KIM LAWTON: At mosques across the country this fall, there was an unexpected scene at Friday prayers ... special displays urging Muslims to register and vote.
It's part of a national campaign designed to begin flexing some Muslim political muscle.
DR. AGHA SAEED (American Muslim Alliance): We must
vote. Do you stand for Palestine? For Kashmir? For Chechnya?
For Bosnia? Then you must vote. Every single Muslim must
vote.LAWTON: In an unusual show of unity, leaders of several Muslim organizations have banded together this year to promote the voter registration push within their communities.
SALAM AL-MARAYATI (Muslim Public Affairs Council): People are saying that "We're gonna vote the bums out if we don't get our voices heard in Washington." And I think there you see the significant change in just the attitude of American Muslims in terms of how they feel they can make a difference in terms of U.S. policy.
LAWTON: Muslim leaders say the recent events in the Middle East have convinced many Muslims of the importance of having a voice to influence U.S. policy, which they perceive as being too pro-Israel.
NIHAD AWAD (Council on American-Islamic Relations):
It pushes people to speak out more, especially to rectify
policies that they feel have been unfair.LAWTON: Experts say American Muslims are following the patterns of other immigrant groups. Initially, they focused inward, building their communities. But with the dramatic growth of the American Muslim community, many leaders are now urging their members to move outward and begin influencing the society around them.
AL-MARAYATI: American Muslim political activity
is still in its nascent stage. There are only pockets of
involvement and activity. More on an individual level. Definitely
there is not an infrastructure or a hierarchy in the political
framework for the Muslim community.IBRAHIM HOOPER (Council on American-Islamic Relations): Muslims for many years have been a bit hesitant and some of it stems from a good portion of our community coming from parts of the world where voting hasn't been a tradition or even allowed. So it is something that people have to learn when they come to this country.
LAWTON: Islamic leaders vow that thousands, perhaps millions, will be voting this year. Politicians are starting to take notice of this potential mine of untapped votes.
In July, Muslim leader Maher Hathout gave a benediction at the Republican National Convention, the first Muslim invited to do so by either Party.
Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan addressed the American Muslim Council meeting this summer.
Buchanan: "You and I have many, I believe, shared values."
LAWTON: At the Islamic Society of North America meeting last month, Congressman Tom Campbell of California brought greetings from George W. Bush, and Congressman David Bonior brought greetings from Al Gore.
But political analysts say the potential political impact of the Muslim's community is unclear.
MUSTAFA SAYID: They are not supposed to get involved
in anything that has to do with the disbelievers. They have
a duty to respect the Koran, obligation and duty to respect
the teaching of Islam. And in Islam, you don't support the
enemies of Allah. That's it.
JOHN GREEN: The Muslim community, just like the
Catholic community or Protestant community, has many divisions.
I think an additional problem with the Muslim community
is that many of these groups are immigrant groups. They
have just recently arrived in this country, they come from
different political backgrounds, different ethnic origins
and it sometimes makes it difficult for these groups to
work together. 
HOOPER: The voting bloc for Muslims is still up
in the air as far as liberal, conservative, Democratic,
Republican. And I think this will develop over time, but
what I think it shows is that Muslims are issue voters.
They will see what the issues are, what the candidates believe
and they will vote accordingly.
