On a recent crisp Friday afternoon in El Barrio, the Puerto Rican heart of East Harlem, Ramon Omar Abduraheem Ocasio, Imam of the Alianza Islamica, delivered a khutba (sermon) in Spanish, English and Arabic on fatherhood and responsibility to a motley congregation of Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Panamanians, Spaniards, and African Americans. Although it might seem surprising to find a Muslim mosque thriving in such a traditionally Catholic community, organizations like Alianza Islamica represent...

This is a moving story and commemoration from br.Abu Hussein for his first Shaikh (teacher). As a late teenager, deeply impressionable, culturally conscious and concerned, Pepe was moved by the struggle. Pepe saw many a strange thing in life but even late in life he was moved by the struggle. It was all about his people or so he said. It was all about his people. Pepe grew up in an immigrant (Puerto Rican) home located in the inner city of North Philadelphia. The section he matured in is...

In the late morning of May 12, 2007, Muslims and non-Muslims, Hispanics and non-Hispanics gathered at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center in northern Virginia for an extraordinary event. It was the first ever Hispanic Muslim Day. People of various ages, ethnicities, and religions gathered for a day of meaningful and insightful dialogue. Although the event was specifically geared toward the Hispanic community, organizers of the event were successful in fostering a friendly environment and welcoming...

Last week, the Islamic Society and Latin Women hosted an event on Latin American Muslims. The event featured two Ecuadorian Americans who converted to Islam from Catholicism. The event, entitled "Latin Muslims: the Sons and Daughters of Golden Spain," focused on two seemingly different cultural groups, Muslims and Latinos, and their respective cultures. The event was attended by over 50 students. Ahson Mahfooz, vice president of the Islamic Society, served as master of ceremonies...

CHINO - When the sun finally sets and the fast of Ramadan ends for the day, Luqman Malik joins the faithful at the Baitul Hameed Mosque for a feast of chicken, rice, potatoes. And Mexican food. Islam is a tapestry, Imam Shamshad A. Nasir says, a religion that attracts men and women of many cultures. More Latinos are embracing the faith, said Hussam Ayloush, a Corona man who is spokesman for the Southern California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. While he has has no...

UNION CITY, N.J. - On a hot summer day, Stefani Perada left work for the day in West New York, N.J., and stepped outside in her long jilbab, the flowing clothes worn by many Muslim women. Meanwhile, other Latinas in the mostly Hispanic neighborhood were taking advantage of the warm day, walking around in shorts and midriff-exposing halter tops. Perada, 19, who converted to Islam just over a year ago, is still trying to become acclimated to certain customs, such as the jilbab and the hijab,...

Latino Muslims say it's a lot easier to convert to Islam than to convince family members it's a good idea. Some Latino Muslim converts gathered in Denver on Saturday to discuss problems they have in adjusting to their new religion, keeping up family relationships and putting up with rejection from people who fear Muslims. Misunderstandings about Islam are rampant, said the converts, many of whom were reared as Catholics. Juan Galvan of San Antonio said that after the 2001 terrorist...

DENVER (AP) - Hispanic and Islamic groups called on Rep. Tom Tancredo to resign Monday, saying he has embarrassed Colorado by suggesting bombing Islamic holy sites if terrorists launch a nuclear attack on the U.S. They also criticized the GOP congressman's staunch advocacy of tougher immigration controls. "Enough is enough. We're here to say 'Stop,"' Hispanic activist Manolo Gonzalez-Estay told a crowd of about 200 at the state Capitol. Abdur-Rahim Ali, imam of a Muslim...

Over the Fourth of July weekend, several hundred American Muslims came together in Dallas, Texas for the south-central regional conference of the Islamic Society of North America. Among them were many Spanish-speaking people who have embraced Islam. Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the United States and Latinos represent one of the fastest-growing minorities. Increasingly, the two trends are meeting in the form of Hispanic converts to Islam. Juan Galvan San Antonio...

Islam is on the move in Mexico and throughout Latin America, making dramatic gains in converting the native population, increasing immigration, establishing businesses and charities and attracting attention from U.S. government officials who have asked their neighbors to the south to keep an eye on foreign Muslim groups. The monitoring of foreign groups is intended to "avoid problems in Mexico that have an impact in the United States," said the head of the Attorney General Office's...