What Is an American Muslim? Embracing Faith and Citizenship

An-Na’im (Islam and the Secular State), professor of law at Emory University and author of several books on Islam, offers in his latest book what American Muslims are and what they should become. He respectfully opposes a defensive stance, encouraging American Muslims to embrace fully their place in American society and espouse their identities. He argues for the possibility of harmonizing Islamic standards and American law, for example, when a Muslim chooses not to charge interest on a loan, as usury is prohibited in Islam. In a stroke of genius, he reveals an Islamic basis for adaptation in migrations, citing the earliest Muslims, who themselves changed as they moved. In the most valuable portion of the book, An-Na’im shares results of a survey conducted at U.S. Islamic centers. His measurement of Muslim fatigue at having to explain and educate about their religion since 9/11 is significant, since it may be the first and only documentation of this sentiment. An-Na’im makes more observations than plans, and his observations are law-based, centering on theories of governance and citizenship. (Feb.)