Documenting the American Muslim Response to the COVID-19 Crisis
As COVID-19 continues to spread in many communities, ISPU and a group of partners set out to study how American Muslims have been impacted by the pandemic, using responses to a widely disseminated survey. The resulting research, Community in the Time of Corona, is an ongoing project that investigates how COVID-19 is impacting the mental health, faith, service work, and other aspects of life for Americans who are Muslim.
As part of this research, ISPU is documenting stories of service from American Muslims in the fight against COVID-19. This report includes a quantitative measurement of service in each state, which catalogs everything from providing healthcare workers with mental health support to donating much-needed funds to meet the basic needs of families who have been hardest hit by the crisis. It will also include stories of individuals and communities that took action to alleviate or prevent the suffering around them.
ISPU’s COVID-19 research is a living project that will include a rolling series of research updates delving into various aspects of survey responses.
American Muslim Responses
Browse Muslim service by state (click a star on the map) or by type (select category boxes to the right of the map).
Types of Service
631
Acts of service from American Muslims logged since March 15, 2020
To examine American Muslim service in depth, ISPU researchers created nine different categories, further broken into a variety of subcategories to accommodate specific service input by survey respondents. These categories were selected based on contributions reported to ensure as many aspects of societal needs were accounted for in the study. Submissions were coded into categories based on details provided by survey respondents.
Medical support includes healthcare workers and public health officials continuing to serve in their existing positions.
Food security and basic needs support includes donations of food and household supplies.
Education includes teachers and administrators providing remote education and organization, from K-12 through university, as well as public educators providing translation services, community education, and more.
Spiritual support includes faith leaders, counselors, chaplains, and others involved in decision-making at houses of worship, hospitals, and universities providing both community leadership and individual support.
Safety/PPE/supplies support includes individuals and groups who provided, created, and financed the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medical supplies, including sewing masks, donating blood, and fundraising for equipment.
Technology/innovation includes the creation of new products, like testing kits, ventilators, and PPE, as well as new sterilization and sanitization processes.
Civic engagement/policy/community leadership includes those who work within their communities to influence decisions impacting public safety, from the closing of worship spaces, to facilitating voting by mail and census completion, to increasing understanding of new federal and state laws.
Mental health includes providing counseling and resources, as well as creating new avenues for community support during this time of crisis.
Economic security support includes financial contributions that do not fall into any other category.
In Their Own Words
Take Our Survey
During this national and global tragedy, American Muslims are answering the call to help their fellow Americans. Help us document these acts of service during the COVID-19 crisis by reporting yours or someone else’s contribution in this survey.
ISPU is capturing how Muslims are responding in this time of need. Staying at home, moving gatherings online, or donating to important causes are also important forms of service. Big or small, on the front lines or at home, we want to hear your stories, too!
Meet the Research Team
Dalia Mogahed
Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Petra Alsoofy
Outreach & Partnerships Manager, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Erum Ikramullah
Research Project Manager, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Katherine Coplen
Director of Communications, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Katie Grimes
Communication & Creative Media Specialist, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Meet the Research Team
Dalia Mogahed
Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Petra Alsoofy
Outreach & Partnerships Manager, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Erum Ikramullah
Research Project Manager, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Katherine Coplen
Senior Communications Manager, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Katie Grimes
Communication & Creative Media Specialist, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Partnerships
This project was completed in partnership with the National Muslim Taskforce on COVID-19 (a coalition chaired by AMHP, FCNA, IMANA, and ISNA), U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations, Muslim American Society (MAS), Islam in Spanish, National Black Muslim COVID Coalition, and Poligon Education Fund.
