Book Reviews 

Islam In America 

Jane 1 Smith. 

New York: Columbia University Press, 1999. 251 pages. 

139 

Written by a professor oflslamic Studies at Hartford Seminary in Connecti­

cut, ls/am in America introduces the history and practice of Islam in the 

United States. The book opens with an overview of the origins and histori­
cal development of Islam that for the most part is fair, although there is the 
odd error ("Throughout the centuries, the call to prayer has been sung ... " 

Some of the figures mentioned in Chapter 2, "Contributors to the Develop­
ment of Islam" also cause eyebrows to be raised: how much the secularist 

Mustafa Kemal contributed to the development oflslam is surely debatable. 
Moving on to the American context (Chapter 3), the author starts her 

exploration oflslamic history in the US with the waves of immigration from 
Muslim lands that began in the middle and latter part of the nineteenth cen­

tury. Pre-Columbian visits to these shores by Muslims are touched upon, but 
it is noted that this is a new area of scholarship. The issue of Muslim slaves 

brought by force from Africa is dealt with later, in the chapter on African­
American Islam. 

The issues faced by the earliest immigrants are touched upon, and a 
brief history oflslam in several major centers is given. Accounts of minor­

ity groupings - Sh�a, Sufis, Isma>il is, Druze, and Ahmad is- are also given. 
Whether all of these groupings are "truly Islamic" or not is a moot point, 
however, the fact that they are connected to or have roots in the Islamic tra­

dition means that they are often included in studies of Islam, particularly 
studies written by western observers. While stating that the majority of 

Muslims in the US are either immigrants or African-Americans, the author 
notes that there are significant numbers of converts from other backgrounds 

too; mention is made of Anglos, Hispanics and Native Americans who have 
come to Islam. 

The history of African-American Muslims in the US warrants a chapter 
to itself (Chapter 4). He gives a broad overview of the entire spectrum of the 

Black Muslim experience, from slave times through the advent of Noble 
Drew Ali and W.D. Fard through the Nation oflslam to Louis Farrakhan and 

Warith Deen Muhammad. Sectarian groups that may be regarded as being 

on the "fringe," such as the "Five Percenters," are also discussed. 

The author then moves on (Chapter 5) to current issues of concern to the 
Muslim community, such as family and women's issues, women and work, 





Book Reviews 141 

The important issue of combating anti-Muslim prejudice is also cov­
ered, and attention is drawn to media stereotyping, in particular. The 

comment, "the American Muslim community is deeply concerned that anti­

Islamic feelings on the part of the general public are growing rather than 
abating, exacerbated by international incidents of violence carried out in the 

name of Islam and abetted by the unfortunate portrayal of Muslims and 

Islam in the media." This is even more resonant, of course, following the 

tragic events of September 11, 2001. 
The final chapter, "Looking to the Future", (Chapter 8), presents issues 

of immediate concern which the Muslim community has to come to terms 

with and work out, such as authority, unity, leadership, women and politics. 
The book ends on a positive note, stating that Islam is here to stay and can 
no longer be regarded as "foreign" or "eastern." "Islam has become part of 

America and Muslims are a growing and vital segment of its population." 

The appendices to the book include brief biographical sketches of 

notable figures on the American Muslim scene, a glossary of Arabic and 
Islamic terms used in the book, and an exhaustive list of resources for fur­

ther study, including addresses of organizations throughout the US and a 

large selection of Islamic websites. 
This book is a useful introduction both for students of religion and social 

studies, and also for the educated general reader. It may be recommended for 

teachers, social workers, politicians and other professionals who need to 

develop an understanding of what Islam is and what it means to its follow­
ers. Muslims who want to know more about the history of their community 

in America will also find it of interest. On the whole, it is an upbeat and pos­

itive book; the author appears sympathetic towards Muslims and frequently 

allows Muslims to "speak for themselves" by quoting them directly. 

H uda Khattab 

Author and Translator 

Toronto, Canada