Black Muslims
Today, there about five and one-half million Muslims in the United States and many members of the Black community are practicing Muslims. The religion of Islam is the acceptance of and obedience to the teachings of God, which He revealed to His last prophet, Muhammad. The Five Pillars of Islam are the frame- work of Muslim life. They are the testimony of faith, prayer, giving zakat (support of the needy), fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime for those who are able (see Figure 11–7).
The people may be descendants of the earlier people who were Muslims and came to America as slaves, or they have chosen to convert to Islam. How- ever, it is difficult to generalize in any way about American Muslims because the people come from all walks of life—converts, immigrants, factory workers,