Book Review: MUSLIMS AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA

Last updated on: October 28, 2016 at 10:47 am by J. Ryan Parker

Book Review: MUSLIMS AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA 2016-10-28T10:47:46-07:00 J. Ryan Parker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It’s hard to pin down Trump’s most offensive and un-American statements during his campaign, but the idea of deporting or preventing immigration by Muslims…by performing some sort of vague religious test…might well qualify. In his latest book, Muslims and the Making of America, professor and scholar Amir Hussain sets out to show just how tightly Islam and Muslims are woven into the fabric of America.

Hussain’s text is not an exhaustive account of every Muslim American’s contribution to art, culture, science, and politics. That would be impossible. However, he points out the All Stars, so to speak, some of whom, like Ali, will be familiar to most readers, while others, like Ahmet Ertugan, won’t. Ertugan was the founder of Atlantic Records and, therefore, responsible for shaping much of the history of American music.

Hussain makes a powerful claim: “There has never been an America without Muslims.” he backs this up with historical accounts of Muslim slaves brought over from West Africa and then traces the history of Muslims from those oppressed beginnings to reveal the myriad ways in which they have enriched American history and culture from politics to sports to art to architecture. In the process, many American Muslims have risen to solidly middle or upper-middle class communities, an achievement that, he argues, is more difficult in other parts of the Western world (114).

Hussain’s chief aim is to refute the idea that Islam and Muslims are anti-American with all the baggage that that critique brings. He points out that even though there are around seven million Muslims in the United States, most Americans claim that they don’t know any Muslims. One of the many strengths of Hussain’s work is the way in which he shows that violence hasn’t been the defining nature of the relationship between the United States and the Muslim world. Along those same lines, he consistently reveals the diversity of Islam and Muslim practice. Hussain writes, “[…There] are lots of Muslims who do things that we are not supposed to do as Muslims” (43). Of course, this is true of most Christians I know…including myself!

Muslims and the Making of America is an extremely accessible book and one that should be required reading for Christian communities across the country. It’s a well-researched work with a bibliography that points to sources for further reading. Hussain argues that America would be completely different without Muslims in it…and not for the better. Similarly, most of our lives would be different…and no doubt better…if we made the effort to get to know members of that faithful, and very American, community.

Muslims and the making of America (Baylor University Press, 142 pp.) is available on Amazon.

Previous Post

October 26, 2016

#KillerSerials: LUKE CAGE, Eps. 3 & 4

Next Post

November 2, 2016 #Killer Serials: LUKE CAGE, Eps. 5 & 6

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Classics DVD Film Music News Pop Culture Events Print Sports Television Uncategorized Video Games

Select a Month March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was thrown into a den of lions?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Daniel Jonah David Joseph