By Laura Ginn
Many religions claim to be the fastest growing in the world. Fastest by what measure we ask?
If we measure the growth rate of a religion by the number of new adherents in a given time-frame, than we also need to know the underlying data, and the formulae to determine the growth rate. Growth can be measured by a number of factors; high birth rate, conversion, immigration as well as the size of the existing followers on which the growth calculation is based. Therefore a small group may have large converts, thereby showing a high 'growth percentage' but not necessarily the numbers of converts.
Overall surveys conducted by official and semi-official, as well private organizations around the world, support the contention that one religion has witnessed the largest increase in its followers over the past decade, by several measures, and that is Islam.
In the year 2000, the largest religions of the world were; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. While Christians made up the largest percentage of the world population or about 32% of world population, the rate was declining. Second largest was Islam at 22%, or around 1.4 Billion of the people of the earth and growing. While other religions, as well as atheists, showed no noticeable change in the numbers of their adherents. Although a reasonable estimate can be found, however, no accurate data is available as to the actual number of followers of either religions in the world, or the total world population for that matter.
The fastest growth of Islam over the past few decades has occurred in the largest predominantly Muslim countries of the world, these included: Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran and Egypt due to the high birth rates there. In Europe and North America, the large influx of immigrants of Muslims has resulted in the high percentage rate increase in the number of people who claim Islam as their religion. As the Christian and other religions see a decline in their growth rate in the US for example, immigrant Muslims, as well as new converts to Islam from Christian and other faiths has resulted in Islam showing the fastest growth rate and a number of people who call themselves Muslims.
According to author Samuel Huffington, the overall population of Christians in the world has been declining since the 1980s, due to the low birth rate amongst Christian populated areas of the world, and will probably stabilize at around 25% by year 2025. On the other hand, due to high birth rate, and increasing percentage of new converts, Islam will surpass Christianity as the dominant religion by the same year, making up 30% of the total population of the world.
From the data provided by U.S. Center for World Mission the growth of Islam at 2.9%, is higher than the growth of the world population at 2.6% per annum, higher than any other religion, thereby Islam as a religion is bound to grow and spread faster than any other religion. With the migration of Muslims to Europe, U.S, Canada, Australia, and even China, the Muslim population will eventually be in the majority in these places, which is already evident by growing numbers of mosque, Islamic centers, schools, and businesses which exclusively cater to Muslim customers - for food, clothing, books and Islamic literature.
If we measure the growth rate of a religion by the number of new adherents in a given time-frame, than we also need to know the underlying data, and the formulae to determine the growth rate. Growth can be measured by a number of factors; high birth rate, conversion, immigration as well as the size of the existing followers on which the growth calculation is based. Therefore a small group may have large converts, thereby showing a high 'growth percentage' but not necessarily the numbers of converts.
Overall surveys conducted by official and semi-official, as well private organizations around the world, support the contention that one religion has witnessed the largest increase in its followers over the past decade, by several measures, and that is Islam.
In the year 2000, the largest religions of the world were; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. While Christians made up the largest percentage of the world population or about 32% of world population, the rate was declining. Second largest was Islam at 22%, or around 1.4 Billion of the people of the earth and growing. While other religions, as well as atheists, showed no noticeable change in the numbers of their adherents. Although a reasonable estimate can be found, however, no accurate data is available as to the actual number of followers of either religions in the world, or the total world population for that matter.
The fastest growth of Islam over the past few decades has occurred in the largest predominantly Muslim countries of the world, these included: Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran and Egypt due to the high birth rates there. In Europe and North America, the large influx of immigrants of Muslims has resulted in the high percentage rate increase in the number of people who claim Islam as their religion. As the Christian and other religions see a decline in their growth rate in the US for example, immigrant Muslims, as well as new converts to Islam from Christian and other faiths has resulted in Islam showing the fastest growth rate and a number of people who call themselves Muslims.
According to author Samuel Huffington, the overall population of Christians in the world has been declining since the 1980s, due to the low birth rate amongst Christian populated areas of the world, and will probably stabilize at around 25% by year 2025. On the other hand, due to high birth rate, and increasing percentage of new converts, Islam will surpass Christianity as the dominant religion by the same year, making up 30% of the total population of the world.
From the data provided by U.S. Center for World Mission the growth of Islam at 2.9%, is higher than the growth of the world population at 2.6% per annum, higher than any other religion, thereby Islam as a religion is bound to grow and spread faster than any other religion. With the migration of Muslims to Europe, U.S, Canada, Australia, and even China, the Muslim population will eventually be in the majority in these places, which is already evident by growing numbers of mosque, Islamic centers, schools, and businesses which exclusively cater to Muslim customers - for food, clothing, books and Islamic literature.
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