Dozens of families and hundreds of guests were expected. The community, not merely the nuclear family, celebrated the local children’s accomplishments together.

In a way, the close-knit Muslim communities are the typical strong community in America today: strong families, decent economy, and a foundation of shared religious belief. “It’s both a spiritual thing and a community,” said Susan Hashmi, who had showed me around the mosques on Friday.

This is the story in most places where the American Dream holds purchase. Religion provides both a solid moral foundation and a robust network that builds social capital, providing both a support structure and a sense of purpose.

So it may seem odd that Muslim Americans are above average in their optimism about the country. But really they’re just on the same page as other communities of believers.

Timothy P. Carney, the Washington Examiner’s commentary editor, can be contacted at tcarney@washingtonexaminer.com. His column appears Tuesday nights on washingtonexaminer.com.