How has the Islamic/Muslim faith/religion helped shape America?

[ShareTheWoods]

After reading the President's words in Turkey, I became curious how America has been shaped by this religion...

"And we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better – including my own country. The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans."

Are there any similarities as to how the Catholic and others shaped America?

[XemaSab]

1. I can think of two things off the top of my head:

"Spanish" architecture is really Moorish, and algebra was invented in the Middle East. :shrug:

[LiberalFighter]

15. I don't think algebra and other inventions or ideas were because of them being Muslim.

The religion itself had nothing to do with it.

Maybe the architect if they were inspired.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Muslims gave us algebra, and the Masons have some Muslim... stuff... in their... thing.

And this country was designed and created by Masons.

As to other shaping, though, we really didn't have Muslims in this country until the last few decades, and as far as I can tell, they really haven't shaped anything, other than convenience stores and medical doctors and engineers/scientists, and a few other areas, but nothing in a large scale.

I could be wrong, but I don't think we've ever had a big Muslim immigration to work on railroads, factories, farms, or mines, like other ethnic/religious groups have.

I don't know.

[bemildred]

3. Algebra?

Omar Kayyam?
Kahlil Gibran?
9/11?
Preserving ancient greek and latin texts when Yurpeans were too busy killing each other over the Nicean creed?
Defeating Genghis Khan?
All that bullshit with the Crusades?
Is this some sort of contest?

[dmallind]

4. Well let's see

Since a lot of the influence on how America was founded came from Roman and Greek precedents, and since the Muslims were the only reason that much of that knowledge survived the Dark Ages when Catholicism ruled supreme in Europe and tried to destroy secular philosophy, that's a pretty big influence even if you forget things like architectural influences and non-veg Indian cooking (my own personal favorite).

[theoldman]

5. It increased our fear of beards.

Actually there have not been very many Muslims in the US so they have had little effect on our culture. It is only in recent years that they have built mosques in the US.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. ...

[WorseBeforeBetter]

7. Astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, medicine, geography, and agriculture...

for starters.

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1201957650529&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah%2FLSELayout#Specific

[arcadian]

8. Some African slaves transported to the U.S. were Muslims.

[kestrel91316]

9. Algebra, medicine, science - these were NOT invented by Christians.

[kestrel91316]

10. Catholocism: pedophilia, discouraging women's reproductive freedoms.

Among other things.

[elleng]

11. All of us

http://www.jannah.org/articles/contrib.html

[cobalt1999]

12. Religions rarely have a positive influence n/t

[elleng]

13. 'Estavanico of Azamor

may have been the first Muslim to enter the historical record in North America. Estevánico was a Berber originally from North Africa who explored the future states of Arizona and New Mexico for the Spanish Empire. Estevánico came to the Americas as a slave of the 16th-century Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. After joining the ill-fated Narváez expedition in 1527, Cabeza de Vaca and Estevánico were captured and enslaved by Indians, escaping to make an arduous journey along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In 1539 Estevánico guided the first Spanish explorations of what is now the American Southwest.<11>. . .

In 1790, the South Carolina legislative body granted special legal status to a community of Moroccans, twelve years after the Sultan of Morocco became the first foreign head of state to formally recognize the United States.<13> In 1796, then president John Adams signed a treaty declaring the United States had no "character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen".<14>'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States

[ShareTheWoods]

14. Interesting. thanks for the replies and insight

I learned something.