Paul Barrett talks about his new book "American Islam" and Asra Nomani recalls how in November 2003 she became the first woman to insist on the right to pray in the male-only main hall of her mosque in West Virginia. [includes rush transcript]

There are as many as six million Muslims living in the United States. And since the September 11th attacks, some have been investigated and interrogated, removed from aircrafts and accused of terrorist plots. A new book gives an intimate and vivid portrait of American Muslims living in the U.S. -- “American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion” -- travels from West Virginia to northern Idaho and takes readers into Muslim homes, mosques, and private gatherings. The book profiles a varied population of American Muslims with different ideologies and cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities.

The author of the book, Paul Barrett, joins me now. Paul also directs the investigative reporting team at Business Struggle for the Soul of Islam." Before that he worked as a reporter and editor at The Wall Street Journal.

And also with us is journalist, activist and author Asra Nomani -- Her book is titled "Standing Alone in Mecca: An American Woman's November 2003, Nomani became the first woman in her mosque in West Virginia to insist on the right to pray in the male-only main hall. Asra is profiled in “American Islam.”

• Paul Barrett, author of "American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion." Paul directs the investigative reporting team at BusinessWeek. Before that he worked as a reporter and editor at The Wall Street Journal.
• Asra Nomani, journalist, author and activist. She is the author of the book, "Standing Alone in Mecca: An American Woman's Struggle for the Soul of Islam." In November 2003, Nomani became the first woman in her mosque in West Virginia to insist on the right to pray in the male-only main hall.