DescriptionThis thesis analyzes the way in which American Muslims in the United States have emphasized highly individualized modes of Islamic practice as they integrate into the fabric of American society. A large number of Muslim immigrants arrived in the U.S. at the same time that there was a growing focus on “spirituality” in society. In concert with these trends, U.S. Muslims have increasingly accentuated forms of Islam that give them significant autonomy and that place more emphasis on religious experience than doctrine and formal institutions. The thesis focuses in particular on Hamza Yusuf, the founder of Zaytuna College in Berkely, California. He sought to familiarize American Muslims with highly individualistic modes of Islamic practice by stressing their compatibility with tradition and by seeking to differentiate them from Islamic mysticism (Sufism). To varying degrees, three additional prominent Muslim thinkers, Yasmin Mogahed, Suhaib Webb, and Yasir Qadhi spread similar ideas among the U.S. Muslim population. The concluding chapter highlights how the events of 9/11 have further motivated Muslims to adopt more “spiritualized” forms of Islamic practice that resonated with widespread trends in U.S. society.