Speaking in the world center of Wahhabism, the home country of most of the 9/11 hijackers, Imam Yahya Hendi of Georgetown University said the September 11 attacks helped Muslims to gain strength in the United States.

RIYADH, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Muslims are steadily improving their position in U.S. society, contrary to the media image of a community besieged by suspicions of links to militants, a leading U.S. Muslim cleric said on Sunday.

Yahya Hendi, a prayer leader who teaches at Georgetown University, said the Sept. 11 attacks on U.S. cities in 2001 had spurred Americans to know more about Islam and Muslims to affirm their U.S. identity. “I think the future is bright, because of our wisdom in dealing with the reality,” Hendi, a Palestinian by birth, told a gathering of Saudi academics on a visit to Saudi Arabia.

“There are serious efforts being made among the second and third generation to become part of the political establishment. The challenge we face is in the media and from some Christian extremists who don’t want an Islamic presence in America.”

Hendi said U.S. Muslims, whose number he put at 7 to 9 million [The Pew Research Center estimates the total population of Muslims in the United States at 2.35 million. —ed.], were working on “nationalising” Islam as part of the fabric of U.S. society, including cutting funding links to Muslim countries. …

Hendi, who met President George W. Bush days after Sept. 11, 2001, said Muslims had thrown off a tendency to shun political action such as voting and running in elections because it was considered akin to surrendering to U.S. culture.

He said he did not feel there was general animosity towards Muslims in American society, and that he encouraged Muslims to join intelligence bodies like the CIA and FBI.

(Hat tip: JammieWearingFool.)

Previously at LGF:
An Islamic Blessing for the DNC
DNC’s Imam Testified for Sami al-Arian