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Number of U.S. Muslims disputed©Los Angeles Times
© St. Petersburg Times, Two new studies have found that Muslims in America may number no more than 2.8-million, a figure more than 50 percent lower than what is commonly cited by the media and many Islamic organizations. The studies have reignited debate over whether Islamic organizations are vastly exaggerating their numbers -- or whether lower estimates are politically biased by Jewish interests. One study, an analysis of more than 20 Muslim population estimates, was conducted for the American Jewish Committee by Tom W. Smith of the National Opinion Research Center in Chicago. The survey concluded that Muslim population figures ranged between 1.4-million and 2.8-million. The other study, a random telephone survey of religious identification of 50,000 households, was conducted by Jewish researchers at City University of New York. That survey found that the Muslim adult population had doubled since 1990, with 1.1-million Muslim adults and 650,000 Muslim children. Muslim organizations immediately decried the studies. "It is certainly a desperate attempt to undermine the growing influence and presence of the American Muslim community," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations office in Anaheim, Calif. The council, like many other American Muslim groups, uses a population estimate of 7-million. Muslim groups have used this number to claim parity with American Jews. But the CUNY study found that Jews, while their numbers are declining, have an American population that is more than twice the size of the Muslim American population. Ilyas Ba-Yunus, a professor of demography at State University of New York at Cortland, said general telephone surveys are certain to undercount Muslims, since immigrants in particular would refuse to respond to them. His own analysis this year yielded a figure of 6.7-million Muslims. Kenneth Bandler of the Jewish committee denied any bias. He said the committee wanted to glean accurate figures for faith communities it frequently deals with, and that Buddhists, Sikhs and other emerging groups would be studied in the coming months. "We're not seeking to diminish or do battle, and we certainly don't see the American Muslim community as a threat," Bandler said. "They are part of the mosaic of American society." However, in an article for the Jerusalem Report in May, American Jewish Committee executive director David A. Harris urged American Jewry to unite with Israel to battle against the growing Arab and Muslim lobbies here and the challenge they present to long-standing U.S. support for Israel. Harris cited the "myth" of high Muslim population figures as one tactic Muslims are using to advance their position. He was unavailable for an interview last week.
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From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
