Imam assimilation

This American born and trained imam is finding it a hard career path. Not like being in the Christian or Jewish clergy. I'm sure these American Muslim clerics are needed; they know the culture, language and habits. - - Donna Poisl

One man tries to make room for American-born Muslim clerics

by Michelle Boorstein The Washington Post

If there were a prototype for an American-style imam, Adeel Zeb might be it. In Koran study groups, the 28-year-old volunteer chaplain at American University weaves in references to U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a Democrat from Minnesota, and comedian Dave Chappelle (both Muslim), TMZ.com, frat life and President Obama.

He preaches tolerance and civic idealism and sports a pinstriped suit, a GQ-ish trimmed beard and an animated delivery he learned from the Baptist college where he minored in communications. He'd like to become part of the first generation of American-born imams, but it's a career path that is proving much more difficult than he expected.
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