In Houston, Muslim Community Enjoying a Surprising Source of Growth: Latinos

*Houston has become home to one of the emerging U.S Latino Muslim communities. There are an estimated 1000 Latinos in the Houston area. VL

By Leah Binkovitz, The Urban Edge

It’s a typical Friday afternoon service inside the mosque on the western edge of Houston. Children slip their shoes off outside the worship space and run ahead of their parents as they find a spot on the vibrant green carpet inside. Women in the back. Men in the front. Everyone facing East.

People greet each other with the customary “Assalamu alaikum,” but what follows is less typical.

“Cómo estás, hermana,” the women say to each other as they embrace. And to the men, “hermano.” A donation box asks for money for Qurans in Spanish to send to Latin America.

Located in the shadow of Highway 6 passing over the Westpark Tollway, the organization Islam In Spanish opened Houston’s only Spanish-language mosque earlier this year, called the Centro Islámico.

Already 15 years old, Islam in Spanish has produced hundreds of video programs — produced in Spanish and available online as well as on local public television channels — about the religion. READ MORE