Americans Facing Toward Mecca

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American Muslims are seeking a greater voice in affairs outside their immediate religious communities. Voter registration, for example, is a major goal at the Los Angeles center. Los Angeles was the birthplace, six months ago, of the Muslim Political Action Committee, which aims to advance the rights of American Muslims as well as such overseas causes as self- determination for Palestinians in Israeli-occupied territories. Another goal: electing a Muslim to the U.S. Congress by 1992. "We'd like people to start thinking of the U.S. as a Judeo-Christian-Muslim society," declares Salam Al- Marayati, MPAC's Iraqi-born spokesman. Ironically, the role models for MPAC and politically inclined Muslims are American-Jewish lobbies. "The Jews are doing their homework, and we are not," says Tajuddin Bin Shu'aib of the Islamic Studies Center in Los Angeles.

At the local level, Muslims are achieving greater acceptance and religious tolerance. In Dearborn, Mich., where 10% to 15% of the population is Arabic, public schools recognize Muslim holy days and do not serve pork in cafeterias. To accommodate modesty rules, girls learn to swim in all-female classes and are allowed to wear slacks instead of shorts for other gym instruction.

Some Muslim leaders see an invigorating sort of challenge in the highly secular and sometimes hostile American environment. "The freedom of expression in this country is allowing Muslims here to practice in the true sense," says Safi Qureshey, a devout Sunni and successful California businessman. Historian Haddad notes that many immigrants and "sojourners" -- students who come for several years -- are nominal Muslims who arrive knowing little about the faith. The freedoms of American society lead them to reflect on their beliefs, she says, and many return to their homelands as leaders. The U.S. has thus become not only a melting pot for Muslims from all nations, she notes, but also an important "incubator for Islamic ideas."