By Shahed Amanullah | Contributor | 01 April 2014

Each year, nearly 3 million American youth participate in the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, organizations that have been shaping America’s youth for more than a century. Like other Americans before them, Muslim families sought a place at the Scouting table, eager to integrate Muslim youth into American society without compromising their religious ideals. And Scouting welcomed Muslims with open arms, seeing in Muslim Scouts a shared respect for Scouting’s core values.

And participating Scouts seem to agree. “We went on hikes, jamborees and flag drills,” explained Mas’ood Cajee, who grew up as a member of Islamic Scouting Troop 322 in Seattle. “We were young American Muslims, at one with Allah and the Constitution.” In addition to earning merit badges for sports, citizenship and crafts, U.S. Scouts can earn the “Bismillah” emblem through basic knowledge of Islam and the “In the Name of God” emblem for advanced Islamic knowledge and practice, which helps Scouts fulfill the Scout Promise: “On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country.” Outstanding adult leaders may earn the “Allahu Akbar” emblem.

Shahed Amanullah is CEO and co-founder of startup LaunchPosse, which helps aspiring entrepreneurs harness social networking, and CEO and co-founder of Halalfire, which delivers information to global Muslim communities online. He was formerly senior technology adviser at the U.S. State Department. He created Zabihah.com, a global halal restaurant guide, and the online magazine altmuslim.net.