From the Carolinas to Florida to Texas, anti-Muslim sentiment has permeated state legislatures and political campaigns. Shariah -- a term for traditional Islamic rules -- has become a catchall for criticisms of Muslim culture and insinuations that those beliefs are incompatible with American society. ... There is a bitter exhaustion among some Muslim Southerners, who feel the need to explain and justify their faith, even if they were born in the United States or have become naturalized citizens.