ISLAM IS THE FASTEST–GROWING RELIGION IN THE UK
AND THE US
by Syarif
Hidayat
Islam
is the fastest-growing religion in the United Kingdom. A new census found
Tuesday, December 11, that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in Brtain and
Wales. The census found that the proportion of Muslims rose from 3.0 percent to
4.8 per cent, becoming the fastest growing religion in Britain.
Islam is also among the fastest-growing
faiths in the US. The census show that Islam is among the fastest-growing
religion in the US in the past decade. The census, by the Association of
Statisticians of American Religious Bodies in Chicago, found that American
Muslims almost doubled in the past decade. It estimated that Muslims are now
numbered at 2.6 million in 2010, from only one million in 2001.
Islam is a beautiful
religion, full of wisdom and harmony. Islam is a religion of love and peace.
Love is one of the noblest human principles and traits that cultivate the
spirit of interaction, solidarity, and cooperation and add affection to human
relationships and dealings. All heavenly and also manmade religions cherish
love in its top-down (God-creation), bottom-up (creation-God), and horizontal
(interpersonal) dimensions.
Muslims believe that Islam is the origin
of true love in all its dimensions (top-down, bottom-up, and horizontal) and
forms, quite independent of any other faith, except inasmuch as both come from
the same source, as established by historians. Many Qur’anic texts and
Prophetic hadiths undeniably prove the fact that love, in the broadest sense,
is an intrinsic ideal of Islam.
Abu
Hamid Al-Ghazali said, “Love of Allah is the highest spiritual attainment.
Whatever follows it is an outcome of it (such as passion, communion, fulfillment,
etc.), and whatever precedes it is a step towards it”. Allah says, {Say (O
Muhammad), “If you really love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love
you”}. He also says, {A people whom He will love and who will love Him}. And He
says, {But those who have believed love Allah more (than anything else)}. All
such verses show the merit of love and tell that it has degrees.
In
several hadiths, the Prophet established love as a prerequisite to religiosity.
Allah says, {And among people are some who would take (i.e., associate) besides
Allah rivals (to Him) whom they love as much as they love Allah. But those who
have believed love Allah most}. Ibn Jazi Al-Kalbi wrote, “There are two types
of love: imitation love and hearty love. To me, the latter is indicated in the
second Verse, while the former is indicated in the first Verse”.
Heartfelt love is the greatest of loves. It brings forth ultimate satisfaction
and happiness. A Companion once told the Prophet, “I have not prepared for it
(i.e., the Hereafter) much Prayer or fasting, but I love Allah and His
Messenger”. The Prophet said, “One will (in the Hereafter) be in the company of
those he loves”. Anas commented, “I have never seen Muslims delight at
something, except for conversion to Islam, more than they did at hearing this”.
Abu Ruzayn Al-`Uqayli asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What is faith?” The Prophet
replied, “It is to love Allah and His Messenger more than everything else”. The
Prophet also said, “None of you shall truly believe unless when Allah and His
Messenger are more loved to him than everything else”. And he said, “No servant
of Allah shall truly believe unless when I become more beloved to him than his
family, property, and all people”. Another narration adds, “… and his own
self”.
The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) strongly urged for love. He said,
“Love Allah for the graces He bestows upon you, and love me for Allah’s love
for me”. An authentic hadith tells us that, while receiving the Shar`i penalty
for being drunken, an alcoholic was cursed by a Companion.
The
Prophet blamed the curser, saying, “He (i.e., the penalized man) loves Allah
and His Messenger”. Noticeably, though addicted to a sinful practice, the man
still had something positive to commend: love. The deeper that love grows, the
more deserved forgiveness becomes. A poet said, Indeed, my love for Umamah is
not one that can be changed by tale-bearing or passage of time
If this is true with romantic love, it will for sure be more applicable to love
of Allah, the Sovereign, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Who has granted
us His Graces, originated us with His Wisdom, provided for us with His
Generosity, and run our affairs with His Kindness. It pleases Him when a servant
repents and returns to His Obedience, as pointed out in an authentic hadith.
Allah says, {Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves
those who are self-purifying}.
Horizontal Love
Mutual
love among people is a basic notion in Islam, based on human fraternity. The
Prophet said, “None of you shall truly believe unless when he loves for his
brother what he loves for himself”. That hadith associates fraternity with
love: “Brother” here means a fellow human, as interpreted by several hadith
commentators, such as Ibn Rajab (Hanbali), An-Nawawi (Shafi`i), and
Ash-Shabrakhiti (Malik).
Also,
there is “charity” — unlimited loving-kindness toward all others. The Prophet
(peace be upon him) prayed, “Oh Allah! I ask you for (the ability to do) good
deeds… and love for the poor”. In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah says, “And My servant
will keep drawing closer to me by offering supererogatory acts of worship until
I love him”.
Love goes beyond living beings to include even nonliving things, nature, as
well as good words and deeds. The Prophet described Mount Uhud saying, “This is
a mount that loves us and is loved by us”. He further said, “Allah is
Beautiful, and He loves beauty”. Allah loves to make things easy for people.
The Prophet said, “Verily, Allah loves that His Exceptional Permissions be
implemented”. Allah says, {And He (i.e., Allah) loves good-doers}.
As early as his second speech after arrival at Medina, the Prophet focused on
love, as documented by Ibn Ishaq. He said, “Love what Allah loves. Love Allah
from the bottom of your hearts. Do not become weary of reciting Allah’s Words
and extolments… Love one another with the spirit inspired by Allah among you.
Verily, it angers Allah when His Covenant is broken. And peace be with you”.
Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali said, “Let you know that the happiest of people in the
Hereafter are those who love Allah most, because they will win the pleasure of
meeting Him. The most blissful moment ever for a lover is when he meets his
beloved after many years of longing, knowing that they will be together
forever, without disturbance, restriction, or fear of separation.
The
pleasure depends on the degree of love: The stronger love is, the greater joy
will be felt. Love of Allah is acquired in life and is found in every believer,
because it comes from knowledge of Allah. However, when love grows so
overwhelming that it turns into some sort of infatuation or extravagant
passion, this elevated status is not found in most people”.
Love is a human value. Everyone likes to be loved; hardly can there be someone
who finds it ok to be hated by others. Someone can clash with others because
they do not love him. He is reacting the wrong way; if love is shown by both
sides, there will remain no hostility.
Love
involves feelings and behavior; it should be manifested in word and deed. The
Prophet said, “When one of you loves his brother, let him inform him of this”.
Why is love a value? Because it is seen as good by everyone, even those who do
not have it. This is the criterion for value.
Philosophers used various terms to refer to inner pleasure, such as “love of
fate”, a term used by Nietzsche to describe an attitude in which one sees
everything that happens in one’s life, including suffering and loss, as good.
Moreover, it is characterized by an acceptance of the events or situations that
occur in one’s life.
Another example is “intellectual love of God”, a concept put forward by Spinoza
to describe the highest good with which we attain “our salvation and
blessedness and freedom”. It originates from God’s eternal and infinite
essence. It is, then, simply one particular mode of God’s attribute.
Intellectual
love is also one part of God’s love for himself. This does not mean that
intellectual love is eternal, but it signifies that essence of the human mind
can be explained in the light of God’s eternity.
Now, how to solve the issue of misrepresenting
Islam and Muslims?
And how to restore Islam’s true image of love
and purity?
If our religion kindles the flames of love for all humanity, how come we let
its image be distorted due to some ignorant followers and lying enemies?
Paradoxically, Islam is depicted as a religion of hatred, while the Prophet of
Islam said, “Do not hate one another, do not turn your backs to one another, do
not raise prices (in business bargains) for one another, and be brothers, O
servants of Allah”.
How
to embody such tridimensional love in our behavior, discourse, and relations?
And how to represent it in a friendly and likable manner despite false
allegations from opponents?
We
should address a horde of misconceptions that form an ideological barrier to
mainstreaming Islam and Muslims worldwide, such as relations with non-Muslims,
which must be based on mutual acceptance, respect, and peacefulness.
Another issue to deal with is the concept of Islamic jihad, which is taken by
many either excessively or slackly. What does jihad mean lexically and
technically? And what justification it has in the Qur’an? In Arabic usage,
jihad is the “exertion of the utmost effort to achieve something that is
probably desirable”.
Religiously, jihad has three types, as identified by Ar-Raghib in Al-Mufradat
(The Items): (1) jihad against a plain enemy, (2) jihad against Satan, and (3)
jihad against one’s own self. The last two types are implied in several
hadiths. For example, Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and Abu Dawud in his Sunan
reported Fudalah Ibn `Ubayd as narrating that the Prophet said, “A true mujahid
is the one who strives against his own self in obedience to Allah, the
Almighty”.
In a weak
hadith reported by Al-Bayhaqi, Jabir narrated that, upon return from his last
conquest Tabuk, the Prophet said, “We have returned from the minor jihad to the
major jihad”. He interpreted it as meaning to resist one’s whims.
In
fact, taking care of one’s parents is a sort of jihad. The Prophet said, “Then
let your taking care of them be your jihad”.
Ibn Taymiyyah defined jihad saying, “It
encompasses all sorts of worship, inward or outward, including love of Allah,
devotion to Him, reliance on Him, submission of one’s soul and property to Him,
patience, asceticism, and continuing remembrance of Him. It takes all possible
forms — physical, spiritual, mental, verbal, etc.”
The issue of
Wala’ (loyalty to whatever belongs to Islam) and Bara’ (renunciation of
whatever contradicts with Islam) is widely used in the literature of Takfir
(i.e., accusation of blasphemy or unbelief) movements, which generalized it to
encompass economic, commercial, political, military, and security relations
with countries that cherish peace, provide technology, and promote development.
In
fact, the concept of Wala’ and Bara’ has to do with partisanship in the domain
of creed or faith — that is, it depends whether one is believer or unbeliever.
However, interaction with non-Muslims within the context of everyday dealings,
good relations, and peaceful coexistence is not objectionable.
The
notion and fatwas of Takfir are unduly exaggerated. They contradict with the
Islamic culture of peace, whose basics are found in many Islamic texts. For
example, Allah says, {Allah does not forbid you from those who have not fought
you due to religion}. He also says, {And say to people good words}.
The
Prophet said, “Keep dutiful to your (non-Muslim) mother”. He also said, “And
say greetings to those you know and those you do not know”. And he said, “And
treat people with kindness”.
Other examples include the hadith on Hilf Al-Fudul (i.e., Alliance of the
Virtuous), the Charter of Medina, the permission for Christians to perform
their prayers at the mosque, and many other traditions, which range from
authentic to good to weak.
Broadly,
they imply specification of the generalization, permitting dealings with
non-Muslims as may be necessary for people’s benefit and, at the same time,
warding off harm and evil by regulating the applicable contexts and outcomes.
In fact, improving the image of Muslims is a basic Shar`i objective, as
indicated by the questions of building the Kaaba on the same bases founded by
Abraham and abstention from killing the hypocrites.
The subject at hand is open for further study and contemplation, and the above
is just a brief discussion on the culture of consolidated values, which can
make the world a better place where love prevails and war comes to an end.
Religious tolerance is an essential principle of
Islam
Tolerance is the attitude that should govern the dealings of all people with
one another. Religious tolerance is an essential principle of Islam and Muslims
are ordered to have good relations with people of all religions and be kind and
courteous to everyone.
Muslims are ordered by the Qur’an to uphold their promises and agreements with
non-Muslims and not betray or transgress against them. The lives, families,
properties and honor of non-Muslims must be protected under any government that
claims to apply Islamic law. Non-Muslims are also guaranteed the right and
freedom to practice their own religions in an Islamic state.
Islam is a religion of mercy and justice. It teaches its adherents to interact
with all people and to cooperate with them for the betterment of mankind. More
than ever today, Muslims need to work together with other groups that oppose
oppression, bloodshed, corruption, promiscuity and perversion.
They
should also cooperate with non-Muslims in upholding truth and combating
falsehood, in supporting the oppressed, and eliminating such dangers as
pollution and disease.
Only
enemies who harbor hatred and contempt against Islam are addressed by those
Quranic verses that warn Muslims against taking them as intimates and allies.
Muslims are compassion as members of the human brotherhood.
They are always to behave kindly toward any non-Muslim who are not hostile,
whether by offering financial help, feeding the hungry, giving loans when
needed, or interceding in connection with permissible matters, even if only by
speaking kindly and advising them. The Quran addresses believers, saying:
”
Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion
and do not expel you from your homes – from being righteous toward them and
acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who are just.” (Quran,
60: 8 )
Thus,
it is not permissible under any circumstance for Muslims to mistreat a
non-Muslim who has not committed any aggression against them; they are not
allowed to harm, threaten or terrorize him, steal his wealth, cheat him or
deprive him of his rights. It is obligatory upon Muslims as well to honor
whatever lawful treaties and agreements are made with non-Muslim parties.
Coexistence does not mean that we cease to promote our positive values. As an
aspect of their kindness and concern for humanity, Muslims are expected to
invite non-Muslims to the truth of Islam with words of wisdom, sound arguments
and a pleasant manner. This is a debt owed by Muslims to the peoples of the
world in gratitude to God Almighty Allah for his guidance and countless
blessings.
Islam
Fastest-Growing Religion in Britain
Among
British people, there were 33.2million claiming to be Christian, down from
37.3million in 2001. The figure made up just 59 per cent of the population. The
census put the total population of England and Wales at 56.1million, a seven
percent increase from 2001; and 55 percent of the increase is due to migration.
It
found that the proportion of Muslims also rose from 3.0 percent to 4.8 per
cent, becoming the fastest growing religion in Britain. The 2001 census put the
number of British Muslims at nearly 2.5 million. The statistics emerged as the
Archbishop of Canterbury claimed that English cathedral congregations had grown
dramatically in recent years, debunking the 'cliché' that the Church of England
is fading away.
The proportion of Muslims also rose from 3.0
per cent to 4.8 per cent, becoming the fastest growing faith in UK. The 2001
census put the number of British Muslims at nearly 2.5 million. The third most
popular religion in Britain was Hinduism, making up 1.5 percent of the
population, while 0.8 percent were Sikhs and 0.5 percent Jewish.
The new census also found that the
number of Christians was on decline in Britain. “In spite of a biased question
that positively encourages religious responses, to see such an increase in the
non-religious and such a decrease in those reporting themselves as Christian is
astounding,” Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist
Association, said.
He said the decline in the number of
Christians was 'really significant'.
“Of course
these figures still exaggerate the number of Christians overall,” he noted. “The
number of believing, practicing Christians is much lower than this and the
number of those leading their lives with no reference to religion much higher.”
There are more than 47,000 churches in
Britain, and 42 million Britons, more than 70 percent of the population,
consider themselves to be Christian. In a study released in 2005, the
British-based association Christian Research expected the number of Christians
attending Sunday service to fall by two thirds over the next three decades.
The study, The Future of The Church,
predicted that the total membership of all the Christian denominations to fall
from 9.4 percent of the population to only five percent by 2040. The study also
expected that the poor attendance will force some 18,000 churches to close.
Islam Rising Among UK Youth
A new large scale British survey has
revealed a notable increase in the number of young British people adhering to
Islam coupled with a dramatic decline in those believing in Christianity in the
same age group.
"The large number of young people
identifying as Muslims – much larger than previous generations – suggests that
Islam will soon be a much more significant force in this country than it is at
the moment," Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society,
said on his group’s website on Tuesday, September 10, 2013.
"This confirms the rapid downward
trend among Christians and bodes extremely ill for the future of that religion
in Britain,” he added. Released earlier this month, the poll of more than
20,000 people was commissioned by Lord Ashcroft, the former Conservative party
deputy chairman.
Titled, “Small island: Public opinion
and the politics of Immigration,” the poll was mainly about attitudes to
immigration. Yet, it included a question asking: "To which of the
following religious groups do you consider yourself to be a member
of?" The response across all
categories found that 55 percent of the surveyed said they were Christian with
36 percent saying they had no religion.
In the 18-24 age group, 46 percent
said they had no religion while 33 percent said they were Christian. The
general response among those who identified as Muslim was 3 percent, but this
rose to 11 percent among the 18-24 age group. Hindus came to 1 percent, rising
to 3 percent in the 25-34 age group. Other religions were much less
statistically significant.
The results coped with earlier results
published in December 2012.
Among
British people, there were 33.2million claiming to be Christian, down from
37.3million in 2001. The figure made up just 59 per cent of the population. The
census found that the proportion of Muslims also rose from 3.0 percent to 4.8
per cent, becoming the fastest growing religion in Britain. The 2001 census put
the number of British Muslims at nearly 2.5 million.
Islam Among Fastest-growing Faiths in US
Islam and Mormonism are the
fastest-growing religion in the United States in the past decade, a new census
has found, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported Thursday, May 3. “Christians
are the largest group in every state,” researcher Dale Jones told a press
conference.
“But some of the things we found
interesting was the growth of the Mormons, who reported the largest numerical
gain in 26 states.” The census, by the Association of Statisticians of American
Religious Bodies in Chicago, found that American Muslims almost doubled in the
past decade.
It estimated that Muslims are now
numbered at 2.6 million in 2010, from only one million in 2001. Unofficial
estimates put the number of Muslims in the US at between six to seven million. The
census also found that Muslims now outnumber Jews in much of the American
Midwest and South.
The report attributes the sharp rise
in the number of US Muslims to conversions and immigration. The survey also
estimates that there are more than 2,000 mosques across the United States, of which
166 are located in Texas. An earlier Muslim study found that the number of
mosques in the US jumped in the past decade to reach more than 2,000 mosques. The
study, released in February, also found that US Muslims are estimated at seven
million.
The Number of US Mosques Jump in Decade
A Muslim study found Wednesday, February
29,2012, that the number of mosques in the United States has jumped over the
past decade and that American Muslims are engaged in the society, the USA Today
reported.
"This
is a growing, healthy Muslim community that is well integrated into
America," lead researcher and study author Ihsan Bagby, an associate
professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky, said.
"I think that is the best message
we can send to the world and the Muslim world in particular." The study,
titled “The American Mosque 2011”, found that the number of mosques in the US
rose by 74 percent from 1,209 in 2000 to 2,106 in 2010. Most mosques are
located in cities such as New York, which has 257 mosques, California (246),
Texas (166) and Florida (118).
Researchers defined a mosque as a Muslim
organization that holds Friday congregational prayers, conducts other Islamic
activities and has operational control of its building. Buildings such as
hospitals and schools that have space for Friday prayer were not included.
The study, which is based on mailing
lists, websites and interviews with community and mosque leaders, also found
that the number of mosques in suburbs rose from only 16 percent in 2000 to 28
percent in 2010.
“This building boom is indicative of
the growing financial resources of the Muslim community as many Muslims have
lived in the U.S. for many decades now and their financial resources have
improved," wrote Bagby.
The study
also found that mosque worshippers are ethnically diverse, with most
worshippers are South Asians, Arabs and Afro-Americans.
There was also an increase in the
number of Muslim worshippers from West Africa and Somalia. The study also
revealed an increase in the number of Shiite mosques in the US because of an
influx of immigrants from Iraq and Iran, though Shiites still represent a very
small percentage of the Muslim community in the US.
"Higher numbers mean you are not
marginalized," Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on
American-Islamic Relations, said.
Engaged in the Society
The inclusive study also showed that
American Muslims are largely engaged in the society. The study finds "98
percent of mosque leaders say Muslims should be involved in American
institutions and 91 percent agree that Muslims should be involved in
politics." It also found that mosque leaders have a positive view about
the life of the Muslim community in the US. "Mosque leaders feel very
positive, more positive than they did in 2000," Bagby said.
The survey found that most mosque
leaders (87 percent) believe that radicalism and extremism are not increasing
among young Muslims.
They say
the greater challenge is "attracting and keeping them close to the
mosque."
The mosque study is part of the Faith
Communities Today partnership, which researches the more than 300,000 houses of
worship in the US. The study is sponsored by CAIR, the Hartford Institute for
Religion Research, the Islamic Society of North America and Islamic Circle of
North America.
Bagby challenged previous estimates of
the number of US Muslims, which put them at two to three million. He says there
are 2.6 million "mosque participants", who have attended `Eid prayers
or Friday prayers or were considered participants by the mosque leader survey.
The
study concludes "if there are 2.6 million Muslims who pray the Eid prayer,
then the total Muslim population should be closer to estimates (by Bagby) of up
to 7 million."
Muslims 1/4 of World Population
Muslims make up around one fourth of the
world’s population and are mostly concentrated in Asia, according to a new
study by an American fact tank that provides information on issues, attitudes
and trends shaping America and the world through public opinion polling.
“There are 1.57 billion Muslims of all
ages living in the world today,” the Pew Research Center concluded in its
study, “Mapping the Global Muslim Population: A Report on the Size and
Distribution of the World's Muslim Population.”
It found that Muslims make up 23 percent
of the world’s 6.8 billion people, the sweeping majority of them Sunnis. “Of
the total Muslim population, 10-13 percent are Shiite Muslims and 87-90 percent
are Sunni Muslims.”
According to the study, based on data
from 232 countries and territories, Asia is home to nearly 20 percent of the
global Muslim population. Indonesia is the world’s most populated Muslim
country with 203 million Muslims, about 13 percent of the world’s Muslim
population.
Pakistan has 174 million Muslims, India
161 million, Bangladesh 145 million, Iran 74 million and Turkey 74 million,
according to the study.
“Together
these six countries are home to about 85 percent of Asia's Muslim population
and more than half (53 percent) of the global Muslim population.”
Nearly half of Asia’s Muslims are
concentrated in South Asia.
“The
remainder are somewhat equally divided between Southeast-East Asia (26 percent)
and Central-Western Asia (24 percent),” says the study.
It found
that the Middle East and North Africa have 315 million Muslims, about 20
percent of the world’s Muslims.
“The Middle East-North Africa region has
the highest percentage of Muslim-majority countries.” The study also finds that
there are 240 million Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa, making up about 15 percent
of the global Muslim population. One-third of them live in Nigeria, which has
about 74 million Muslims, about half of its population.
The region is home to countries with
very large Muslim majorities, including Mauritania (99 percent), Niger (99
percent), Somalia (99 percent), Mayotte (98 percent), Comoros (98 percent),
Djibouti (97 percent), Senegal (96 percent), Gambia (95 percent), Mali (93
percent), Guinea (84 percent) and Sierra Leone (71 percent).
Muslim Minorities
The study, described as the first-ever of
its kind, indicates that one-fifth of Muslims (300 million) live in non-Muslim
countries. “There minority Muslim populations are often quite large.” Hindu-majority
India has the third-largest Muslim population after Indonesia and Pakistan.
“China has more Muslims than Syria,
while Russia is home to more Muslims than Jordan and Libya combined.” The study
notes that China’s 22 million Muslims are distributed in every Chinese province,
with the highest concentration in the western provinces, primarily Xinjiang,
Ningxia and Gansu.
“Xinjiang is the only Muslim-majority
province of China, with Muslims accounting for approximately 53 percent of the
total population.” The study finds that Europe has 38 million Muslims, making
up five percent of the continent’s population, mostly concentrated in eastern
and central Europe.
Russia has
more than 16 million Muslims, the largest Muslim population in Europe.
According to the study, Germany has the
biggest Muslim minority in western Europe, with more than four million
population. It put the number of Muslims in France, which was previously known
to have the continent’s biggest Muslim minority, at 3.5 million.
Britain has fewer than two million
Muslims, nearly 3 percent of the total population, while Italy has 36,000
Muslim populations, the smallest in Europe. The study says there are nearly 4.6
million Muslims in the Americas, with nearly 2.5 million Muslims in the US and
700,000 in Canada.
It notes that Muslims make up 16 percent
of Suriname’s population, the largest Muslim population in the Americas. Argentina has a Muslim minority of 800,000,
the largest in South America. The figures presented by the study about Muslim
populations in the West, particularly in Europe and the US, contradict the
estimates usually reported by Muslim organizations in these regions.
Muslims in the US, for example, are
commonly believed to number more than 7 million while France is believed to be
home to more than six million Muslims. (HSH)
Source: http://www.onislam.net/
Source: http://www.onislam.net/
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