Acceptance Of U.S. Muslims Grows Among Other Faiths

July 4, 2009

Author: Rachel Zoll

Source: The Tennessean

Wire Service: AP

[tennessean.com/article/20090704/NEWS06/907040317/1023/Acceptance+of+U.S.+Muslims+grows+among+other+faiths]

Sayyid Syeed remembers an interfaith event several years ago when a Jewish leader went to embrace him, saw someone snapping a photo, then suddenly pulled back.

"He said to the man, 'Stop,' '' Syeed recalled, " 'I'll lose my job.' ''

Times have changed for the Islamic Society of North America and for Syeed, who leads the group's interfaith outreach. In a sign of growing acceptance of U.S. Muslims, one of the country's most prominent religious leaders, evangelical pastor Rick Warren, will speak at the Islamic Society's annual convention this weekend. Representatives from the two largest streams of American Judaism, the Reform and Conservative movements, will also be there to highlight their recently formed partnerships with the Muslim group.

"The landscape of religion in America is changing,'' Syeed said. "America itself has reached a certain level of fulfillment in terms of diversity of faith.''