EduAsiaNews, jakarta – The number of Muslims in the United States is currently estimated to have reached between 10 and 15 million people. This actual figure is far higher than the official government data, which records only around 5 to 7 million Muslims.
The statement was delivered by Shamsi Ali, M.A., Ph.D., an Indonesian-born Islamic figure in the United States, while receiving an award at the Open Senate Meeting for the Conferment of the UMY Awards 2026 at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta on Saturday (May 23).
“The current official data is still undercounting the actual population. The real number has exceeded more than double the published figures,” said Shamsi Ali.
According to him, this data gap is not merely a technical issue in population recording, but also reflects a long-standing tendency to obscure the existence and contributions of the Muslim community in the United States.
American Muslim Profile: Young, Educated, and Professional
Shamsi Ali cited data from Pew Research Center that challenges negative stereotypes about Muslims in the United States. The Muslim community there is predominantly composed of young and highly educated individuals:
Young Majority: Around 58% of Muslims in the United States are under the age of 40.
Highly Educated: Approximately 44% of American Muslims hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, surpassing the national average of 33% among U.S. citizens.
Professional Dominance: Many are active and influential in fields such as medicine, information technology (IT), engineering, and law.
This growth is also reflected in the sharp increase in places of worship. In the early 1960s, there were only around 200 mosques in the United States. Today, the number has risen dramatically to more than 4,500 mosques, with over 300 located in New York City alone.
Growing Number of Converts from Diverse Ethnic Backgrounds
Currently, around 20% to 25% of Muslims in the United States are converts to Islam. While the majority previously came from African-American and Latino communities, the trend is now beginning to shift.
“In recent trends, conversion waves are also emerging among groups that were previously rarely associated with Islam, namely white Americans,” Shamsi Ali explained.
He believes this phenomenon occurs because Islam is increasingly viewed as a rational and balanced religion capable of addressing the spiritual emptiness experienced by segments of modern American society.
Future Projection (2050)
With a fertility rate reaching 2.7%, the influence of the Muslim community is projected to continue growing.
By 2050, although Muslims are estimated to make up only around 3% to 5% of the total U.S. population quantitatively, Shamsi Ali remains optimistic that their influence in the social, economic, and political sectors could account for as much as 15% to 20%.
