Just the other day, I made a presentation at a Toastmasters Club to a group of about fourteen people, most of whom were entirely unacquainted with Islam. This was an opportunity for me to reflect on my preception of Islam, and to consider what the future is for Islam in America. With the help of Allah, perhaps you will find something worthwhile and thought-provoking in the summary of the talk which follows.

Islam means submission to God and Muslims are those who submit to God. But Islam is more than an idea and it is more than a religion. It is a total way of life. I have heard that Islam is the second largest religion in the world today. As an American, I find that amazing. Only recently have Muslims become a signification community in this country. Why? For an answer to this question, we must look at history. The major events that occured within Islam can help to explain why Islam only recently has begun spreading in America.

Islam spread rapidly throughout the world shortly after Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu alalihi wa sallam) brought forth the word of God. The Christians of the time feared Islam for they did not understand it. Possibly the Christians feared mostly the idea promoted by Islam that people not only are allowed to think freely and to criticize those in authority, but that in Islam, it is an obligation to speak out when someone in authority has committed an error.

Perhaps it was the Christian fear of losing control of the minds of the people that caused many Christians to overlook the fact that Islam is not against Christians or Jews, in fact, Islam accepts Jesus and the Old Testament prophets as true messengers of God. Whatever the true reason, a great ideological wall was formed between Christianity and Islam, and this wall still stands(to some extent).

What is ironic about the situation of Islam in the world today is that Muslims were scholars and scientists. Under the umbrella of Islam, advances were made in medicine, astronomy, mathematics and other sciences, advances which could not be matched by the works of any other people of that era.

Some Christian scholars did study the works of Islamic scholars, though with preil to their lives because of Christian dogma against new ideas. However, for some reason, the Muslim society did not investigate scientific advances made in the West; at least, that is how it appears. And perhaps it was fear of Western culture which caused Muslims to stay away from America while West gave America its best minds.

Islam did not come early to America, but it is coming to America now. As an American Muslim, I am proud to be a part of the Orange Country, Los Angeles Muslim community. We are all dedicated to bringing number of Islamic Centers being established in the area which active participations by large number of Muslims. As a native American Muslim, I feel Allah has blessed this country greatly by bringing Muslims to America. Perhaps Allah has brought Islam to America to be nourished and to grow in the environment of freedom which we enjoy.
As for myself, I am excited to be a Muslim, today, in America

Abu Badr Siddiq
(Former Sidney Hoyt)

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Notice of Admin: My dear muslimbrother: below I would like to add you an Ayaa from Quran, that Great Allah point's us the proudnesses, arroganzes is negative. See the proudness and arroganzes of wrong-believers is the top reason of wars, hunger, inhumanities, false-believing and world destructions in the earth.

وَاعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْئاً وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَاناً وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالجَنبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالاً فَخُوراً

[4:36] Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious "proudness";-