The Impact of 9/11 on Muslims in the United States
The events of September 11, 2001 had a significant influence on the lives of Muslims in the United States. Since the 9/11 incident, Muslims have progressed from being a religious target group to being the target of hate crimes. Since the tragedy, anti-Muslim hate crimes have tripled (Haddad & Smith, 2014).
Changing Perceptions of Islam in America
Several Muslims have claimed that Islam in America has morphed from something of curiosity to something evil. Before the attack, most Americans were just unfamiliar with the nature of Islam. But, things changed after the incident, and people began to despise Muslims (Haddad & Smith, 2014). As a result, the numbers of Muslims attending places of worship have dropped, with many fearing for their lives. Moreover, some Muslims lost confidence from their neighbors to the extent of being evicted from their neighborhoods. In addition to that, Muslims over the last two decades have lost access to social services such as charities and hospitals (Curiel, 2015).
The Impact on Muslim Identity
Additionally, over the last two decades, Muslims have reexamined their faith, with some compromising some components of their religion to hide their identity. For instance, there are Muslims who do not wear their hijabs for the sake of their safety. Furthermore, Islamophobia has had an enormous impact on the social, economic, and political lives of Muslims in America. For example, in the last two decades, Muslims have seen a 10% reduction in their wages (Curiel, 2015). Also, Muslims have complained that resumes with Islamic names are usually rejected while those with Caucasian or White names are usually considered. In addition to that, after the September 11 attack, American Muslims' contribution to the political process has been reduced (Curiel, 2015). In fact, some sections of Muslims have acknowledged that in the last one decade Muslims' contribution in the political arena has been rejected. Primarily, Islam in America is a story of hope and despair.
References
Curiel, J., & Ruthven, M. (2015). Islam in America. London: I.B. Tauris.
Haddad, Y. Y., & Smith, J. I. (2014). The Oxford handbook of American Islam. New York: Oxford University Press.