Growing Number of Latinos Converting to Islam in the US

January 25, 2005

Source: My San Antonio.com

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA012505.1A.latino.muslims.3f873650.html

On January 25, 2005 My San Antonio.com reported, "thousands of Latinos across the country — both U.S.-born and immigrants — have been converting to Islam since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks sparked massive U.S. societal interest in the religion and its billion followers worldwide. No definitive research exists on the ethnic breakdown of the U.S. Muslim population, estimated by the Islamic Society of North America at 8 million to 10 million people. Most surveys identify African Americans as the largest group, but little is known about Latino conversion patterns... A 2001 study by the Council on American-Islamic Relations estimated 6 percent of 20,000 annual converts to Islam are Latinos. Studies variously list 25,000 to 75,000 Latino Muslims in the United States; most concur there are roughly 40,000."