Mississippi Home to Growing Number of Muslims

January 7, 2006

Source: Clarion Ledger

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060107/FEAT04/601070321/1263

On January 7, 2006 the Clarion Ledger reported, "Everyday around noon, Shaheed Muhammad, a 55-year-old African American, finds a private area inside the Jackson-Evers International Airport, lays a small rug on the floor and begins to pray. At the same time, Turkish-born Sabri Agachan, 27, performs an identical ritual inside his office at Jackson State University. Muhammad and Agachan represent the metro area's diverse and growing Muslim community, which some observers estimate to include between 2,000 to 4,000 people... The region's Muslims will gather early next week to celebrate Eid ul-Adha... Drawing some 800 people last year, Jackson's Eid celebration reveals the global nature of Islam. Local believers from countries including Pakistan, India, Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, the Sudan, Turkey and the United States transcend cultural differences through their common beliefs."