A Masala Identity: Young South Asian Muslims in the US

Introduction

There has been a growing corpus of studies on South Asians in the US. However, the number of studies on Muslims in particular has remained rather limited even though they are an interesting and diverse group whose presence in the US dates back to as early as the 19^th century. Today, South Asian Muslim communities in the US are a sizable group, characterized by a remarkable internal diversity, at an economic and social level, as well as at a cultural and sectarian level. But more particularly, this minority group provides, through its varied and complex nature, a wider perspective and understanding of the redefinition of Islamic traditions and the reinvention of collective identities, among the first (immigrant) as well as the second (US-born) generation. The focus of this study will be precisely on the second generation which presents an additional dimension: their experiences can be compared, if not contrasted (at least partially), with those of their peers in Great Britain, of North Africans in France or Black Muslims in the US, who have been described by Gilles Kepel as forming "a new proletariat of youngsters."¹

Since the US census does not ask any question about the religious affiliation of the population, it is very difficult to know the number of South Asian Muslims in the country. A rough estimation can be established by adding the total number of Pakistanis (around 500,000) and Bangladeshis (about 100,000) to 12 percent of the total Indian Muslim population in the US (180,000), which amounts to 780,000. Most Indian Muslims are originally from Hyderabad, followed by Gujarat, while the rest hail from different regions of India (Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, etc.). As for Pakistanis, they mostly originate from the large metropolitan areas (Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Hyderabad and Peshawar), the majority comprising Punjabis and Muhajirs (Muslims who have migrated to Pakistan from India during and after Partition). Interestingly enough, Muhajirs form only eight percent of the population in Pakistan but 30 percent of the total Pakistani population in the US. This discrepancy in figures can be explained by the fact that Muhajirs in Pakistan are mostly urban-based and belong to various ranges of the middle-class. Their social and economic profile exactly fits that of most South Asian immigrants in the US. Bangladeshis too come from the major cities like Dhaka and Chittagong. Sylhetis, known for their long history of migration, have also moved to the US in fairly large numbers.

South Asian Muslims, like their Hindu and other South Asian counterparts, are concentrated in certain states: California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas. Owing to American policies which have encouraged, since the 1960s, the immigration of highly qualified people, South Asians have achieved a fairly high level of success in the US, even though the number of less qualified people have been also growing steadily since at least the 1980s.

As in the case of other South Asians, religion occupies a significant place in the construction of the identity of Muslims in the US. A number of reasons can explain this phenomenon. First of all, the historical legacy brought along by immigrants on American shores should be borne in mind. Since at least the end of the 19^th century, religion has been successfully used by an emerging indigenous elite to win over the support of the masses. After independence in 1947, religion has continued to occupy in various degrees a major space not only in the private lives of South Asians but on the political scene as well. Immigrants from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh are the bearers of this trend whereby religion is seen as a significant driving force in the modes of identification and identity construction.

Secondly, this enhanced importance of religion in the lives of South Asian immigrants can also be attributed...