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Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam
Nearly seven million Muslims live in the United States today, and their relations with non-Muslims are strained. Many Americans associate Islam with figures such as Osama bin Laden, and they worry about “homegrown terrorists.” To shed light on this increasingly important religious group and counter mutual distrust, renowned scholar Akbar Ahmed conducted the most comprehensive study to date of the American Muslim community.Journey into America explores and documents how Muslims are fitting into U.S. society, placing their experience within the larger context of American identity. This eye-opening book also offers a fresh and insightful perspective on American history and society. Following up on his critically acclaimed Journey into The Crisis of Globalization (Brookings, 2007), Ahmed and his team of young researchers traveled for a year through more than seventyfive cities across the United States-from New York City to Salt Lake City; from Las Vegas to Miami; from the large Muslim enclave in Dearborn, Michigan, to small, predominantly white towns like Arab, Alabama. They visited homes, schools, and over one hundred mosques to discover what Muslims are thinking and how they are living every day in America.In this unprecedented exploration of American Muslim communities, Ahmed asked challenging Can we expect an increase in homegrown terrorism? How do American Muslims ofArab descent differ from those of other origins (for example, Somalia or South Asia)? Why are so many white women converting to Islam? How can a Muslim become accepted fully as an “American,” and what does that mean? He also delves into the potentially sticky area of relations with other religions. For example, is there truly a deep divide between Muslims and Jews in America? And how well do Muslims get along with other religious groups, such as Mormons in Utah?Journey into America is equal parts anthropological research, listening tour, and travelogue. Whereas Ahmed’s previous book took the reader into homes, schools, and mosques in the Muslim world, his new quest takes us into the heart of America and its Muslim communities. It is absolutely essential reading for anyone trying to make sense of America today.
530 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2010
10 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Akbar Ahmed
49 books49 followersAkbar Salahuddin Ahmed, is a Pakistani-American academic, author, poet, playwright, filmmaker and former diplomat. He currently holds the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies and is Professor of International Relations at the American University in Washington, D.C.Immediately prior, he taught at Princeton University as served as a Visiting Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He also taught at Harvard University and was a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Anthropology. Ahmed was the First Chair of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. In 2004 Ahmed was named District of Columbia Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. A former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, Ahmed was a member of the Civil Service of Pakistan and served as Political Agent in South Waziristan Agency and Commissioner in Baluchistan. He also served as the Iqbal Fellow (Chair of Pakistan Studies) at the University of Cambridge. An anthropologist and scholar of Islam. He completed his MA at Cambridge University and received his PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He has been called "the world's leading authority on contemporary Islam" by the BBC.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 6, 2022
This book is too long! At times it is engaging, heartfelt, and insightful. At other times it is pompous, preachy, and verbose. Didn't agree with everything he said. Short shrift given to the intolerance of Islam when it comes to other religions preaching on their turf. Ahmed is an advocate for dialogue and this book certainly succeeds in that regard. Still haven't figured him out. He's an accomplished man, who likes to remind you of his success too. Book is replete with photos of him. He seems to be guilty of some of the same things he accuses other Muslims or Pakistanis of in regard to vanity and ego. Still he has a lot of passion and makes some great points. Interesting chapters on Jews and Muslims, Mormons and Muslims, and African American Muslims. So much friction and disunity in the Muslim community within the world and the USA. The chapter on US history sounds like something from Zinn's People's History of the US and is fascinating reading. We need more Akbar Ahmed's to promote dialogue and try to translate it into action.
March 14, 2011
I will admit that I did skim most of this book in order to keep to my reading deadline & be able to write a review. The book was very good and the study very interesting.
Akbar Ahmed starts off his book by talking about how he was interrupted and repeatedly attacked by the members of a mosque where he was talking about the importance of talking to non-Muslims in the community and attempting to bridge the peace between the different cultures. Ahmed also mentioned that his two companions for the trip, who were white non-Muslims, were also verbally attacked when they attempted to interact with the members of the mosque.
As is unfortunately the case in many of these instances, not all mosques welcome non-Muslims with open arms. That whole passage reminded me of the passage in
when the author refers to Imam Musa’s shocking rule of allowing non-Muslim women visiting the mosque to choose whether to put on a Hijab.
Ahmed also talked about how some members of the mosque approached him after his argument, even his silent host, and commended him for what he said and having the gall to say it in front of these people. He mentioned that these members were not at all happy with the actions of the verbal Muslims in their community but that they were afraid to speak out against them because they had all the monetary funding for the mosque.
To me, the whole problem with the society we live in is this abundance of narrow-minded people who aren’t willing to talk to people who don’t believe the same things they do. This is a problem both in the Muslim and non-Muslim societies, as Ahmed points out in his book.
Ahmed talks about the hyper-patriotism that has followed 9/11, where people pronounce their American patriotism by attacking Muslims through a variety of ways. Ahmed mentions a few movies and comedy acts where Muslims are verbally abused.
Ahmed also refers to the roles Muslims played in American history, stating that the first nation to recognize the United States was a Muslim Morocco, and the Muslim slaves that lived on American soil as early as1620. He also mentions that Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of the Quran, which he used to teach himself Arabic. Benjamin Franklin welcomed Muslim clerics to preach Islam in Philadelphia. John Adams referred to Prophet Mohamed (P.B.U.H.) as a model of compassion.
Ahmed refers to the impact Muslims have had on today’s society by citing the Muslim scholars who founded the study of Anthropology. He mentions the Muslim and Arab roots that are behind the Statue of Liberty.
A problem that Americans have to deal with when adjusting to the Muslims in their world is the diversity within the Muslim community. Ahmed says that in traditional American standards, most Americans see diversity by defining people by how they look. In the traditional Muslim society, Muslims define diversity in their community by the individual beliefs of other Muslims.
Another issue that arises when the Muslim and American cultures mix is a misunderstanding of cultural norms. Ahmed cites a woman who was jittery when Airport security men spoke to her loudly, moved close to her and looked her directly in the eye when speaking. Ahmed says that Muslim women expect to be treated with respect by men and that it is normal for Muslim women to become nervous if her cultural norms have been violated.
There are the Muslims who think it is sacrilege to let go of their past and take to a very literal interpretation of the Quran. There are also the Muslims who wish to denounce their heritage and only acknowledge their American identity. Then there are the modern Muslims who struggle to keep a balance between their Islamic identity and their American one. Those are the Muslims who are the most interested in finding some harmony between the American and Muslim communities.
Ahmed talks about the fact that there is still a large number of people converting to Islam, regardless of all the controversy surrounding the religion.
The author states that the rate of conversion is higher in women than in men.
For every male convert there are four female converts.
Ahmed spends a large portion of his book talking about the various other religious cultures and how Muslims have to work together with all these different cultures to form a better bond and understanding among communities.
Just like he was talking about at the beginning of his book, Ahmed thinks it is important to create harmony among the different American communities and various interfaith activities.
Akbar Ahmed starts off his book by talking about how he was interrupted and repeatedly attacked by the members of a mosque where he was talking about the importance of talking to non-Muslims in the community and attempting to bridge the peace between the different cultures. Ahmed also mentioned that his two companions for the trip, who were white non-Muslims, were also verbally attacked when they attempted to interact with the members of the mosque.
As is unfortunately the case in many of these instances, not all mosques welcome non-Muslims with open arms. That whole passage reminded me of the passage in
when the author refers to Imam Musa’s shocking rule of allowing non-Muslim women visiting the mosque to choose whether to put on a Hijab. Ahmed also talked about how some members of the mosque approached him after his argument, even his silent host, and commended him for what he said and having the gall to say it in front of these people. He mentioned that these members were not at all happy with the actions of the verbal Muslims in their community but that they were afraid to speak out against them because they had all the monetary funding for the mosque.
To me, the whole problem with the society we live in is this abundance of narrow-minded people who aren’t willing to talk to people who don’t believe the same things they do. This is a problem both in the Muslim and non-Muslim societies, as Ahmed points out in his book.
Ahmed talks about the hyper-patriotism that has followed 9/11, where people pronounce their American patriotism by attacking Muslims through a variety of ways. Ahmed mentions a few movies and comedy acts where Muslims are verbally abused.
Ahmed also refers to the roles Muslims played in American history, stating that the first nation to recognize the United States was a Muslim Morocco, and the Muslim slaves that lived on American soil as early as1620. He also mentions that Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of the Quran, which he used to teach himself Arabic. Benjamin Franklin welcomed Muslim clerics to preach Islam in Philadelphia. John Adams referred to Prophet Mohamed (P.B.U.H.) as a model of compassion.
Ahmed refers to the impact Muslims have had on today’s society by citing the Muslim scholars who founded the study of Anthropology. He mentions the Muslim and Arab roots that are behind the Statue of Liberty.
A problem that Americans have to deal with when adjusting to the Muslims in their world is the diversity within the Muslim community. Ahmed says that in traditional American standards, most Americans see diversity by defining people by how they look. In the traditional Muslim society, Muslims define diversity in their community by the individual beliefs of other Muslims.
Another issue that arises when the Muslim and American cultures mix is a misunderstanding of cultural norms. Ahmed cites a woman who was jittery when Airport security men spoke to her loudly, moved close to her and looked her directly in the eye when speaking. Ahmed says that Muslim women expect to be treated with respect by men and that it is normal for Muslim women to become nervous if her cultural norms have been violated.
There are the Muslims who think it is sacrilege to let go of their past and take to a very literal interpretation of the Quran. There are also the Muslims who wish to denounce their heritage and only acknowledge their American identity. Then there are the modern Muslims who struggle to keep a balance between their Islamic identity and their American one. Those are the Muslims who are the most interested in finding some harmony between the American and Muslim communities.
Ahmed talks about the fact that there is still a large number of people converting to Islam, regardless of all the controversy surrounding the religion.
The author states that the rate of conversion is higher in women than in men.
For every male convert there are four female converts.
Ahmed spends a large portion of his book talking about the various other religious cultures and how Muslims have to work together with all these different cultures to form a better bond and understanding among communities.
Just like he was talking about at the beginning of his book, Ahmed thinks it is important to create harmony among the different American communities and various interfaith activities.
July 23, 2011
I did not realize exactly how famous Akbar Ahmed is as an anthropologist. I see his name around random articles I find on the internet. Regardless, this is an important book and his stature allowed him to interview some powerful people (Grand Wizard of the KKK, former diplomats).
Too many books are hailed as the "modern de Toqueville." It is an annoying moniker that is attached to books that attempt any kind of ethnography of the United States. There was one de Toqueville and there has not been one since.
My recommendation is to read the chapters that are interesting. Some chapters are insightful and contribute to an understanding of Islam in America, and some chapters are boring. It can also be disorganized and unfocused at times, as if the project is too ambitious for a single volume.
Too many books are hailed as the "modern de Toqueville." It is an annoying moniker that is attached to books that attempt any kind of ethnography of the United States. There was one de Toqueville and there has not been one since.
My recommendation is to read the chapters that are interesting. Some chapters are insightful and contribute to an understanding of Islam in America, and some chapters are boring. It can also be disorganized and unfocused at times, as if the project is too ambitious for a single volume.
February 23, 2025
The 2010 book Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam by Akbar Ahmed offers an informative look at Muslim identity, integration, and belonging in the US. In order to understand the complex connection between Islam and American society, Ahmed, a well-known anthropologist and diplomat, sets out on an ambitious journey across the United States, meeting with Muslim groups, religious leaders, and average residents. A fascinating story that is both thoroughly researched yet deeply intimate is presented in the book. In addition to addressing concerns of discrimination, miscommunication, and alienation, Ahmed offers a range of experiences that demonstrate the variety of Muslim identities in the United States. His writings highlight an important query, Can America continue to uphold its essential principles of tolerance and pluralism while tackling the problems posed by religious and cultural diversity? Ahmed's unbiased stance is what makes Journey into America so compelling. He does not hold back when talking about the anxieties and suspicions that Americans have about Islam in the wake of 9/11, but he also gives background information and makes comparisons between the problems that Muslims face now and those faced by earlier immigrant groups. His discussions with Muslims, non-Muslims, conservatives, and liberals offer an elaborate picture that challenges stereotypes and promotes greater understanding. A wide audience may easily understand complex political concerns thanks to Ahmed's engaging and approachable narrative. In the divided environment of today, his focus on the idea of a "American identity" that develops by acceptance rather than exclusion is an influential message.
November 23, 2015
Written as an account of an anthropological excursion into Muslim communities in the United States, this book makes a clear and useful connection between the study of Islam in America and the reality of American identity (actually identities). The book opens with the author's identification of the three American identities, which, according to the author's interpretation, started with the Plymouth Rock: primordial identity, pluralist identity, and predator identity. Throughout the book, the author presents the results of his cross-country excursion into Muslim and non-Muslim communities in the United States with the help of a couple of research assistants.
Guided by the three American identities mentioned earlier, the author narrates and analyzes the views of Americans both Muslims and non-Muslims as well with regards to identity, the role of Plymouth Rock, and the position of Muslims in the United States. With rigorous anthropological research methodology, which include in-depth interviews and questionnaires, involving over 1000 subjects, the author claims that the study that he and his team have conducted is bigger and promises to give a better picture of the subject at hands compared to surveys conducted by the likes of Gallup Poll and Pew Research Center.
In my opinion, this book is a must-read text for those interested in studying contemporary America and especially those interested in studying Islam in America. This book covers areas that have not been studied extensively, such as the relations between immigrant Muslims and the indigenous Muslims in the United States, i.e. the African American Muslims. Also, as it does an in-depth study on the Muslim identity in the United States, it keeps returning to the three models of American identities, giving the study a constant connection to the larger picture of American identity.
What might make this book different than others on the same shelf in bookstores is that this book is written by a Pakistani anthropologist who is not even an immigrant in the United States. However, as a frequent visiting scholar in the United States and a scholar who has spent over a decade in the United Kingdom, Akbar Ahmed is not unfamiliar with the issue of Islam in the West. His earlier work was a book called A Journey into Islam, written after an excursion into the Muslim world conducted with the same team.
Guided by the three American identities mentioned earlier, the author narrates and analyzes the views of Americans both Muslims and non-Muslims as well with regards to identity, the role of Plymouth Rock, and the position of Muslims in the United States. With rigorous anthropological research methodology, which include in-depth interviews and questionnaires, involving over 1000 subjects, the author claims that the study that he and his team have conducted is bigger and promises to give a better picture of the subject at hands compared to surveys conducted by the likes of Gallup Poll and Pew Research Center.
In my opinion, this book is a must-read text for those interested in studying contemporary America and especially those interested in studying Islam in America. This book covers areas that have not been studied extensively, such as the relations between immigrant Muslims and the indigenous Muslims in the United States, i.e. the African American Muslims. Also, as it does an in-depth study on the Muslim identity in the United States, it keeps returning to the three models of American identities, giving the study a constant connection to the larger picture of American identity.
What might make this book different than others on the same shelf in bookstores is that this book is written by a Pakistani anthropologist who is not even an immigrant in the United States. However, as a frequent visiting scholar in the United States and a scholar who has spent over a decade in the United Kingdom, Akbar Ahmed is not unfamiliar with the issue of Islam in the West. His earlier work was a book called A Journey into Islam, written after an excursion into the Muslim world conducted with the same team.
November 8, 2012
Dense, and kind of depressing. I feel like this is the sort of reading that gets assigned in college. I also feel compelled to write a paper just to process all I've read.
It's interesting to see an outsider's interpretation of American history. He's ludicrously high on Kennedy, and has a bit of a fixation with Plymouth (in a very academic context) and the Scots-Irish. The historical highlights are also more racially tinged.
I really appreciated the team's breadth of demographic coverage. I learned so much about Black Muslims, Latino Muslims and the Salafists, among other subgroups of Muslims in America. I think the only group that got truly shortchanged was the well-adjusted under-30 demographic -- they probably were low on drama.
The findings were pretty depressing, though: such appalling reports of discrimination and hate (look, it's not all the Scots-Irish, ok?) from without -- this, sadly, is not hard to find anywhere in the US -- and such ignorance, misconception and misinformation from within, especially regarding 9/11 and Jews (often, but not always, separate). I can't believe the non-black imams are as unassimilated as reported. That just boggles my mind. If that is the case, I guess it explains Anwar al-Awlaki's prominence.
This book was eye-opening in so many ways. I can't say I really liked it, but I think it was important and informative, and I'd consider it a reliable reference.
It's interesting to see an outsider's interpretation of American history. He's ludicrously high on Kennedy, and has a bit of a fixation with Plymouth (in a very academic context) and the Scots-Irish. The historical highlights are also more racially tinged.
I really appreciated the team's breadth of demographic coverage. I learned so much about Black Muslims, Latino Muslims and the Salafists, among other subgroups of Muslims in America. I think the only group that got truly shortchanged was the well-adjusted under-30 demographic -- they probably were low on drama.
The findings were pretty depressing, though: such appalling reports of discrimination and hate (look, it's not all the Scots-Irish, ok?) from without -- this, sadly, is not hard to find anywhere in the US -- and such ignorance, misconception and misinformation from within, especially regarding 9/11 and Jews (often, but not always, separate). I can't believe the non-black imams are as unassimilated as reported. That just boggles my mind. If that is the case, I guess it explains Anwar al-Awlaki's prominence.
This book was eye-opening in so many ways. I can't say I really liked it, but I think it was important and informative, and I'd consider it a reliable reference.
April 5, 2012
This book claims to be about the Muslim experience in America, and American attitudes towards Islam, in the decade since 9/11. The author spent a good deal of time traveling, interviewing people, and taking surveys, all of which is presented in the book. This is its greatest strength. He provides empirical insights that I haven't seen elsewhere. Unfortunately, he spends more than half the book on an anthropological look at America. While some of his insights are good, I particularly liked his analysis of the insecurity of many Americans in the contemporary world, he often strays into rather strange territory. He has a tendency to listen to the most radical voices on the right and left and present them as mainstream American culture.
July 7, 2012
A very interesting and detailed book on Islam in America. I got this book late in 2010 and have just finished reading it so it would be interesting to see Dr. Ahmed do a follow up to this (and by exstention his previous book Journey Into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization) on how the Arab Spring has had, if any, on the perception of muslims in the US and abroad.
August 5, 2016
Oh my college days...this book definitely reminded me of those college years where I had to conduct my own research. Overall this is a good book. It describes how people now see Muslims, before and after 9/11. I am definitely considering buying this book (because I originally checked it out at the library, and it took me a while to get through it). I would like to re-read and highlight a few areas that interested me. This is a very informative book and I recommend everyone read it.
July 10, 2011
Long but worth the read. I agree with those that have posted that everyone in the US needs to read. Ahmed has very good points that everyone needs to think about, we have much to do as Americans.
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March 30, 2012I was distracted, and never finished it. Curious glimpses into a world foreign to me, perhaps I'll pick it up again sometime.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews