AhmedMech:Layout 1 5/17/10 3:04 PM Page 1 A H N Arab descent differ from those of other origins Advance praise for Journey into America early seven million Muslims live in M (for example, Somalia or South Asia)? Why are so the United States today, and their many white women converting to Islam? How “A brilliant follow-up to Journey into Islam. Ahmed’s insights should be required E relations with non-Muslims are D reading for anyone grappling with national security, national identity, and national can a Muslim become accepted fully as an strained. Many Americans associate Islam with cohesion in today’s complex era.” “American,” and what does that mean? He figures such as Osama bin Laden, and they worry COLONEL DAVID KILCULLEN, author of The Accidental Guerrilla also delves into the potentially sticky area of about “homegrown terrorists.” To shed light on relations with other religions. For example, is “An absolutely riveting journey into an America most Americans have no idea about. this increasingly important religious group and As the U.S. faces up to the tensions within its own Muslim communities, it could there truly a deep divide between Muslims and counter mutual distrust, renowned scholar Akbar J not be more timely.” Jews in America? And how well do Muslims get o Ahmed conducted the most comprehensive study CHRISTINA LAMB, Washington Bureau Chief, Sunday Times along with other religious groups, such as u to date of the American Muslim community. Mormons in Utah? “My friend Professor Ahmed came to America in the great tradition of Alexis de r Journey into America explores and documents how Tocqueville: a perceptive foreigner affectionately looking at America and American n Muslims are fitting into U.S. society, placing identity. This important new book advances his heroic, even dangerous, ‘five minutes Journey into America is equal parts anthropological e their experience within the larger context of to midnight’ effort to save us from our foolish mutual animosities. Pray his efforts are research, listening tour, and travelogue. Whereas not too late.” y American identity. This eye-opening book also Ahmed’s previous book took the reader into TONY BLANKLEY, Washington Times and Heritage Foundation offers a fresh and insightful perspective on i homes, schools, and mosques in the Muslim n American history and society. “A timely and stimulating contribution to a critically important issue: the West’s (and world, his new quest takes us into the heart of especially America’s) relationship to Islam.” t o America and its Muslim communities. It is ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI, former National Security Adviser Following up on his critically acclaimed Journey absolutely essential reading for anyone trying to into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization (Brookings, A “What a wonderful, wonderful work! This book presents great insight into the diver- make sense of America today. 2007), Ahmed and his team of young researchers sity and vibrancy of American Islam and its potential to help achieve the American m traveled for a year through more than seventy- promise.” five cities across the United States—from New EBOO PATEL, Founder and Executive Director of Interfaith Youth Core e AKBAR AHMED is the Ibn Khaldun York City to Salt Lake City; from Las Vegas to r “In the tradition of Alexis de Tocqueville, Akbar Ahmed has had a conversation with Chair of Islamic Studies at American University Miami; from the large Muslim enclave in i and about America which illuminates an important part of our national identity.” c in Washington, D.C. He is also the first Dearborn, Michigan, to small, predominantly AMBASSADOR CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN, former United a Distinguished Chair of Middle East and Islamic States Senator and presidential candidate white towns like Arab, Alabama. They visited Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, a nonresident homes, schools, and over one hundred mosques “Journey into America is an essential pillar in the effort to build the interfaith bridge of senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and to discover what Muslims are thinking and how understanding. It will inform, provoke, and inspire Americans of all colors, cultures, former Pakistani high commissioner to the they are living every day in America. and faiths.” United Kingdom. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE KEITH ELLISON (D-Minn.) In this unprecedented exploration of American Muslim communities, Ahmed asked challenging BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS questions: Can we expect an increase in home- Washington, D.C. grown terrorism? How do American Muslims of Cover image: ©iStockphoto.com www.brookings.edu Jacket by Sese-Paul Design AhmedMech:Layout 1 5/17/10 3:04 PM Page 1 A H N Arab descent differ from those of other origins Advance praise for Journey into America early seven million Muslims live in M (for example, Somalia or South Asia)? Why are so the United States today, and their many white women converting to Islam? How “A brilliant follow-up to Journey into Islam. Ahmed’s insights should be required E relations with non-Muslims are D reading for anyone grappling with national security, national identity, and national can a Muslim become accepted fully as an strained. Many Americans associate Islam with cohesion in today’s complex era.” “American,” and what does that mean? He figures such as Osama bin Laden, and they worry COLONEL DAVID KILCULLEN, author of The Accidental Guerrilla also delves into the potentially sticky area of about “homegrown terrorists.” To shed light on relations with other religions. For example, is “An absolutely riveting journey into an America most Americans have no idea about. this increasingly important religious group and As the U.S. faces up to the tensions within its own Muslim communities, it could there truly a deep divide between Muslims and counter mutual distrust, renowned scholar Akbar J not be more timely.” Jews in America? And how well do Muslims get o Ahmed conducted the most comprehensive study CHRISTINA LAMB, Washington Bureau Chief, Sunday Times along with other religious groups, such as u to date of the American Muslim community. Mormons in Utah? “My friend Professor Ahmed came to America in the great tradition of Alexis de r Journey into America explores and documents how Tocqueville: a perceptive foreigner affectionately looking at America and American n Muslims are fitting into U.S. society, placing identity. This important new book advances his heroic, even dangerous, ‘five minutes Journey into America is equal parts anthropological e their experience within the larger context of to midnight’ effort to save us from our foolish mutual animosities. Pray his efforts are research, listening tour, and travelogue. Whereas not too late.” y American identity. This eye-opening book also Ahmed’s previous book took the reader into TONY BLANKLEY, Washington Times and Heritage Foundation offers a fresh and insightful perspective on i homes, schools, and mosques in the Muslim n American history and society. “A timely and stimulating contribution to a critically important issue: the West’s (and world, his new quest takes us into the heart of especially America’s) relationship to Islam.” t o America and its Muslim communities. It is ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI, former National Security Adviser Following up on his critically acclaimed Journey absolutely essential reading for anyone trying to into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization (Brookings, A “What a wonderful, wonderful work! This book presents great insight into the diver- make sense of America today. 2007), Ahmed and his team of young researchers sity and vibrancy of American Islam and its potential to help achieve the American m traveled for a year through more than seventy- promise.” five cities across the United States—from New EBOO PATEL, Founder and Executive Director of Interfaith Youth Core e AKBAR AHMED is the Ibn Khaldun York City to Salt Lake City; from Las Vegas to r “In the tradition of Alexis de Tocqueville, Akbar Ahmed has had a conversation with Chair of Islamic Studies at American University Miami; from the large Muslim enclave in i and about America which illuminates an important part of our national identity.” c in Washington, D.C. He is also the first Dearborn, Michigan, to small, predominantly AMBASSADOR CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN, former United a Distinguished Chair of Middle East and Islamic States Senator and presidential candidate white towns like Arab, Alabama. They visited Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, a nonresident homes, schools, and over one hundred mosques “Journey into America is an essential pillar in the effort to build the interfaith bridge of senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and to discover what Muslims are thinking and how understanding. It will inform, provoke, and inspire Americans of all colors, cultures, former Pakistani high commissioner to the they are living every day in America. and faiths.” United Kingdom. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE KEITH ELLISON (D-Minn.) In this unprecedented exploration of American Muslim communities, Ahmed asked challenging BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS questions: Can we expect an increase in home- Washington, D.C. grown terrorism? How do American Muslims of Cover image: ©iStockphoto.com www.brookings.edu Jacket by Sese-Paul Design Journey into America 00-0387-7 fm.indd 1 5/17/10 3:13 PM “Ahmed’s media profile is now as high as that of any living cultural anthropologist. One does not have to agree with all his positions to recognize that, in the specific but crucial field of Islam and relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, his life’s work has done much to advance the values of anthropology. His celebrity should be welcomed as a gift to the discipline.” Jonathan Benthall, former Director of the Royal Anthropological Institute, in Anthropology Today “My friend Professor Ahmed came to America in the great tradition of Alexis de Tocqueville: a perceptive foreigner affectionately looking at America and American identity. This important new book advances his heroic, even dangerous, ‘five minutes to midnight’ effort to save us from our foolish mutual animosities. Pray his efforts are not too late.” Tony Blankley, Washington Times and Heritage Foundation “In the tradition of Alexis de Tocqueville, Professor Akbar Ahmed has had a conversation with and about America which illuminates an important part of our national identity.” Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, former United States Senator and presidential candidate “A timely and stimulating contribution to a critically important issue: the West’s (and especially America’s) relationship to Islam.” Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Adviser “Journey into America is an essential pillar in the effort to build the interfaith bridge of understanding. It will inform, provoke, and inspire Americans of all colors, cultures, and faiths.” U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) 00-0387-7 fm.indd 2 5/17/10 3:13 PM “Akbar Ahmed’s groundbreaking work on Islam in America taps into the moral urgency and pragmatic realism that is needed to sustain the emerging movement for social cohesion that he so skillfully documents. Ahmed charts the course for the next frontier in the e pluribus unum experiment that is the United States. What he proposes is crucial for the prospects for peace of the world.” Reverend Dirk Ficca, Executive Director, Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions “Your project is very pleasing to God. It’s truly a work of God, your desire to bring together the people of the world to have a greater love and respect for one another.” Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, Archbishop of Catholic Diocese, Houston, Texas “Journey into America is essential reading for all who care about our future and our children’s future. It is ostensibly about Muslims in America, but it is more fundamentally about who we are and the possibilities for discovering our common fears and aspirations. Akbar Ahmed is a man of vision, scholarship, courage, conviction, and profound decency.” Brian Forst, American University, author of Terrorism, Crime and Public Policy “I have not read a work as insightful, erudite, and innovative on the challenge of American identity since Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. Akbar Ahmed sets a new paradigm in the ongoing debate on defining American identity.” Melody Fox, Berkley Center at Georgetown University 00-0387-7 fm.indd 3 5/17/10 3:13 PM “Akbar Ahmed is the 21st century Muslim Alexis de Tocqueville. If one wants to know why the world and not just America needs America to be America; if one wants stirring uplift and insight into the diversity and experience of being Muslim in America; if one wants to appreciate the genius of America’s Founding Fathers and the significance of their Bill of Rights; if one wants to absorb the experiences of different generations and different religions struggling together to understand the contemporary world; if one wants to understand how the constantly changing identity of the United States throughout the sweep of its history is relevant for today’s challenges; if one wants to appreciate how new useful knowledge can be created by what anthropologists call “participant observation research”; if one wants practical suggestions for building a better world at home and abroad together, then read Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam by Akbar S. Ahmed and his intrepid team.” Louis Goodman, Dean of the School of International Service, American University “I think you’re the first one that has really tried to capture the rich texture of America. I just think it was a brilliant idea. . . . It is going to be very influential.” Ambassador J. Douglas Holladay “This is likely to be one of the most definitive works to date on the Muslim experience in the United States. It will have a catalytic effect and will in all likelihood stimulate a generation of scholars.” Cornelius Kerwin, President of American University “Professor Akbar Ahmed turns his intrepid approach to cultural dialogue and interfaith understanding onto American society in this brilliant follow-up to Journey into Islam. His insights should be required reading for anyone grappling with national security, national identity, and national cohesion in today’s complex era.” Colonel David Kilcullen, author of The Accidental Guerrilla 00-0387-7 fm.indd 4 5/17/10 3:13 PM “An absolutely riveting journey into an America most Americans have no idea about. As the U.S. faces up to the tensions within its own Muslim communities, it could not be more timely.” Christina Lamb, Washington Bureau Chief, Sunday Times “Journey into America is a journey ensuring that we can see all of our American brothers and sisters, and see that they are indeed created in the image of God.” Senior Rabbi Bruce Lustig, Washington Hebrew Congregation “What a wonderful, wonderful work! Akbar Ahmed has written an important book on Islam in the United States today. With the refreshing perspective of both Dr. Ahmed and his bright young traveling companions, this book presents great insight into the diversity and vibrancy of American Islam and its potential to help achieve the American promise.” Eboo Patel, Founder and Executive Director of Interfaith Youth Core “One of the most exciting and readable accounts not only of Muslim life in the U.S., but of the context of American history more broadly. I have learned a great deal about my own country through Akbar Ahmed’s eyes.” Lawrence Rosen, Princeton University “Profound, commanding—simply brilliant. This is a powerful piece of writing.” Tamara Sonn, College of William and Mary, former President of the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies 00-0387-7 fm.indd 5 5/17/10 3:13 PM 00-0387-7 fm.indd 6 5/17/10 3:13 PM Journey into America the challenge of islam akbar ahmed brookings institution press Washington, D.C. 00-0387-7 fm.indd 7 5/17/10 3:13 PM about brookings The Brookings Institution is a private nonprofit organization devoted to research, education, and publication on important issues of domestic and foreign policy. Its principal purpose is to bring the highest quality independent research and analysis to bear on current and emerging policy problems. Interpretations or conclusions in Brookings publications should be understood to be solely those of the authors. Copyright © 2010 by Akbar Ahmed All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the Brookings Institution Press, 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, www.brookings.edu Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data Ahmed, Akbar S. Journey into America : the challenge of Islam / Akbar Ahmed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: “Examines American identity as influenced by its founding and history and the diverse Muslim experience in America, as well as the experience of other religious groups, and how each has affected the other”—Provided by publisher. ISBN 978-0-8157-0387-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Muslims—United States—Social conditions. 2. Muslims—United States— Ethnic identity. 3. Muslims—Cultural assimilation—United States. 4. Islam and culture—United States. 5. Cultural pluralism in Islam—United States. 6. Islam and civil society—United States. 7. United States—Religious life and customs. 8. United States—Social life and customs. I. Title. E184.M88A39 2010 305.6’97073—dc22 2010014051 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed on acid-free paper Typeset in Adobe Caslon Composition by Cynthia Stock Silver Spring, Maryland Printed by R. R. Donnelley Harrisonburg, Virginia 00-0387-7 fm.indd 8 5/17/10 3:13 PM