The Islamic Society of North America

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is considered among the most influential organizations that represent the interests of Muslims in the United States and Canada. ISNA evolved from the Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada (MSA), which was founded in 1963 by international students on North American college campuses. By opening its membership to all Muslim Americans, regardless of ethnicity or sectarian persuasion, ISNA has solidified its position among Muslim Americans.

Overview

ISNA is governed by a board of directors and managed by an executive director. The organization is headquartered in Plainfield, Indiana. As a tax-exempt charity designated by the Internal Revenue Service, ISNA is funded by contributions from members and donors, as well as revenues from its conventions and conferences.

History and Development

ISNA's story is that of a newly established Muslim American identity embraced by both "establishment" Muslim Americans and the United States government. The U.S. government supported ISNA after September 11, 2001, when national security interests required a Muslim American identity that could mediate between Muslim Americans and the Muslim world.

Role and Impact

ISNA has been serving the Muslim community in North America for more than 57 years. ISNA seeks to understand how Muslim Americans translate faith into practice to broaden the understanding of American religious history. As a religious nonprofit organization, ISNA operates within an American context, and its evolution has been influenced by issues of diversity, legitimacy, and power.

Islam and Muslim-Majority Countries

Islam is the majority religion in several subregions, including Central Asia, Western Asia, North Africa, West Africa, the Sahel, and the Middle East. South Asia has the largest Muslim population, constituting about one-third of all Muslims worldwide. Islam is the dominant religion in the Maldives, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Furthermore, India has the largest Muslim population outside Muslim-majority countries, with over 200 million adherents. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is home to 23% of the world's Muslims, and Islam is the dominant religion in every country in the region except Israel.

Of the 46 countries worldwide with majority Muslim populations, 23 declare Islam as the state religion in their constitutions. These countries include Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Iran

Iran is one of the countries where Islam is declared the state religion. In his inaugural address on January 20, 2009, President Barack Obama declared the United States a “nation of Christians and Muslims, Hindus and Jews”. This was a defining moment in Muslim American history and demonstrated Iran's relationship with other Muslim countries .