East Islam Vs. West Islam

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East Islam Vs. West Islam
Introduction
Since the ‘War on Terror’ started, there has been renewed interest on Islam and different schools of thoughts among Muslims in the East and the West. Even though, Muslims are adherents of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), there are some differences between Islam in the East where and the West where Muslims are a minority. However, Islam had had a presence in the West during the earlier ages of expansion into Europe, but further conquest were halted by Christian armies especially in parts of Spain and France. Nonetheless, Muslim communities in Turkey, the North Caucasus, and the Balkans show that Islamic presence in Europe is not necessarily a recent phenomenon of immigration. This paper explores the differences between Muslims in Iran and America, and their interpretation of the Quran.
Background
The majority of Muslims in Western Europe and North America has their origins from majority Muslim countries, but have settled in the West after immigration or may be first and second generation immigrants. The political contexts between the two countries mould the way Muslim communities in the two countries. Iran follows the tradition of using the Quran for political means through commentaries, and this tradition has long existed in the Muslim community from the 7th century (Dabashi 241). Muslims in America are more diverse in America than in Iran, and religious freedom does not constrain any Muslim sect from practicing their beliefs as it happens in many majority Muslim countries where Alawites and Druze are at times regarded as heretics and not Muslims.
The historical evolution of the two countries highlights on the differences between the two countries where Islam is a state religion in Iran and in the U.S. Muslims is a growing minority. Many American Muslims are Sunni unlike Iran, which is one of the few countries, which has a Shia majority. Saudi Arabia the birthplace of Islam also follows Sunni Islam in religious rulings and issuing fatwa. Approximately 65% of Muslims in America are Sunni While 15 % do not state their affiliation among the two major sects and other sects like the Ahmadiyya (Pew Research). One of the major differences with Iranian Muslims in affiliation is that more U.S. born Muslims do not identify with any of the sects.
Muslims in Iran and the U.S
American Muslims are not as orthodox as their Iranian counterpart is, and the level of ethnic and national origin differences makes it hard for Americans to have huge followings on specific Islamic teachers, Muftis, or Sheikhs. Additional, 1 out 5 of Muslims in America are converts and they come from a background that does not follow orthodoxy, and among American born citizens the percentage of those who have embraced Islam rises to 69 (Pew Research). Thus, the background of the brand of Islam practiced differs, and although they adhere to the basic tenets of Islam cultural and ...