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It's no secret that it's a difficult time to be Muslim in the United States.

Take for example the rising rates of anti-Muslim hate crimes. Or the recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the Muslim ban. Or the misguided "anti-Sharia" marches that descend upon U.S. cities several times a year. Or the time when President Trump told CNN that he believes "Islam hates us."

As a result, a lot of Muslims feel as if they're treated as outsiders or enemies of the state.


But believe it or not, Islam has been a part of the U.S. since its founding.

Few people know that the first nation to recognize America's independence from Great Britain was a Muslim country.

In 1777, Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah — the Muslim ruler of Morocco — wrote a letter to Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. minister to France at the time. The letter let Franklin know that the newly formed country was welcome to use Morocco's trade ports at any time. This made Morocco the first country to seek diplomatic relations with and formally recognize our independence.

And that was just the beginning of a long friendship with Morocco.

A few months after George Washington was inaugurated as our first president, he wrote a letter to ben Abdallah expressing his desire to establish a friendship between the two countries. As a new nation, the U.S. had great difficulty accessing ports in the North African region without coming across pirates and rival ships, and the sultan offered protection and also to spread the good word about the U.S. to neighboring North African countries.

A few years later in 1786, the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship was signed by ben Abdallah, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, among other American diplomats. Today, it's still considered the longest standing unbroken treaty between the United States and any other country.

But as we celebrate the U.S.'s 242nd birthday, let's not forget that Muslims still contribute to American society in modern times, too.

On July 4, a non-profit research group in Washington, D.C. called the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) released their "Muslims for American Progress" report, which features notable Muslim-American figures and their contributions to this country.

Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images.

Here's a selection of Muslim contributions highlighted by the ISPU report:

1. Muslims contribute 33% more than the national average in charitable donations.

While just under 769,000 Muslims live in New York City, they donated more than $608 million to charity in 2016. But it's not just money, either — these Muslims also donated about 124,370 pounds in food and 5,500 backpacks in 2017.

2. Muslims have been essential to economic growth and job creation.

In 2016, there were 95,816 Muslim-owned small businesses in NYC, employing a total of at least 251,864 people. Furthermore, Muslim households in the city contributed to approximately $17 billion in consumer spending.

3. Muslim medical professionals contribute a lot to the community.

According to the report, 9.7% of all doctors in NYC are Muslim. In addition to health care providers, Muslim lab technicians and other medical professionals facilitate 6.4 million patient appointments.

But more importantly, a lot of these health care professionals work to serve homeless populations and underprivileged and low-income communities.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.

It's vital now more than ever to use facts like these — as well as the stories behind them — to challenge anti-Muslim stereotypes.

The ISPU compiled the report in response to the alarming fact that more than 80% of media coverage on Muslims and Islam is negative. The context in which Muslims are depicted in U.S. media often fixates almost entirely on terrorism and national security. But that's not an accurate portrait of the Muslim community at all.

"In New York City alone we found Muslims at the forefront of the economy, philanthropy, education, accessible healthcare, STEM, groundbreaking arts, etc," Elisabeth Becker, the report's NYC principal investigator, says via email. But most Americans lack an understanding of this Muslim diversity because they get most of their portrayals through entertainment and media. That's what the ISPU hopes to change.

"We believe that combing quantified data and human stories on these impacts provides a much deeper lens into the realities of Muslim life," says Becker. "In so doing, we can begin to chip away at stereotypes and undermine dominant narratives that erroneously equate Muslims with threat."

Some strides have lately been made to portray Muslims more accurately in media and entertainment.

A lot of celebrity figures like Sarah Silverman and Gigi Hadid have been using their platforms to speak against Islamophobia. Hollywood has been working hard to include Muslim actors or diverse and relatable people like "The Daily Show's" Hasan Minhaj or "The Bold Type's" Adena El Amin.

As Muslim representation in media increases, and as groups like the ISPU work hard to change perception of the Muslim community, we can expect that non-Muslim Americans' understanding of their Muslim neighbors will continue to grow.

Fortunately, for now, the future is looking bright.

Old libraries are pretty dope.

Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland. Photo from Benoit Doppagne/AFP/Getty Images.

For bibliophiles like me, walking through an old library feels like walking through a cathedral. The way the light filters through the windows, the sound of hushed conversations, the slightly rough feeling of a leather-bound book sliding out of a shelf ... old libraries even have their own smell.


And there are some really amazing old libraries, like Trinity College Library pictured above, or New York Public Library, or the British Library — all of which I've either loved visiting or keenly want to.

But if we want to talk about old libraries, the Qarawiyyin Library beats them all.

The library courtyard. Photo by Samia Errazouki/AP.

Qarawiyyin is the oldest library in the world and is located in Fez, Morocco. The first foundations were put down in the year 859, making the library nearly 1,200 years old.

Unfortunately, at nearly 1,200 years old, the library was seriously starting to show its age.

I'm talking broken tiles, no insulation, cracked beams, walls that were starting to look considerably un-wall-like ... there were even exposed electrical wires and sewage problems.

And what's worse (at least from a bibliophile's perspective) the books were in danger! Water had started to creep into the collections, threatening the library's some 4,000 manuscripts. If you've ever accidentally dropped a favorite novel into a bath before, I don't have to tell you how quickly water can ruin books. And when we're talking about books older than the Renaissance, even just a spike in humidity can do some serious damage.

Taken together with the crumbling structure, the library needed to be closed off to the public for at least a couple years.

In 2012, the government asked architect Aziza Chaouni to help restore the library.

And, today, it's going to be ready for visitors again!

A reading room. Photo by Samia Errazouki/AP.

The pictures from inside the library look amazing. Chaouni, a Fez native, has restored the library to its original glory, revealing a distinctly elegant building full of elaborately carved windows and archways, with Arabic calligraphy built into the walls and golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Behind the scenes, though, Chaouni's renovations have also added a distinctly modern aspect to the library as well. Air conditioners run surreptitiously behind wooden carvings. Solar panels capture sunlight and help power the building. And, yes, they've even fixed the plumbing problems.

The books have also gotten their own upgrades.

Photo by Samia Errazouki/AP.

An underground canal system will help drain that book-killing moisture away from the building, and a lab full of advanced machinery will help scholars preserve and digitize the rare books.

There's even a special highly-secure room for the rarest and most valuable documents, including a 1,200-year-old copy of the Quran.

This copy of the Quran is over 1,200 years old. Photo by Samia Errazouki/AP.

Precise temperature and humidity controls and strict security mean these super-rare, super-valuable texts and manuscripts receive the care and attention they deserve.

These changes mean that, once again, the library will be open to everyone, and it will rejoin Fez's amazing cultural legacy.

In fact, the entire neighborhood, known as the Medina of Fez, is so amazing that the UN has declared it a World Heritage Site.

The library is also attached to a mosque and university, and it features archives, reading rooms, cafes, and even a courtyard adorned with fountains.

Photo by Samia Errazouki/AP.

No definite opening date has been set yet, but the Qarawiyyin Library is expected to open by the end of the year. Morocco's King Mohammed VI is expected to inaugurate it when that day comes.

Chaouni wants this renovation to be part of a plan to restore Fez's status as a cultural center of Morocco, too. New music festivals have helped young people rediscover the medina and Chaouni has a plan to restore the river in Fez after years of pollution.

"I would like my kids to be able to see this heritage," Chaouni told The Guardian.

This library's story is particularly heartening considering how many important Islamic cultural sites are in trouble right now.

While Morocco has been more or less an island of stability, many other nations in the region have not been so fortunate. In 2013, for example, insurgents set fire to a library of historic manuscripts in Timbuktu, Mali. Farther away, ISIS has been targeting cultural sites throughout Iraq and Syria, including destroying thousands of books and documents when they raided the libraries of Mosul, Iraq.

This is especially hard to see considering the intimate and historic connection between scholarship and Islam.

Libraries are more than just a collection of books. They're a part of our heritage.

When the Qarawiyyin Library's founder, Fatima al-Fihri, first envisioned the library, she wanted to give her community a place of learning and wisdom.

It's awesome to see that nearly 1,200 years later that heritage is still intact.

For over 120 years, National Geographic has brought the world to your doorstep.

The iconic magazine, TV channel, and brand has built their name showcasing the planet's most beautiful and exotic places in writing and photography.

Every single month, the glossy, high-resolution pages of National Geographic are filled with some of the best photography in the world.


They also hold an annual photography contest, open to amateurs and people outside of Nat Geo's employ. It's a chance for photographers all over the world to showcase their work.

The 2016 winners of the National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year contest were announced in July.

As you can imagine, they are breathtaking:

"Winter Horseman" by Anthony Lau (Mongolia)

Grand prize winner. All images courtesy of National Geographic.

"The winter in Inner Mongolia is very unforgiving," writes photographer Anthony Lau. "At a freezing temperature of minus twenty and lower, with a constant breeze of snow from all direction, it was pretty hard to convince myself to get out of the car and take photos."

"Wherever You Go, I Will Follow" by Hiroki Inoue (Japan)

"Nature" first place winner.

"It was the time of day immediately following sunset. I heard a voice. 'Wherever you go, I will follow you' the voice says." — Photographer Hiroki Inoue.

"Ben Youssef" by Takashi Nakagawa (Morocco)

"Cities" first place winner.

"Even though there were a lot of people in Ben Youssef, still here was more quiet and relaxing compare to the street outside in Marrakesh," wrote Takashi Nakagawa. "I was waiting for the perfect timing to photograph for long time."

"Rooftop Dreams, Varanasi" by Yasmin Mund (India)

"People" second place winner.

"I arrived at my guest house in Varanasi at 5:30am," wrote Yasmin Mund. "I instinctively climbed the 7 sets of stairs to the rooftop (which happened to be the highest in the vicinity) to see the sunrise over the famous Ganges River. As the sun was rising I looked over the right hand side of the balcony and my jaw dropped with disbelief."

"Double Trapping" by Massimiliano Bencivenni (Brazil)

"Nature" second place winner.

"I was in the Brazilian Pantanal along the Rio Negrinho," wrote Massimiliano Bencivenni. "I realized that the river, at certain points of the loops, created places where there were many yacare caimans. I saw a yacare sink suddenly, and I immediately looked for the best location to photograph when it resurfaced. The whole thing lasted only a fraction of a moment."

"Silenced" by Wing Ka H. (China)

"Cities" second place winner.

"This photo was taken on my last trip to Guangzhou, China," wrote Wing Ka H. "This place is the school dormitories of South China Normal University. When I was hanging around, most of them were taking a break. After lunchtime, they needed to go back to study."

"Remote Life" by Mattia Passarini (India)


"People" third place winner.

This woman is carrying a log to warm up her home in the remote village of Himachal Pradesh.

"Lagunas Baltinache" by Victor Lima (Chile)

"Nature" third place winner.

"I embarked alone on this adventure to find images not yet published of the most arid desert in the world and its contrasts," wrote photographer Victor Lima. "Despite the Atacama Desert being one of the best places on the planet to do night photography, in my prior research I discovered that there were not many night photos in the main tourist destinations there."

"Celestial Reverie" by Jeremy Tan (Malaysia)

"Cities" third place winner.

"Lightning seemingly strikes Komtar Tower, the most iconic landmark of George Town, capital of Penang state in Malaysia, during a thunderstorm. It is symbolic of the rejuvenation that the city, famous for a unique blend of centuries-old buildings and modern structures, has enjoyed in recent years." — Photographer Jeremy Tan.

"Muscle Beach Gym" by Dotan Saguy (USA)

"People" honorable mention.

The iconic Muscle Beach Gym in Venice Beach, California.

"Bears on a Berg" by John Rollins (Canadian Arctic)

"Nature" honorable mention.

"To me, the relative smallness of these large creatures when compared to the immensity of the iceberg in the photo represents the precariousness of the polar bear's reliance on the sea and sea ice for its existence," wrote John Rollins.

"Divide" by Kathleen Dolmatch (USA)

"Cities" honorable mention.

"From a doorless helicopter looking south on Central Park West, dividing the architecture and Central Park," wrote Kathleen Dolmatch. "The flight was my birthday gift."

It probably seems like there's a lot of ugliness in the world lately.

Terrorist attacks, shootings, political drama — it's exhausting.

But it's nice to be reminded that there's always beauty in the world, and sometimes it takes a keen, highly trained eye to find it.

Photographers often have to wait around for hours or days to capture images like these. They have to climb on roofs or get in helicopters or put themselves in dangerous spots just to grab a single moment of the world's intense and fleeting beauty.

When they do, it's so worth it. Because we all get to enjoy it.

It's a fact: Every year, we're spending more and more time looking at our phones.

Estimates indicate that on average Americans spend anywhere from three to five hours on their smartphones every day. That's an astoundingly high number — and the perfect excuse for a little perspective.

There's an extraordinary world buzzing all around us, and we miss so much of it staring endlessly at our tiny screens. You say your busy life won't let you escape to some of our planet's most remarkable places? Not to worry. You can bring those places back home to your phone.


Here are 31 marvelous world wonders we think would look perfect as your lock screen.

1. Iceland's northern lights are a stunning sight, in person or online.

Who knew geomagnetic storms could be so stunning? Image by iStock.

2. Find peace in this photo of a storm-swept lighthouse.

Image by iStock.

3. The arch at Palau's Rock Islands is beautiful above water and below.

Image by iStock.

4. Milford Sound on New Zealand's South Island is an Instagram filter-lover's dream.

Image by iStock.

5. A huge statue of the Hindu god Lord Murugan greets visitors to the Batu Caves in Malaysia.

Image by iStock.

6. Watch sunlight break over the peaks in the Himalayas.

Image by iStock.

7. About 45 million gallons of water rush over North America's largest waterfall, Niagara Falls, every minute.

Image by iStock.

8. This ginormous "Christ the Redeemer" statue watches over Rio de Janeiro's six million residents.

Image by iStock.

9. Live vicariously through these thrill-seeking spelunkers.

Image by iStock.

10. Looking at Haystack Rock near Cannon Beach, Oregon, might inspire you to head to your nearest beach.

Image by iStock

11. Soothe your muggle heart with this image of the IRL Hogwarts Express chugging across Scotland.

Image by iStock

12. These towering redwoods are some of the largest trees in North America.

Image by iStock

13. This tiny sandbar in the Pacific didn't think it'd end up a helicopter perch. But sometimes life — and conspicuous wealth — finds a way.

Image by iStock

14. Mossy green wonderlands — like this one near Oregon's Punch Bowl Falls — are unique to the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.

Image by iStock

15. Follow the stepping stones of Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway straight into the North Atlantic.

Image by iStock

16. Decades of pounding surf carved a perfect alcove in the rocks at Lands End in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Image by iStock

17. Mother Nature really shows off her sculpting skills in Utah's Paria Canyon.

Image by iStock

18. The Matterhorn is more than a ride I got stuck on for 45 minutes at Disneyland. It's a breath-catchingly stunning peak in the Alps.

Image by iStock

19. The Grand Canyon is so incredible, it really deserves a better adjective. "Astoundageous" maybe?

Image by iStock

20. The narrow, rocky green peaks of the Wulingyuan scenic area in China's Hunan province are both a Unesco World Heritage site, and the inspiration for Pandora, the world in "Avatar."

Image by iStock

21. Creeping tree roots reclaiming this temple in Angkor, Cambodia, are a reminder that, eventually, no matter how hard we work, nature always wins.

Image by iStock

22. Find your most flattering light in Arizona's Antelope Canyon.

Image by iStock

23. The Colorado River's Horseshoe Bend in Arizona will keep you coming around for more.

Image by iStock

24. This Norwegian waterfall is stunning and proud, naturally.

Image by iStock

25. This icy blue Icelandic cave is guaranteed free of abominable snowmen.

Image by iStock

26. Gold dunes and golden skies are everywhere in Morocco's eastern desert.

Image by iStock

27. This solitary tree in New Zealand's Lake Wanaka isn't content to live on land.

Image by iStock

28. This secluded beach at Knysna Heads in South Africa's Western Cape Province is #goals.

Image by iStock

29. Baobab trees beat the thirst by storing water away in their thick trunks. Just like your phone's text message archive.

Image by iStock

30. Nobody knows for sure where the Sphinx's nose is, but she's a towering beauty nonetheless.

Image by iStock

31. Find peace — however you define it — in the stark cold beauty of the Himalayan mountains.

Image by iStock

Did we miss your favorite spot in our wallpaper roundup? Let us know!