Muslims began arriving to the New World as early as the 15th century during the slave trade. It was estimated that about 14 to 20 percent of enslaved West Africans were Muslims (U.S. State Department, 2010). On the other hand, Muslims‟ voluntary migration to the United State began between late 19th to early 20th century. A number of Middle Eastern countries like Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine contributed to such early immigration to the U.S. Since then, Muslim immigration to the country increased particularly in the post-world war II era. Most new Muslim immigrants were college students who came to study at American universities. In the end, the majority of Muslim immigration to the United States has come from Southeast Asia like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. In this respect, 56 percent of U.S. born Muslims described themselves as black, 31 percent white, and 2 percent Asian. On the other hand, about 44 percent of foreign born Muslims identified themselves as white, 28 percent Asian, and 18 percent associated themselves with a mixed or other racial affiliation. Just 10 percent of foreign born Muslims reported that they were black. Likewise, Muslim Americans vary in their ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For instance, 26.2 percent of Muslim Americans described themselves as Middle Eastern Arabs, 24.7 percent South Asians, 23.8 percent African Americans, 10.3 percent Not Arab Middle Eastern, 6.4 percent East Asian, and 11.6 percent associated themselves with other ethnicities. Finally, it is important to understand the difference between Arab and Muslim Americans. Although Arab and Muslim Americans overlap with some Arabs are Muslims, almost two third of Arab Americans are non Muslims and most Muslim Americans are non Arabs . Muslim Americans also belong to various religious traditions in Islam including both Sunnis and Shia (Shiites). Based on a 2006 study by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), about 40
Muslims began arriving to the New World as early as the 15th century during the slave trade. It was estimated that about 14 to 20 percent of enslaved West Africans were Muslims (U.S. State Department, 2010). On the other hand, Muslims‟ voluntary migration to the United State began between late 19th to early 20th century. A number of Middle Eastern countries like Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine contributed to such early immigration to the U.S. Since then, Muslim immigration to the country increased particularly in the post-world war II era. Most new Muslim immigrants were college students who came to study at American universities. In the end, the majority of Muslim immigration to the United States has come from Southeast Asia like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. In this respect, 56 percent of U.S. born Muslims described themselves as black, 31 percent white, and 2 percent Asian. On the other hand, about 44 percent of foreign born Muslims identified themselves as white, 28 percent Asian, and 18 percent associated themselves with a mixed or other racial affiliation. Just 10 percent of foreign born Muslims reported that they were black. Likewise, Muslim Americans vary in their ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For instance, 26.2 percent of Muslim Americans described themselves as Middle Eastern Arabs, 24.7 percent South Asians, 23.8 percent African Americans, 10.3 percent Not Arab Middle Eastern, 6.4 percent East Asian, and 11.6 percent associated themselves with other ethnicities. Finally, it is important to understand the difference between Arab and Muslim Americans. Although Arab and Muslim Americans overlap with some Arabs are Muslims, almost two third of Arab Americans are non Muslims and most Muslim Americans are non Arabs . Muslim Americans also belong to various religious traditions in Islam including both Sunnis and Shia (Shiites). Based on a 2006 study by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), about 40