By Sherri DaySt. Petersburg TimesFebruary 9, 2008 At 75,000 to 200,000, the converts are a significant group. TAMPA – Before the women can begin, they must pray. Propped up by pillows, they sit in a circle on the floor, cup their hands upward and close their eyes. “Give us clarity, Allah,” a woman intones. “Give […]
Category: Misc
Victor Perez
OneNationMarch 2007 While he prefers to be called by his Muslim name, Abdullahi, Victor Perez, 41, is often referred to as “Vic” by the other boxing trainers at Mendez Gym in the heart of New York City. A Puerto Rican American born in “Spanish Harlem,” Abdullahi turned to Islam in 1994. Abdullahi, who has trained […]
U.S: Hispanics and Islam
By Sameera IqbalABCNewsNovember 20, 2007 Why Some Hispanic Converts to Islam Say They Feel Closer to God Olé! Allah! Most people would guess that these two words are worlds apart, but they’re actually not. Surprisingly, nearly 200,000 Latinos in the United States identify themselves as Muslims, according to the American Muslim Council. What accounts for […]
BC Islamic Society Introduces Latin Muslims
By Ezra RichBrooklyn ExcelsiorMarch 26, 2007 Last week, the Islamic Society and Latin Women hosted an event on Latin American Muslims. The event featured two Ecuadorian Americans who converted to Islam from Catholicism. The event, entitled “Latin Muslims: the Sons and Daughters of Golden Spain,” focused on two seemingly different cultural groups, Muslims and Latinos, […]
More Hispanic Americans are Converting to Islam
By Steve MortVoice of AmericaFebruary 9, 2007 The number of Hispanic Americans converting to Islam is growing rapidly — particularly in New York, California, Texas and Florida, which have the greatest concentration of Hispanic residents. Muslim leaders say interest in Islam has increased in the past few years, and they also note that Muslims and […]
Hispanic Muslims in Atlanta Overcome Anti-Muslim Stereotypes
By Ana Catalina VarelaMundo HispanicoMarch 1, 2007 Hispanic Muslims in Atlanta are set on changing the negative image that some in the Latino community might have of them. That is the mission of the Atlanta Latino Muslim Association (ALMA), a group founded by Siri Carrion, a Puerto Rican woman who is also Muslim. Wearing her […]
Latino-Muslims Share Experiences at Dar-Al-Hijrah Event
By Farkhunda AliMuslim Link PaperMay 18, 2007 Fernando Saravia, at age 23, made the most difficult decision in his life. He left his family’s traditional Catholic values and converted to Islam right before the events of 9/11. Saravia told the Muslim Link the first time he heard the recitation of the Quran, “it touched my […]
From Cross to Crescent – Why Latinos are Increasingly Converting to Islam
By Anthony ChiorazziBustedHalo.comMay 14, 2007 As a girl in Catholic school, Khadijah Rivera dreamed of becoming a nun despite the fact she feared Jesus. She was frightened by her church’s bloodied statue of Christ nailed to the cross and was plagued with fear when receiving communion. “When I used to put the host in my […]
Hispanic Muslim Day – The Beauty of Family in Islam
By Najwa AwadReadingIslam.comJune 3, 2007 In the late morning of May 12, 2007, Muslims and non-Muslims, Hispanics and non-Hispanics gathered at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center in northern Virginia for an extraordinary event. It was the first ever Hispanic Muslim Day. People of various ages, ethnicities, and religions gathered for a day of meaningful and […]
Even as Islam Booms, Its Many Faces Can Deter Converts
By Mrinalini ReddyNews21, Faces of Faith in AmericaAugust 23, 2007 SAN JOSE, Cal.–As a devout young Roman Catholic, Anisa Abeytia sat in the front pew of every Mass, so dedicated in her belief that she dreamed of someday becoming a priest. As a woman, she soon found out she would not be able to achieve […]