Five Things Christians Need to Know About American Muslims in 2026
BY NF STUDIO
A new national survey sheds light on who American Muslims really are—and what their story means for the church today. The 2025 American Muslim Poll from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) offers one of the clearest pictures yet of what life looks like for Muslims in the United States today.
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For Christians seeking to live out the command to love neighbor, this data offers both challenge and opportunity. Here are five key takeaways Christians should know about Muslims in 2026.
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1. America’s Muslims are young, diverse, and deeply religious
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Muslims make up one of the youngest and most racially diverse faith groups in the United States. According to the poll, 26% are between ages 18 and 24, compared with just 7–15% among other faith groups. Nearly nine in ten Muslims (89%) say religion is important in their daily life, similar to the high rates among white Evangelicals (97%).
They’re also racially varied: 28% identify as Black, 24% Asian, 20% white, 12% Arab, and 9% Hispanic. This diversity challenges simplistic cultural or ethnic assumptions about what it means to be Muslim in America.
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2. Muslim civic engagement is growing fast
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Muslim voter registration has steadily risen—from 60% in 2016 to 85% in 2025. About four in five registered Muslims voted in the 2024 presidential election. While half supported Kamala Harris, nearly one-third voted for Donald Trump, and a surprising 12% voted for third-party candidate Jill Stein.
This mix shows that American Muslims—like Christians—are not a political monolith. It’s a sign of resilience; a community participating fully in American life even when the climate feels hostile.
3. Bias against Muslims is rising -- especially among white evangelical Christians
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ISPU’s Islamophobia Index, which measures bias against Muslims, rose from 25 in 2022 to 33 in 2025, the highest jump in the survey’s history. The increase was most pronounced among white Evangelicals, whose score rose 15 points in three years.
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At the same time, nearly two-thirds of Muslims (63%) say they’ve faced religious discrimination in the past year, and almost half of Muslim families (47%) report their children experienced bullying at school.
This is where Christians can step in and make a difference. We can defend our neighbors from baseless discrimination and help alleviate suffering – opening doors to Gospel conversations.
4. Many Muslims share Christians' moral and social concerns​
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While differences in theology remain profound, Muslims and evangelicals share certain convictions. For instance, 52% of Muslims agree with defining gender as male and female—similar to 50% of the general public and 84% of white evangelicals.
Alongside these convictions, many Muslims voice concern for the vulnerable and the displaced. It’s a moral instinct Christians will recognize—one rooted in our belief that every person bears God’s image.
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5. Christians have a call -- and an opportunity -- to be in the lives of our Muslim neighbors
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The Apostle Paul once stood in Athens, surrounded by people whose beliefs differed sharply from the Gospel. Yet he began not with condemnation, but with understanding: “I see that you are very religious in every way” (Acts 17:22).
In 2026, American Christians face a similar opportunity. The ISPU data reveals a Muslim community that is youthful, devout, engaged, and often misunderstood. The Christian response should not be to isolate ourselves from the Muslim community, but to engage them with curiosity and compassion—to learn about Muslims as Paul learned about the Athenians, and to take the posture of the Good Samaritan who was least suspected to pause and show generosity.