Islam in America

Islam in America

Although most people in the USA are Christian, the USA also has a very large Muslim population. Muslims have lived in the USA for at least 150 years, but recently there has been a big increase in numbers, especially from West Africa. Some of them are from English-speaking countries such as Nigeria and Ghana, but most of the new mosques have developed as a result of immigration from French-speaking West Africa, where a majority of the population is Muslim.

Since the mid-1990s, more than 20 mosques have opened in New York City alone. There are also Nigerian mosques in many other American cities. Services at most mosques – and churches too – are carried out in a variety of African languages, as well as English, French and Arabic.

Mosques in the USA are not just places of worship: they also act as conference halls and community centres. Imams often help their worshippers in their dealings with the authorities.