CIPP – Center for Islam & Public Policy

Analysis. Policy. Ethics.

A One-Day Conference on The American Mosque in the 21st Century

Oct 3

Posted by editor in News & Events | Comments off

The American Muslim Studies Program (AMSP) at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), Georgetown University, cordially invites you to attend:

A One-Day Conference on The American Mosque in the 21st Century

Georgetown University — Copley Lounge 37th & O St., NW – Washington, DC 20057

Thursday, February 19, 2009 — 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM

Since the early twentieth century, the Muslim communities in the USA have been establishing mosques in various parts of the country. With the passage of time, these mosques have assumed new functions and roles. They have been transformed from a place of worship to community centers, to schools, and finally to forums for Muslims’ involvement in public policy issues. They have also become the backbone of the fundraising drives of the American Muslims for local and international projects. In a post 9/11 era, however, the mosques and Islamic centers have received extra attention, and sometime scrutiny, from the law enforcement agencies, media personnel and policy makers. The question is how these mosques and Islamic centers can be equipped to face the new challenges and demands of the 21st century? A group of academics, architects and religious scholars will address these issues.

Full program:
http://www.cippusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Mosque-Conference-Program-1.pdf

American Mosque in the 21 Century: Identity, Education and Empowerment

Oct 3

Posted by editor in Muslims in America | Comments off

Conversation with Leadership

March 20, 2008 – 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM – Room ICC-270

POINTS TO PONDER
These points are not intended to be complete or comprehensive, nor are they in any order of significance. They are only intended to stimulate thinking and discussion.
Mosque and Muslim Identity – at the individual level
Mosque and Muslim Communal Presence – at group level
Mosque and Governance – by-laws, leadership and conflict resolution
Mosque and Worship – congregational prayers and rituals
Mosque and Social Cohesion – counseling, bonding, social service
Mosque as Sacred Space – centrality of prayer area and facilities
Mosque and Aesthetics – architecture, functionality, space design
Mosque as Center of Learning – khutbahs, halaqas, schools, education at all levels
Mosque and Change – persuasion and education by Imam and leadership
Mosque and Relations with other Mosques – especially between suburban & inner-city
Mosque and Mobilizations – advocacy for social and political causes
Mosque and Society – symbolism, activism, representation
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Muslims’ Place In The American Public Square

Oct 2

Posted by editor in Publications | Comments off

Muslims' Place in the American Public SquareBook: By Zahid H. Bukhari (Editor), Sulayman S. Nyang (Editor), Mumtaz Ahmad (Editor), John L. Esposito (Editor), Taha Jaber Alalwani (Contribution by).

Overview
Once a year Muslims from around the world—representing a vast range of ethnicities, incomes, ages, and attitudes—perform the Hajj (pilgrimage) and converge in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Now, the global diversity of Muslims at the Hajj is almost repliacted in the United States: new immigrants, Muslims whose families have been here for generations, and converts are coming together, seeing what unites them and what issues they face together. Project MAPS (Muslims in the American Public Square) began in 1999 to provide much-needed information on this understudied and immensely diverse group of six million Americans. This first volume emerging from the project, Muslims’ Place in the American Public Square, shows where the American Muslim community fits into the American religious and civic landscape both before and after 9/11. Renowned scholars contribute theoretical, legal, historical, and sociological perspectives on how Muslims function in both their own institutions and others. For classes in religion or the social sciences, or for anyone interested in this increasingly significant community, Muslims’ Place in the American Public Square provides a current, balanced introduction.
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A Miniature Replica of the Muslim World

Oct 2

Posted by editor in Muslims in America | Comments off

An interview with Zahid H.Bukhari, Director of the American Muslim Studies program at the Georgetown University, by Rita Rudusa.

You have conducted a study of Muslims living in the US[1]. What were your key findings about the distinctive characteristics of an average American Muslim?
During the Project MAPS we came up with five characteristics of the American Muslim community. But before describing them, I would like to say, briefly, that nobody knows the exact number of American Muslims, because this question is not asked in census. There are different estimates — some say there are about six million, in 1989, The New York Times published that figure. Some scholars contest it and think there are three million. Interestingly, Hollywood also mentioned American Muslims. In the movie Syriana one of the characters says that there are ten million. So, we are between three and ten million (laughs). However, there is consensus among scholars that numbers are growing.
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A Question on Religion in the US Census

Oct 2

Posted by editor in Muslims in America, Religion & Development | Comments off

The United States Census Bureau produces quality data about almost all aspects of the nation’s people and the economy. One can find in its annual reports personal data on class, race, ethnicity, gender, age, education, profession, occupation, income level, marital status, place of birth and origin of immigrant country. Besides the details of households’ facilities, the census reports also include data on Americans’ agricultural and industrial activities and resources. However, it is quite astonishing that the information on the religion of the American people is totally absent from the national census. These socio-economic variables are especially important in understanding the human behavior. While we question most of these variables, the “R” question is conspicuously absent. Several other developed countries including England, Canada and Australia, on the other hand, include the religion question in their censuses.
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ACMCU: Bridging the Gap between the Muslim World and the West

Oct 2

Posted by editor in Muslims in America | Comments off

Washington DC, the capital of the United States, is also called a city of strangers. Each election cycle brings several thousands newcomers, elected and nominated, to this city. They make policy decisions about the future of the nation during their tenure and then at the beginning of the new cycle the majority of them decide to stay in the city permanently.

The DC diamond, surrounded by a circular road, the Beltway, has its own unique attraction. Every politician of the country dreams about joining the DC circle. However, during the election process the candidates campaign on the slogan that he or she doesn’t have any connection to Washington. While the media pundits around the nation always talk about ‘who controls this city’ and ‘how it works?’

Professor Sulayman Nyang of Howard University describes Washington as a city of twelve tribes who have their own sub-cultures, maintain and developed their own streets, restaurants, languages, abbreviations, etiquettes and sets of agenda. These tribes and their off springs could be explained as follows:
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Blind Men and the Elephant: Media Outlets, Political Pundits and the Pew Study on Muslim Americans

Oct 2

Posted by editor in Muslims in America | Comments off

The Pew Research Center has issued an interesting study of Muslim Americans on May 22 and it was reported widely in the American media. The thrust of the Pew study, “Muslim American: Middle Class and mostly Mainstream” is that Muslim Americans are “decidedly American in their outlook, values and attitudes.” It is, however, shocking that several media outlets and political pundits projected Pew’s overall positive picture of the American Muslim community in a very negative and biased way.

Three issues from the Pew study have become the focus of media reporting and discussion: support of suicidal bombing and al-Qaida among youth under 30 and African American Muslims; Muslim’s belief that the Arabs were not responsible for the 9/11 attack; and the low count of Muslim Americans (2.35 million). The wildly different interpretations of some of the Pew study results remind me of the classical story of the ‘blind men and the elephant’ when the blind men tried to explain the elephant by touching one part and then describing it with their own perspectives or prejudices.
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Future Vision for Relief and Development Work

Oct 1

Posted by editor in Religion & Development | Comments off

The twentieth century has seen the immensely important impact of four institutions on making social change and development in various societies of the world. They are: 1) Nation States; 2) International Organizations; 3) Multi-national Corporations and 4) the NGOs. The role and scope of the NGOs have expanded tremendously during the recent decades, especially in the fields of emergency humanitarian aid and social development.

By some estimates, there are as many as 20 million NGOs working around the globe.

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American Muslim Poll 2004

Oct 1

Posted by editor in Muslims in America, Publications | Comments off

Project MAPS: Muslims in American Public Square is presenting the results of the second American Muslims Poll. The first poll was conducted through the Zogby International in the months of November and December 2001. The 2004 Poll covers the following areas:

1) Demographics: gender, generation and ethnicity, U.S. born and immigrants, income and education levels, age and occupation.
2) Religious practices: relationship with the mosque, ethnic composition of congregations, conversion to Islam, importance of religion in their life and interaction between the mosque and politics.
3) Opinion and behavior on social and political issues: party affiliation, voting in the presidential election, impact of the American Muslim Taskforce, foreign policy and other domestic issues relating to religion and public life.
4) Fallout from 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq: reaction, backlash, racial profiling, war against terrorism, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
5) Media and financial habits: sources of news, exposure to ethnic media, portrayal of Muslims and Islam in the mainstream media as well as in Hollywood, stocks ownership and being in the investor club.

The project commissioned Zogby International to conduct the Poll through phone interviews of a nationwide representative sample of the American Muslim population during the months of August and September 2004. The questionnaire was developed with by the Project MAPS team and staff of Zogby International. Several questions of 2001 poll are repeated in 2004 to have a comparative picture of the American Muslim community Project MAPS seeks to document the role and contribution of the Muslim community in the American public life. It is a research project that began in 1999 with the support of The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Charitable Trusts are supporting the MAPS project as part of a larger examination of seven major religious groups in the United States and their place in public life. The Project is housed at Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (CMCU).

Click here for the full report. (Size: 5.76 MB)