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was inclined to incorporate Muslim chaplains or Imams as they
are called, as part of their service personal. An Imam is the counterpart of
Christian pastors, Catholic priest and Jewish Rabbi. They also allowed these new
Muslim service personal time on Fridays to attend the Jummah Prayer, which is
the counter part to Christian Sunday service or the Jewish Sabbath services.
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States. Within the last few
years alone, we have seen an astonishing number of Americans converting to
Islam. Covering every sector of society, economic background, profession and
race, they are choosing Islam.
Another interesting aspect is that the women in America embracing Islam are
holding more academic degrees than the men who embrace Islam! In other words,
more women with Bachelors, Master’s and PhD’s. Why would such educated women
embrace a religion that is suppose to regulate them to the status of a second
class citizen?
Recognition & Social Acceptance
This last Ramadan we saw Capitol Hill hosting its first ever Iftar (breaking of
the daily fast during the month of Ramadan) dinner attended by Congressmen,
congressional staffers, 130 elected officials, American Muslim leaders, as well
as ambassadors from Islamic nations. Rep. John Conyers in his welcoming remarks
said that they plan to do this on yearly bases.
Retailers are also sitting up and taking notice of the ever growing Muslim
population. This year IKEA highlighted the month of Ramadan with a month long
campaign showing women wearing the Islamic head scarf (hijab) and South Asian
dresses, photos of Makkah, sweet trays used for the end of fast celebrations and
a text explaining the religious meaning of the holiday. Although this is not as
yet a nationwide mail-out campaign it is on their web site www.ikea.ca. It is a
first for IKEA and part of a trend by retailers to acknowledge a minority
celebration. Other retailers such as the Hudson’s Bay Company for the first time
this fall included Ramadan greetings in flyers for The Bay, Zellers and Home
Outfitters, plus posters and door signs. It will do the same for the Jewish
Chanukkah, Christmas and other holidays. Hallmark greeting cards is also adding
a new line of cards for Ramadan and Eid celebration. For the second year running
the U.S. Postal service has produced a stamp commemorating the Eid Celebration
just as they do for Christmas and Chanukkah.
A handful of Public Schools across the nation which in the past has closed for
Christmas and Jewish holidays have now included the Muslim holiday Eid. Frank
Belluscio, a spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association said about
his district, “We are diversifying and I am sure this is something we’ll see
other districts doing in the future.”
Some Public Schools have even set aside a small room where Muslim high school
students can go to pray in keeping with the fulfillment of their religious duty
to pray 5 times a day. This is in keeping with Christian students holding prayer
meeting and part of the First Amendment of freedom of religion.
While these are only small first steps in the acceptance of the Fastest Growing
Religion in the United States and the world, we must remember that every
minority whether people or religion: German, Irish, Italian, Jews, Spanish
speaking people, Japanese, Chinese, Viet Names, Hawaiians, Blacks, Native
American Indians, Catholic, Mormons, Hara Krishna’s, Christian sects,
denominations and Occults have all at one time or another experienced suspicion,
hatred, prejudice, and persecution and yet these have never made the impact on
society that Islam is making. In the very near future Islam and Muslims will be
such a part of grassroots America as to hardly be noticed. Islam does not belong
to an Arab country, but is a religion that is in every country of the world. The
United States is not one race of people but a blending of all nations and
religions of the world and is truly a Christian, Islamic, Judeo society.
WELCOME TO ISLAM
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In the last 50 years from the year 1950 until the year 2000 Islam has increased
by 235 percent!! (World Almanac and Book of Facts 1992 pg 725, U.S. News and
World Report Oct 8, 1990, Encyclopedia Britannica 1989 vol. 22) . 
