Latinos and Islam

[Ahanu]

Interesting documentary for those keeping up with the changing religious landscape in America. According to this documentary, Latinos are the fastest growing group in Islam. Is the intolerance of immigrants in American culture today helping to drive this growth? Is this growth simply an expression of backlash against white culture as some would like to paint it? Is there more to it than that or something else entirely? What do you think makes Islam so attractive for Latinos?

 

[wil]

I think the numbers are so small currently that any growth makes him the fastest growing group... math

 

[Ahanu]

I think the numbers are so small currently that any growth makes him the fastest growing group... math

 

[Arif Ghamiq]

I know several Hispanic Muslims, and I’ve not seen any indication that their embracing of Islam is an expression of backlash against white culture. For most of the ones that I’ve known personally, it seems more to do with a dissatisfaction with the Catholicism with which they were raised. In their search for something else they find Islam.

Many look to the Islamic roots of Muslim Spain (Al Andalus).

Islam is slowly growing in some Central & South American Countries. There is a large Shi’a Muslim Community in Buenaventura Colombia for example. I’ve personally known three Colombian Muslims.

 

[SufiPhilosophy]

People turn to a belief for many reasons. The most specious ones are the mere reactionary ones offered in the OP. It's sad that these are focused on.

Most importantly to me: it doesn't matter from the point of view of the religion itself - it's between the person and God. Also, the firmest belief can follow a wide arc in life:

https://sunnah.com/muslim/46
"... one amongst you acts like the people deserving Paradise until between him and Paradise there remains but the distance of a cubit, when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him and he begins to act like the denizens of Hell and thus enters Hell, and another one acts in the way of the denizens of Hell, until there remains between him and Hell a distance of a cubit that the writing of destiny overcomes him and then he begins to act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise."

Reference : Sahih Muslim 2643a
In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 1


One example is the magicians in the company of the Pharaoh, they had a lifetime of learning evil lore, the culmination of which was their conversion to the faith of Moses. There was in effect no other way they could have reached that true faith. So as l see it, let their reasons be theirs. Also, Vice will always do a hatchet job on spiritual matters, it's predicated on the gritty not the pretty.