Despite the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment since the attacks of September 11, 2001, the past 20 years have been a bright period for Muslims in the United States, as their number doubled to 3.5 million, and their position in American society was unprecedentedly enhanced.

A report by the British magazine "The Economist" stated that Muslims have been the most prominent religious minority in the United States during the past years, as the number of mosques in the country has doubled since 2001. In terms of education, the numbers were remarkable. In Michigan, for example, Muslims made up 15 % of the number of doctors, despite the fact that the percentage of the Muslim population in the state does not exceed 3%.

On the artistic level, a number of Muslim actors and writers - such as Mahershala Ali, Iyad Akhtar, Aziz Ansari and Hassan Minhaj - have received prestigious awards in recent years.

In the world of politics, Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar emerged, and a large number of Muslim officials were elected to various state governments and local committees.

Representatives Rashida Tlaib (left) and Ilhan Omar (Al Jazeera)

Anti-Muslim sentiment

According to the magazine, Muslims have finally found the place they deserve in the United States after 4 centuries of Islam's entry into the United States, but this coincided with the growth of anti-Islam sentiment in society since the events of September 11, 2001.

Half of Americans - the majority of whom are Republican Party supporters - believe that Islam encourages violence.

But the statistics indicate the exact opposite, as the "Islamist attacks" have claimed the lives of only 107 people since 2001.

The Economist believes that the prosperity of the Muslim community in the United States and its prominence in several areas during the past period indicates that Muslim immigration contributes to strengthening American power, contrary to what former President Donald Trump was promoting, when he wanted to restrict immigration procedures from a number of countries. Islamic.

She adds that Muslim immigrants find in the United States religious freedom and cultural diversity that make them more loyal to American values ​​than European immigrants, and less inclined to extremism.

It is remarkable - according to the magazine - how Muslims - especially young people born in the United States - have responded to pressures and campaigns of hate and discrimination since the events of September 11.

Asim Padilla, an emergency physician and expert in Islamic bioethics, says the bigotry he faced when the Twin Towers was attacked changed his life.

When the attack happened, Assem was a medical student at Cornell University, and he rushed to help the injured, but he could not get to the place by bus, and he explains, "My stethoscope did not hide my beard."

For this reason, Padilla was adamant in representing the true values ​​of Islam throughout his career.

The prosperity of the Muslim community confirmed that Muslim immigration contributes to strengthening American (European) power

Trump campaign

Although former President George W. Bush tried to quell anti-Muslim sentiment, according to the report;

The hostility has become entrenched in right-wing circles, because of its compatibility with the culture of oppression that deepened after the election of a black candidate with a Muslim name for the presidency of the United States.

This raised concerns about conservative Islamic practices and beliefs, and Donald Trump - later - made anti-Muslim hatred a central issue in his presidential campaign.

The polls indicated that Islamophobia was the most prominent feature of Donald Trump voters, in light of his focus on inflaming the feelings of hatred among the white majority against the imminent danger posed by Muslims, according to their perception.

And with his inability to establish that negative image, the magazine says, Trump suddenly turned his attention from Muslims to black activists, and this shift was in line with research indicating that the Republicans' hatred of Muslims is much lower than what opinion polls indicate.