(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - "This is a growing, healthy Muslim community that is well integrated into America," lead researcher and study author Ihsan Bagby, an associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky, said.
"I think that is the best message we can send to the world and the Muslim world in particular."
The study, titled "The American Mosque 2011”, found that the number of mosques in the US rose by 74 percent from 1,209 in 2000 to 2,106 in 2010.
Most mosques are located in cities such as New York, which has 257 mosques, California (246), Texas (166) and Florida (118).
Researchers defined a mosque as a Muslim organization that holds Friday congregational prayers, conducts other Islamic activities and has operational control of its building.
Buildings such as hospitals and schools that have space for Friday prayer were not included.
The study, which is based on mailing lists, websites and interviews with community and mosque leaders, also found that the number of mosques in suburbs rose from only 16 percent in 2000 to 28 percent in 2010.
"This building boom is indicative of the growing financial resources of the Muslim community as many Muslims have lived in the U.S. for many decades now and their financial resources have improved," wrote Bagby.
The study also found that mosque worshippers are ethnically diverse, with most worshippers are South Asians, Arabs and Afro-Americans.
There was also an increase in the number of Muslim worshippers from West Africa and Somalia.
The study also revealed an increase in the number of Shiite mosques in the US because of an influx of immigrants from Iraq and Iran, though Shiites still represent a very small percentage of the Muslim community in the US.
"Higher numbers mean you are not marginalized," Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said.
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