Muslim Hispanic population is growing in U.S.

In the last few years thousands of Hispanics have joined the millions of Muslims who practice the Islamic faith in the United States. According to the American Muslim Council (AMC), in 1997 there were an estimated 40,000 Hispanic Muslims in the nation.

The current estimate, the group says, may be up to 60,000 Hispanic worshipers, out of a total Muslim population the AMC says may be anywhere between 2 and 7 million.

Ed Joseph, whose organization, the Fellowship of ISA (Arabic for Jesus), reaches Muslims worldwide with the gospel message, says the number is closer to 9 million Muslims in the United States out of a total o 1.4 billion worldwide.

Hispanics who convert to Islam do so for a number of reasons. Most Hispanics from the United States, Puerto Rico and Central and South America were raised Catholic.

Catholic Hispanics who turn to Islam have become isolated from the faith they grew up with and no longer see it as relevant to their daily lives.

(EP)