On the eve of September 11 muslims have gathered for prayer at New York's largest mosque, with many saying attitudes towards muslims are worse than it was in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
Imam Shamsi Ali, from the Islamic Cultural Centre of New York is a renowned moderate and is directing his messages of tolerance , understanding and engagement -beyond his community.
He says he has viewed with dismay the recent political discourse here in particular the US presidential debates.
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"I watched the republican presidential candidates here in the us and everyone was asked about muslims and all of them basically you know said something undesirable to us, that muslims are problems, they are dangerous, we have to be cautious," Mr Ali said.
"So we uphold the values of this country, freedom, tolerance yet we are challenged to prove it"
Many muslims say the situation is now worse than it was in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
They say the hostility to the election of president obama and the divisive debate last year over the so called ground zero mosque, which is in fact some distance from where the twin towers once stood, has made a bad situation worse
The muslim community particularly refers to a recent report outlining the extensive surveillance of the muslim community by the new york police department.
With assistance from the CIA the NYPD has been accused of over stepping the mark monitoring thousands of Americans whose only crime is that they are devout followers of their religion.
The New York Commissioner, Ray Kelly however has denied the claims.
"I think we have a good working relationship not just here in manhattan but in the 5 boroughs. I think if you talk to the community, if you did a poll here of the muslim community you would see that."
While many Muslim Americans say they are still made to feel like outsiders in their own country, there are stories of hope.
Mohammed Hameeduddin, Mayor of Teaneck in New Jersey was elected last year at the height of the divisive debate over the so called ground zero mosque.
"We're Muslim Americans, we're neighbours, we're politicians, we're doctors, lawyers, teachers, we're part of the american fabric and to single us out and to put these bills that are unconstitutional that say you can't practice your religion, these anti sharia law bills, these pavlovian triggers that the islamaphobes are very good at putting out there - that's something our community is hurt by."
Mr Hameeduddin says the American media is partly responsible for fanning the flames for promoting division and encouraging intolerance.
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