The Practice of Islam in America: An Introduction

Curtis, Edward E.

ISBN 10: 1479804886 / ISBN 13: 9781479804887

Published by New York University Press, 2017

About this Item

2017. Paperback. . . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # V9781479804887

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Practice of Islam in America: An Introduction
• Publisher: New York University Press
• Publication Date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1479804886
• ISBN 13: 9781479804887
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

An introduction to the ways in which ordinary Muslim Americans practice their faith.

Muslims have always been part of the United States, but very little is known about how Muslim Americans practice their religion. How do they pray? What’s it like to go on pilgrimage to Mecca? What rituals accompany the birth of a child, a wedding, or the death of a loved one? What holidays do Muslims celebrate and what charities do they support? How do they learn about the Qur’an?

The Practice of Islam in America introduces readers to the way Islam is lived in the United States, offering vivid portraits of Muslim American life passages, ethical actions, religious holidays, prayer, pilgrimage, and other religious activities. It takes readers into homes, religious congregations, schools, workplaces, cemeteries, restaurants—and all the way to Mecca—to understand the diverse religious practices of Muslim Americans.

Going beyond a theoretical discussion of what Muslims are supposed to do, this volume focuses on what they actually do. As the volume reveals, their religious practices are shaped by their racial and ethnic identity, their gender and sexual orientation, and their sectarian identity, among other social factors. Readers gain practical information about Islamic religion while also coming to understand how the day-to-day realities of American life shape Muslim American practice.

About the Author

Edward E. Curtis IV is Professor of World Languages and Cultures, William M. and Gail M. Plater Chair of the Liberal Arts, and Director of Arabic Studies at Indiana University, Indianapolis. He is the author/editor of 15 books, including our Muslims of the Heartland: How Syrian Immigrants Made a Home in the American Midwest and Muslim American Politics and the Future of US Democracy.