Shia Islam in the Americas

A 2009 Pew survey estimated that around 300,000 Shias lived in North America (including the United States), about 10% of North America's Muslim population. American Shia Muslim community are from different part of the world such as South Asia, Europe, Middle East, and East Africa.{{cite book|author1=Daniel Brumberg|author2=Dina Shehata|title=Conflict, Identity, and Reform in the Muslim World: Challenges for U.S. Engagement|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dtXXV8dtCpsC&pg=PA366|year=2009|publisher=US Institute of Peace Press|isbn=978-1-60127-020-7|pages=366–370}}{{cite web|title=Mapping the Global Muslim Population|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2009/10/07/mapping-the-global-muslim-population/?beta=true|website=pewforum.org|accessdate=16 December 2015|date=7 October 2009}} They are mainly from Arab countries such as Iraq, Lebanon, as well as non-Arab countries such as Iran, Pakistan and others. The second group of Shiites are Americans who have become Shiites in a variety of ways. The population of Shiite Muslims in the United States is about 900,000, which is 15% of the total Muslim population in the country.[https://basirat.ir/fa/news/41019/%D8%AA%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7 Shiism in America] Retrieved in 24 June 2022

Those Shia Muslims have many activities and founded several organization such as Islamic Center of America and North American Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities Organization (NASIMCO).{{cite book|author=Mohsen Saleh|title=American Foreign Policy and the Muslim World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4mRkCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA179|date=1 January 2009|publisher=Al Manhal|isbn=978-9953-500-65-2|page=179}}

The first group of immigrant Shiites migrated to the United States from Lebanon and Syria about one hundred and eighty years ago (1824-1878). These Shiite Muslims migrated to cities such as Detroit, Michigan, and Ross (California) and North Dakota.

Brazil, a vast South American country, has approximately one million Shia Muslims from the time of the Ottoman Empire. Many Lebanese emigrants to Brazil resulted in an increase Shia beliefs. In Brazil, Shia Muslims generally live in Curitiba. They have many activities and have established several Islamic centers and institutes for the propagation of Shia beliefs and the message of Ahl al-Bayt. For this reason, there are several related places for Shia Muslims in São Paulo, such as the Prophet of Allah Muhammad mosque and the Imam Khomeini Islamic Center. Also, Shias have one mosque, Imam Ali mosque, where Shia and Sunni may pray together. In recent years, Shia and Sunni scholars have had several meetings with each other. Many Shia's books are translated into Portuguese such as Nahjul Balagha.{{cite web|title=Shia Muslims Around the World|url=http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=3591|website=imamreza.net|accessdate=19 December 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522073804/http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=3591|archivedate=22 May 2009}}

The population of Shiite (Shia) Muslims in Canada is approximately 300,000 people (who are including Twelvers/Ismailis), out of about 850,000 Muslims who are in the country. The majority of the mentioned—Shia—Muslims are Iranians, Pakistanis, Iraqis, Syrians, Lebanese, Indians, Afghans, Azeris; and are also from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.[http://shianumbers.com/shias-in-americas.html?m World Shia Muslims Population] Retrieved 29 January 2022

There are more than 360 mosques and Islamic centers in Canada, 80 of which are owned by Shiite Muslims.[http://www.islamabc.org/gozaresh.htm Canadian Shiite Islamic Association] Retrieved 29 June 2022

• The Islamic Center of America is a Shia mosque in Dearborn, Michigan. It is the oldest Shia mosque in the United States and the largest in North America[http://www.thedohadebates.com/debates/item/?d=2&s=4&mode=speakers The Doha Debates: Bio for Imam Sayid Hassan Al-Qazwini] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619051314/http://www.thedohadebates.com/debates/item/?d=2&s=4&mode=speakers |date=2015-06-19 }} retrieved February 12, 2012[http://www.michigandaily.com/content/new-dearborn-mosque-be-nations-largest New Dearborn mosque to be the nation's largest]. Michigan Daily, January 7, 2004. Retrieved February 16, 2009.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1494645/Islams-US-faithful-are-happy-to-embrace-the-American-dream.html Islam's US faithful are happy to embrace the American dream], Daily Telegraph, July 23, 2005. Retrieved February 16, 2009. (founded in 1963). The institution known as "heart of Shiism" in the United States.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=20090725&id=MmJfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XlwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6836,3891309 Victoria Advocate: "American Shias struggle with their future"] July 25, 2009[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1494645/Islams-US-faithful-are-happy-to-embrace-the-American-dream.html Daily Telegraph: "Islam's US faithful are happy to embrace the American dream] July 23, 2005
• North American Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities (NASIMCO) is a religious-cultural organization for Shia followers in the North of America. Islamic education board of the NASIMCO have investigated and standardized Shia books and also published several references in Shia history and theology.{{cite book|author=Mohamed Nimer|title=The North American Muslim Resource Guide: Muslim Community Life in the United States and Canada|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oL3ywNT--d4C&pg=PR18|date=January 2002|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93728-3|page=18}}
• The Council of Shia Muslim Scholars was founded in North America in 1994 and is known as the central organization for Shia followers.
• The Al-Khoei foundation was established in the 1980s by Seyyid Abul Qasim Musawi Al-Khoei, Grand Ayatullah and scholar of Shia in New York.
• Al Baqee Organization is registered in 2003 in Illinois and is known as the central organization for leading initiatives and activism on the preservation and restoration of Islamic heritage globally.{{cite web|title=About Baqee Organization |url=http://baqee.org/about-us}}

Several other organizations and institutions are active in the Americas, including:{{cite web|title=List of Shia Organizations in the Americas |url=http://www.shia.org/framorgs.htm}}

{{portal|Islam|Shia Islam|North America|South America}}

• Islam in the United States
• Islam in the Americas

{{Reflist|2}}

Americas

Category:American Shia Muslims