By Sadiq Abdulfatah

Muslim participation in American politics is growing, with more Muslim candidates now moving beyond limited representation to contest important political positions across the United States.

The change is being driven by a new generation of Muslim politicians and activists, including prominent figures in the Democratic Party. Their campaigns focus on issues that affect many Americans, such as the rising cost of living, housing, transportation, social welfare and concerns about the influence of money in politics.

The Palestinian issue has also become part of their political campaigns, with some Muslim candidates taking stronger positions against US policies on Palestine.

American Muslims are a diverse community made up of people from different ethnic and social backgrounds. They include Muslims of Arab, Asian, African, Latin American and European descent.

A large part of the Muslim population is concentrated in states and major cities such as New York, Michigan, California, Texas and Illinois. Their presence in these areas, together with high levels of education and participation in professional and economic activities, gives them a growing ability to influence elections.

This influence can be especially important in states where the contest between Republican and Democratic candidates is close.

Observers say an important change is that Muslim political involvement is no longer focused mainly on protecting religious identity and fighting discrimination. More Muslims are now taking part in wider political debates and speaking on issues that affect the general public.

The growing number of Muslim candidates is therefore not only about religious identity. It is also linked to demographic, economic, social and political changes within the American Muslim community.

These factors have made Muslim and Arab voters an increasingly important group in some electoral districts and have encouraged more Muslim candidates to seek political offices that once seemed difficult for them to contest.

Source: Shia Wave