Understanding Islam is Important
Hardly a day goes by without some mention of “Islam” or “Muslims” in the press. Yet too often these discussions are narrow in focus, allowing stereotypes and misconceptions to go uncorrected or worse, to grow. But this doesn’t have to be the only story.
Below is a suggested path that you might take through this site to learn more about Islam, Muslims living in America and around the world, and ways you can get involved to change the world. We hope this site will be a useful resource for you in expanding understanding.
Interesting Facts about Muslims:
Did you know that…- Most Muslims are not Arab and many Arabs are not Muslim.
- The first nation to recognize the independence of the U.S. was a Muslim country
- Four to seven million Americans are Muslim.
- Muslims follow all ten commandments** (see below)
- Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures all thrived under Islamic rule in Spain
- Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, the belief in monotheism are only a few of the beliefs Judaism, Christianity and Islam share.
Test Your Knowledge of Muslims by downloading our Millionaire Quiz.
Visit the What is Islam and Islam 101 sections on our site to learn about the teachings of Islam and meaning of some of the most frequently used Islamic terms.
At Muslim Denounce Terrorism section, learn what Islam says about war and peace. You can also learn what Islam says about terrorism.
At the Muslim Women section, learn about the veil and women’s rights.
Watch: Video’s of American Muslims telling their stories and find opportunities to participate in interfaith events in your area. If you haven’t done so already, we encourage you to find opportunities to meet Muslims and begin dialogues to promote better understanding.
We also have listings of cultural exchanges programs for students as well as interfaith university groups, for those looking for more opportunities to get involved.
The United States has had a long involvement with Muslim countries around the world. Learn more about past foreign policy decisions, their consequences and a groundbreaking report that recommends new directions for the future.
Once you have had a chance to learn more, we urge you to take action! Visit the Change the World section for information on how to write a letter to your senator and other forms of advocacy.
You might even want to host a Citizen’s Dialogue about the report and engage the issues raised in the report with your community.
And finally, if you’d like to learn more about Islam and American Muslims, we recommend taking a look as some of our additional resources. We hope you enjoy them.
