Muslim population on the rise in the Valley

Taylor Summers/KTAR March 1st, 2012

PHOENIX - The number of Islamic mosques has nearly doubled nationwide in the last decade.

Here in the Valley, a similar trend is being experienced.

"A lot of that has to do with immigration from countries that are dictatorships and the ability to practice our faith more freely in America than anywhere else in the world," said Dr. Zudhi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. "We're losing a lot of foreign exchange students because of [education cuts], but that's being offset by refugees coming from Afghanistan and Iraq, or even from the war in the 90s in Bosnia."

Jasser expects to see the number of refugees to go up because of the recent events in Egypt, Libya, and his family's native country, Syria.

According to Jasser, Muslims living in the area have had great support from members of other faiths. The Arizona Interfaith Movement has been a big part of that support. Jasser does hope he'll see more positive stories about his faith in order to help dispel stereotype perpetuated by the September 11th Attacks.

"We have one side that says that every Muslim could be a potential terrorist and another that says that no Muslim could be a terrorist, and the reality is somewhere in the middle," said Jasser.

Jasser expects the Muslim population will grow as the state grows. His hope is that more and more people will see him and fellow Muslims as Americans first.