New York Muslims reclaim space after 9/11 discrimination

In New York City, the Muslim community is experiencing a resurgence after years of discrimination following the September 11th attacks.

Asad Dandia, whose parents immigrated from Pakistan, remembers experiencing increased islamophobia after witnessing the 2001 attacks as a child. Years later, he discovered a police informant had infiltrated his family’s life as part of a program monitoring Islamic extremism.

Today, Dandia notes a shift in New York, including the election of the city’s first Muslim mayor and public prayers in Times Square. Following the attacks, American authorities monitored Muslims, requiring thousands to register with the government and leading to deportations. Mohammed Razvi, a Pakistani founder of a nonprofit supporting Muslims in New York, began using a shortened name to avoid stigma.

Dandia and civil rights groups successfully sued the New York Police Department (NYPD) over its surveillance programs, establishing oversight to prevent similar practices. Gadier Abbas, an attorney, believes the NYPD program exemplified post-9/11 anti-Muslim sentiment, but currently sees reason for optimism as Muslims gain prominence in all areas of life. New York is building its largest mosque, and Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, recently took office.

Though islamophobia still exists, some 9/11 families have protested his attendance at the memorial. Dandia believes the Muslim community is gaining institutional power and broader acceptance.