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Islam in America

The large majority of Muslims arrived in the United States after 1965, when immigration quotas discriminating against non-Europeans were lifted. The new laws favored family reunification, allowing men to bring over brides and families. Over the last 40 years, the Muslim community has grown steadily, raising the first generation of American-born children. At the same time, many African American converts to the Nation of Islam turned toward orthodox Sunni Islam. Major communities are found in Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, New York, and New Jersey.

Demographics

There is no clear consensus regarding the number of American Muslims; the 2007 Pew Forum survey estimates 2.35 million (less than 1 percent of the population). Of these, 65 percent are foreign born. In the total Muslim population, 32 percent are from ...

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