occupation of Space in the “Places You’ll Pray” Photo Series

This paper analyzes a series of photographs that feature Muslim Americans praying in various public locations. In the “Places You’ll Pray” series, photographer Sana Ullah employs attractive settings along with framing, lighting, angle and colors to emphasize that the Islamic practice of prayer is not only an act that induces feelings of tranquility but also a beautiful practice that belongs within American public spaces. Through the policing of the sensory realm, the complex experiences of Muslims are generally over-simplified or made invisible in the media. This article explores how Muslim creators use aesthetics to shift the larger sensory realm of what is considered attractive, beautiful and valued in American society. As these photos circulate through social media and other digital spaces, Ullah and the photo subjects use the occupation of physical and digital spaces to assert that Muslim lives and Islamic values belong in the American landscape.

Turks and Other Muslims in the US: An Analysis of Perceptions

Surveys show that, in the United States, Americans have a less favorable view of Muslims due to various reasons as opposed to American Muslims who conversely favor the American state and population. In line with this fact, this study tries to understand whether the Turkish community living in the US has different views about Americans than American Muslims do. This study makes a comparison because not all ethnic groups in the American Muslim community have the same views about Americans. While analyzing the Turkish community’s perceptions, this study also analyzes the views Americans and Muslim Americans have towards each other. The study compares previous surveys with the survey conducted among Turks living in the US and concludes that Muslims generally have the same perceptions regarding Americans. It also reveals that aside from the basic reasons which result in a negative view towards Muslims, being a small community and fragmented are two significant factors that damage the image of Muslims. In addition, it reveals that a lack of knowledge about each other increases negative perceptions.