By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Maryland’s Muslim community had already welcomed African Americans, South Asians, Arabs, and Africans into its fold. But another group was quietly finding its way into Islam: Latino converts.
Many of them came from Catholic or Pentecostal backgrounds, raised in tight-knit families in Baltimore, Hyattsville, or Silver Spring. Some discovered Islam through college friends, others through reading the Qur’an in Spanish translation, and some through marriage to Muslim spouses. What united them was a common story: Islam felt both new and familiar, resonating with their values of family, dignity, and community.
At mosques like PGMA and Dar-us-Salaam, Latino converts found open doors. They often arrived shyly, speaking English hesitantly or bringing bilingual children to help translate. When they declared the shahadah, the prayer hall filled with applause and takbir. Some were given new Arabic names, but many kept their Spanish names proudly, showing that Islam was not about erasing culture, but about elevating it.
For women, the journey was both empowering and challenging. Wearing hijab in largely Latino neighborhoods often brought questions, even suspicion. Yet many spoke of finding strength in it, describing hijab as a shield of dignity. One sister, Isabel (Maryam), shared: “I thought I would lose myself in Islam. Instead, I found myself more than ever.”
Latino converts also enriched Maryland’s Muslim landscape with language and culture. Spanish-language Qur’an study circles began forming, and khutbahs were occasionally translated for parents who spoke little English. At community dinners, arroz con pollo and empanadas began appearing beside biryani and kebabs. Children grew up proud of both heritages, reciting Qur’an while speaking Spanish at home.
Mosques responded with programs tailored to their needs: beginner’s Arabic classes, support groups for navigating family tensions, and outreach programs in Spanish. In time, Maryland became home to one of the East Coast’s strongest Latino Muslim presences.
The Latino converts of Maryland remind us that Islam is not bound to language or ethnicity. Its beauty shines through any culture. In their journey, they showed the community that saying salaam in Spanish was no less Islamic, and that Islam’s light in Maryland would only grow brighter as it embraced every color and tongue.