116 The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 14:l 

Al-Mughtaribiin: American Law and the Transformation 
of Muslim Life in the U.S. 

By Kathleen Moore. New York: SUNY Press, 1995, 211 pp. 

The focus of this book is on "the gradual transformation of American Mus­
lims' perceptions and self-identification, coaxed by the ways American civil 
law has penetrated and come to dominate their daily lives" (p. vii). Hence, the 
book attempts to show the link between law and society by using Muslims in 
the United States as a case study. It is of interest to sociologists, legal histori­
ans, political scientists, and scholars of religion and touches on the themes of 
civil rights, freedom of religion, social change, the status of minorities, and 
assimilation. 

Moore shows how Muslims in the United States have been affected by 
American immigration law (chapters 2 and 3), religious liberty laws affecting 
Muslims in prison (chapter 4), hate crime legislation affecting mosques (chap­
ter 5), and zoning laws that affect mosques (chapter 6). The sources Moore 
uses are historical: court records, interviews, magazine articles, and newspa­
per stories. She points out that there has been a great transformation in the 
American legal system's attitude toward Islam. In 1811, the New York 
Supreme Court ruled (in People vs. Ruggles) that the "religion of Moham­
med" is an impostor religion, a superstition, and is equally false and unknown 
(p. x). ln 1962, on the other hand, the District of Columbia U.S. District Court 
ruled (in Fulwood vs. Clemmer) that Muslims believe in Allah as a supreme 
being and as the one true god. It follows, therefore, that the Muslim faith is a 
religion {p. 82). 

Have American legal institutions been responsive to the Muslim commu­
nity? Has the American legal setting transformed the Muslim community? The 
answer to the first question, according to Moore, is that in the 1800s, "No"; but 
gradually the courts have become more responsive and continue to be more 
responsive as time passes and as Muslims become more politically active. The 
answer to the second question is "Yes." 

How has the American legal setting transformed the Muslim community? 
It has limited the numbers of Muslims in the United States (through immigra­
tion restrictions). It has increasingly allowed Muslims in prison to pray jum'ah, 
wear kufis on their heads, eat nonpork foods, and obtain copies of the Qur'an. 
It has protected Muslim mosques from vandalism through stiffer penalties for 
people committing such a crime. It has also restricted the establishment of 



Book Reviews 117 

mosques by preventing them from being built in many areas through the use of 
zoning Iaws. 

Each chapter focuses on a different type of law: immigration, civil rights, 
hate crime, and zoning. The first three types are mostly federal statutes, 
whereas zoning laws are mostly local ordinances. Moore presents various 
examples of each type of law and narrates how they have applied to Muslims 
in the United States. 

It is not clear, however, why she did not apply the disciplinary methods 
of various fields of research to explain what is occurring. A sociologist, for 
example, would point out how Muslims have mobilized the community 
(through the mosques) to oppose many laws that are perceived to be anti- 
Muslim. A political scientist might have shown how Muslims have lobbied 
for or against legislation, while it is being worked out in Congress. A psy- 
chologist might have analyzed the ways in which a Muslim in the United 
States no longer possesses a “displaced/ immigrant” (rnughturib) self-concept 
and comes to see himselfherself as an “American.” An anthropologist might 
look at how the attitudes and practices of the Muslim community have 
changed due to the legal restrictions placed upon Muslims in this country. 
For example, laws against polygamy are not just a legal issue; they are very 
much a cultural issue as well. 

Insofar as Moore is a historian presenting events, she does a very good 
job. However, the book claims to be something more than a historical 
account. The strengths of the book are the following: The author shows a 
genuine concern for what happens to the Muslim community. There is no 
indication of an unwarranted and detached aloofness to the subject matter, 
as is characteristic of other studies of Muslims. Also, the book contains 
many examples of the laws it is addressing. Its weaknesses include the fact 
that the theory does not seem to inform the research very well. A question 
that is not answered fully is: Why is a political scientist delving into the 
area of law and society? Each law has a political climate in which it is 
enacted, of course, and this is evident in the discussion regarding immigra- 
tion law in chapters 2 and 3. However, the political climate of lawmaking 
is not the stated purpose of this book. Had this been the purpose, the book 
clearly fulfills it. 

There are additional items that the book editor should have addressed. The 
book has no glossary of terms and no index of Muslim organizations. Such an 
index would aid the researcher who wants to acquire more information about the 
topic of the transformation of Muslim life in the United States. It would also help 
the researcher verify some of the information that Moore presents. 

Why is the issue of antipolygamy laws, apart from their relationship to 
immigration, not addressed? Certainly antipolygamy laws have some effect on 
the behavior, perceptions, and self-identity of Muslims in the United States. 
What about the rules and regulations regarding prayer? Many Muslims in this 
country must deal with issues of prayer in the workplace, prayer in public 
schools, and prayer on public property. What does legislation (or the lack of it) 
have to say about this? Has this issue had a transformative effect on Muslim life 
in the United States? 

Overall, this book is worth reading. It is clear in its language, its subject 
matter is well-defined, and the issues it addresses are both historical and con- 
temporary. A deeper understanding of the issues it raises will lead to a better 



118 The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 14:1 

appreciation of an imponant minority group in the United States and to a greater 
realization of the need for more sensitivity in the legal community toward Islam 
and Muslims. 

Omar Altalib 
Depanment of Sociology 

University of Chicago 
Chicago, Illinois