The Number Of Muslims Continues To Grow, Mosques In The United States Reach 2,769

JAKARTA - The number of mosques in the United States continues to grow steadily, with the number of mosques reaching 2,769 in 2020, according to a survey report.

"This is an increase of 31 percent from 2010's total of 2,106 mosques," said the report titled 'The American Mosque 2020: Growing and Evolving' which was released on June 2, as quoted by Yenisafak, Friday, June 4.

"Undoubtedly, the main driving force for the increase in mosques is the expansion of the Muslim population in the United States due to immigration and birth rates," the report continued.

In addition, the number of congregation members of the mosque has also increased, especially during Friday prayers. The report revealed that the average number of worshipers who attended the weekly Friday Prayers reached 410 congregations in 2020. An increase of 16 percent compared to 2010 which was 353 congregations.

"Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of mosques recorded an increase in Friday prayer attendance of 10 percent or more," the report said.

However, the number of those who converted to Islam in mosques has decreased significantly.

"Out of 15.3 converts per mosque in 2010, the average number of converts in 2020 was 11.3. The main reason is the decline in African-American converts, especially in African-American mosques," the report said.

Another factor that also shows a decline is that new mosques are mostly built in suburban areas. Meanwhile, the construction of mosques in large and small urban centers has decreased. Mosques in towns and cities decreased from 20 percent in 2010 to 6 percent in 2020.

"The obvious cause is the reduced Muslim population in these small towns due to reduced job opportunities in these areas and the movement of young people, children of mosque founders, and activists to big cities for education and work," the report said. that.

"In 2010, 17 percent of mosques were found in urban centers, but in 2020 that figure fell to 6 percent. This decline is most likely related to the decline in African-American mosques and the general movement of mosques to suburban locations," the report said.

To note, this survey was supported by a number of institutions in the United States, including the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Center on Muslim Philanthropy, the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) and the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB).