The word Islam is derived from the verb salama/Yuslima meaning to submit to one God. Another word connotation is Salam meaning peace, peace that comes from Islam. Islam is the last of Abrahamic faiths received by Muhammad, who was born in 750 C.E. in Mecca and died in 642 C.E. in medina, Arabia.

Judaism was preached by Moses and Christianity by Jesus, blessings of God on them all Islam respects Judeo-Christian prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and others that came throughout the history. They spoke with God, and received His message for the guidance for humankind.

The Old and New testaments are mixed by humans interpolations after they were received by Moses and Jesus. Quran is as the original received by Muhammad and is recited as the original in Muslim prayers right from the beginning by Muhammad and his companions and continued so until today.

Muhammad could not read or write and dictated the revelations to various scribes. Zayd bin Thabit was the scribe most often by him. He would dictate the revelation to Zayd and ask him to re-read it to ensure accuracy. Zayd lived long after Muhammad and was available to the subsequent Caliphs. 

Caliph Abu Bakr compiled a manuscript of Quran. Caliph Osman, the the fourth Caliph who also memorized the entire Quran made copies of the Quran under the supervision of Zayd when Islamic dominions spread widely to ensure the Quran accuracy.

Quran is the final testament of the divine message. It corrected the Jews are the chosen people. God chose people based their righteousness and not on race, or ethnicity, as in the following verses: “As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, they will have the Gardens of Paradise for hospitality. They will abide therein forever, without desiring any change therefrom.” (Al-Kahf 18: 107-108).

And it corrects the Christian doctrine that Jesus is God or son of God. Quran says about 90 times that Jesus is neither God nor son of God. God is the one Supreme Being, above all His creation, and is transcendent and also immanent - near to believers, and responds their call. God is the eternal, perfect, omniscient Creator and controller of all beings`.

Only God is both transcendent and immanent. About Jesus being son of God is emphatically said in the following verses: “And warn those who say, "Allah has taken a son. They have no knowledge of this, and nor did their forefathers. What a terrible claim that comes out of their mouths! They say nothing but lies. They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie." (Al Kahf 18:4-5). Jesus being God as well as human is a contradiction in terms believed by Christians.

Pew Research Center, the well-known Washington-based demographic institution, carried out demographic surveys and reported its findings on April 2, 2015, The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050 and why Muslims are rising fastest and the unaffiliated are shrinking as a share of the world’s population.

The first paragraph of the report said, “The religious profile of the world is rapidly changing, driven primarily by differences in fertility rates and the size of youth populations among the world’s major religions, as well as by people switching faiths. It said over the next four decades, Christians will remain the largest religious group, but Islam will grow faster than any other major religion.”

A subsequent report released on April 6, 2017, pdated from a post originally published on April 23, 2015 by Michael Lipka and Conrad Hackett titled Why Muslims are the world’s fastest- growing religious group. The report findings are in the following paragraphs: In the next half century or so, Christianity’s long reign as the world’s largest religion may come to an end, according to a report that builds on Pew Research Center’s original population growth projections for religious groups.

Indeed, Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population between 2015 and 2060 and, in the second half of this century, will likely surpass Christians as the world’s largest religious group.

While the world’s population is projected to grow 32% in the coming decades, the number of Muslims is expected to increase by 70% – from 1.8 billion in 2015 to nearly 3 billion in 2060. In 2015, Muslims made up 24.1% of the global population. Forty-five years later, they are expected to make up more than three-in-ten of the world’s people (31.1%).

The main reasons for Islam’s growth ultimately involve simple demographics. To begin with, Muslims have more children than members of the seven other major religious groups analyzed in the study. Muslim women have an average of 2.9 children, significantly above the next-highest group (Christians at 2.6) and the average of all non-Muslims (2.2). In all major regions where there is a sizable Muslim population, Muslim fertility exceeds non-Muslim fertility. 

The growth of the Muslim population also is helped by the fact that Muslims have the youngest median age (24 in 2015) of all major religious groups, more than seven years younger than the median age of non-Muslims (32). A larger share of Muslims will soon be at the point in their lives when people begin having children. This, combined with high fertility rates, will accelerate Muslim population growth.

More than a third of Muslims are concentrated in Africa and the Middle East, regions that are projected to have the biggest population increases. But even within these high-growth regions – as well as others – Muslims are projected to grow faster than members of other groups. For example, Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa, on average, are younger and have higher fertility than the overall population of the region. In fact, Muslims are expected to grow as a percentage of every region except Latin America and the Caribbean, where relatively few Muslims live.

The same dynamics hold true in many countries where Muslims live in large numbers alongside other religious groups. For example, India’s number of Muslims is growing at a faster rate than the country’s majority Hindu population, and is projected to rise from 14.9% of India’s 2015 population to 19.4% (or 333 million people) in 2060.

And while there were similar numbers of Muslims and Christians in Nigeria as of 2015, Muslims have higher fertility there and are expected to grow to a solid majority of Nigeria’s population (60.5%) in 2060.

Meanwhile, religious switching – which is expected to hinder the growth of Christians by an estimated 72 million between 2015 and 2060 – is not expected to have a negative net impact on Muslim population growth.

Another report by Pew Research organization released on November 29, 2017 on Europe’s Growing Muslim Population said Muslims are projected to increase as a share of Europe’s population –even with no future migration.

It said, ”In recent years, Europe has experienced a record influx of asylum seekers fleeing conflicts in Syria and other predominantly Muslim countries. This wave of Muslim migrants has prompted debate about migration and security policies in numerous countries and has raised questions about current and future number of Muslims in Europe. “

Muslims have an average of one more child per woman than other European “Migration aside, fertility rates are among the other dynamics driving Europe’s growing Muslim population. Europe’s Muslims have more children than members of other religious groups (or people with no religion) in the region.

(New Muslim migrants to Europe are assumed to have fertility rates that match those of Muslim in their destination countries). Not all children born to Muslim women will ultimately identify as Muslims, but children are generally more likely to adopt their parents’ religious identity than other.

Taken as a whole, non-Muslim European women are projected to have a total fertility rate of 1.6 children, on average, during the 2015-2020 period compared with 2.6 children per Muslim woman in the region. This difference of one child per woman is particularly significant given that fertility among European Muslim exceeds replacement level (i.e. the rate of births needed to to sustain the size of a population) while non-Muslim are not having enough children to keep their population steady.

The difference between Muslim women and others varies considerably from one European country to another... The low fertility rate in Europe among non-Muslims is largely responsible for the projected decline in the region’s total population. Young Muslim population in Europe contributed to growth.

European Muslims are concentrated in young age groups – the share of Muslims younger than 15(27%) is nearly double the share non-Muslims who are children (15%). And while one-in-ten non-Muslim European are ages 75 and older, this is true of only 1% of Muslims in Europe.

As of 2016, there is a 13-year difference between the median age of Muslims in Europe (30.4 years of age) and non-Muslim Europeans (43.8). Because a larger share of Muslims relative to the general population is in their child-bearing years, their population will grow faster, even if Muslims and non-Muslims had the same fertility rates.

An article in Yaqeen Institute titled How Islam Spread throughout the World by Hassan Munir, published December 14, 2018, updated on July 22, 2024 said some assert the prevalence of Islam in the world today is the result of forced conversions.

Without denying that there may have been some exceptional cases of forced conversion – in blatant violations of clear Islamic directives, the article quoted Richard Eaton, a historian at the University of Arizona who said Islam was “history’s first truly global civilization.” Islam today is undeniably a global din (way of life), professed by an estimated 1.8 billion people.

The article discussed factors that played a role in the Islam’s spread in its historical trajectory in different regions of the world. The first section covered five prominent factors that explain how non-Muslims were exposed to the message of Islam through dawah (or inviting), trade, intermarriage, migration, and influencers.

The second section covered three prominent factors that primarily explain why non-Muslim embraced this message after exposure: Islam’s emphasis on justice and unity, and the universality of Islam.

1. Spreading the Islamic message. The Dawah, or inviting others, to engage with the message of Islam. Dawah or calling followed naturally from Muslims concern for humanity and Qur’anic obligation,” Invite all the Way of your Lord with wisdom and kind advice (16:125).

And a clear directive to the Prophet, regarding his mission: “O prophet! We have sent you as a witness, and a deliverer of good news, and a warner, and a caller to ( the Way of) Allah, by His command , and a beacon of light (33:45-46). After the Prophet, this responsibility falls on every Muslim to the extent of ability. An early caller Mu’ad ibn Jabal sent by the Prophet to give Dawah in the region of Yemen. The importance of task is indicated by a letter that the Prophet sent to his contacts in Yemen, which said,” I have sent you my best man.”

According to the historian Ibn Ishaq, the Prophet also instructed Mu’ad: “Be tolerant, not harsh, spread the word, and do not alienate them.” Mu’ad was constantly moving throughout the region so as to maximize the reach of his dawah. It is noteworthy that this same region soon became the point of departure for traveling scholars and merchants who introduced Islam to many parts of the world, such as Madagascar, parts of Southeast Asia and elsewhere.

The role of dawah by Sufi Muslims in the spread of is widely recognized, and the article quoted Kazakhstan as an example and dealt at length with Kashmir and its Hindu and Buddhist kings who employed Muslim teachers and Sufi scholars in an account worth reading.

2. Spreading through Trade. The Prophet himself was a merchant at his early life and trade has been instrumental in the spread of Islam, especially after Muslims conquered large commercial centers such as Damascus, Aden and trade routes such as the Silk Road. The earliest emergence of Muslim communities on the Malabar Coast in Southeastern India is a fitting example of the role of trade in the spread of Islam.

The pre-Islamic Arabs frequently visited the ports of the Malabar Coast to trade with merchants coming from further east and after Islam these connections were so strong that there a mosque s Jami Masjid, originally built in 630 during the lifetime of the Prophet. There is evidence that as far back as the 7tyh century those Arab Muslim traders were active in Southeast Asia in Sumatra, Indonesia and by the 11 th century in the present Brunei and Philippines.

A key turning point from Southeast Asia was the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258. The Red Sea route rose to prominence, including the ports of Alexandra, Cairo, Jeddah, and Aden. Another case of trade serving as proximity to Arabia was East Africa with a long history of close political and trade relations, and soon after advent of Islam, merchants took the lead in introducing the faith in the region. These developments paved the way for powerful Afro-Muslim empires such as that of Mansa Musa, which facilitated the spread of Islam in the region.

3. Spreading through Migration. Migration, both forced as slaves, or refugees and voluntary for economic reasons have played an important role in the spread of Islam. The earliest presence of Muslim outside Arabia was that of a group of Muslims seeking refuge in Abyssinia during the lifetime of the Prophet at his instructions.

The Effective Dawah of Ja’far ibn Abi Talib to the Abyssinian ruler, the Negus stands out as a perfect example. Forced migration that brought Muslims to the ‘New World’ by way of Transatlantic Slave Trade, left the foundations for an early Muslim presence in the Americas. It is difficult to prove how many slaves of African origin were Muslims, but they must have numbered at least in the hundreds of thousands.

Gradually, the descendants of these forced migrants became distant from Islam, but then established pseudo-Islamic communities such as the Moorish Science Temple and Nation of Islam. Today, Muslims of African descent make up around 25% of the U.S. Muslim population. Examples of voluntary economic migration are more numerous, serving as driving force behind the spread of Islam in virtually every country in the world, even as remote as Fiji.

4. Spreading through intermarriage. Intermarriage between Muslim and non-Muslim has been historically important for the spread of Islam in many contexts, but has been given attention only Recently. Conversion through marriage was important to establishing early Muslim community in Spain. The Ottomans also had many cases of intermarriage.

In British India several dalit women, i.e. those from the downtrodden Hindu caste of “untouchables”, converted to Islam in intermarriage. Intermarriage has continued to play an important role in conversion to Islam in more recent times. By early 1990s, there were an estimated 100 Latino converts to Islam in Southern California alone who married Muslims Mexican-American women since the mid-1970s.

5. Spreading by Influencers. In the life of the Prophet, a prominent example of an influencer was Sa’d Ibn Mu’ad who was the chieftain of one of the tribes of Banu Aus. The Prophet sent Musab ibn Umayr to teach the converts and invite others to Islam, but Sa’ad initially strongly disapproved of this and confronted Mus’ab. After Sa’ad embraced Islam, he convened his clan and asked them how they felt about him.

They replied he was their chief, excelled in judgment, and committed to their best interests. He informed them that he had embraced Islam, and by nightfall his entire clan had followed him. The Prophet also sent letters to rulers in the vicinity of Arabia, implicitly acknowledging their role as social influencers and inviting them, and through them their followers to Islam.

However, as Thomas Carson has argued the Islamization of Syria was “a multifaceted social and cultural process “that was not completed until Ottomans conquered the region. Therefore, it is important to remember that influencers was not always in privileged positions within society, and “grassroots Islamization” led by personal influencers also occurred.

Lastly, as Richard Bulliet showed through quantitative analysis of the names Islam spread slowly by people interacting personally with those who were Muslims until most non-Muslims in the region had converted.

The acceptance of Islamic message.

The article listed motivations for acceptance by overwhelming majority under three categories:

1. Islam’s emphasis on justice. Richard Eaton described this in his thesis, Islam as the “religion of social liberation.” His thesis described Islamic emphasis on pursuit of justice, in contrast to other faiths traditions which allowed (if not encouraged) passivity and promised only otherworldly Salvation. Ahmed Afzal argued the very reason for the Prophet Muhammad ‘s personal retreats to the cave of Hira leading to the first revelation that sooner or later would cause his sensitive encounter with the brutal fact of injustice that had to be addressed in the realm of social and material reality.

While one’s ideal interest lies in developing a hope for salvation in the Hereafter, the problem of injustice can only be adequately addressed by pursuing the the fulfilment of material interest interest of the weak, poor, and marginalized. Thus it has been widely noted that many of the earliest companions of the Prophet were those who were disadvantaged in Meccan society.

It should be noted that many of disadvantaged converts did not convert because it would change their material reality, but they had conviction in the truth of Islamic worldview.

A common example of the appeal of Islam’s “social liberation” is the spread of Islam in South Asia. Hinduism’s caste system relegated humans to the lower castes in severely disadvantaged positions with no hope of upward social mobility. Thus early Muslims in South Asia endeavored to carry Islam to numerous Indian castes that were despised, rejected, and discriminated against.

In the Ottoman Empire women who were considered legal subjects at puberty, Islam gave them the right to own and control property without male interference and the register their complaints in court.

Another example is found in the context of WWII following the Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia many Jews converted to Islam to escape persecution. Between April and October, 1941 at least 20% of Sarajevo’s Jews embraced Islam.

Even today this trend can be seen in prisons, particularly in the United States, which has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. Up to 40,000 prisoners convert to Islam in US annually, making up about 80% of all religious conversions in the American prison system.

2. Islam’s emphasis on unity as Ummah. Islamic emphasis on unity has kept Muslims connected as an Ummah to their religious, demographic, and sociocultural “heartland” in Saudi Arabia irrespective of distance, both physical and metaphysical from it.

Practicing the obligatory pillars of Islam of Salah, daily prayer, preferably in congregation has helped keep the individual Muslims keep connected with the Islamic community and unified locally, and going for pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime, if physically and financially capable helps them identify as integral members of a global Ummah.

The article discussed some prominent cases of individuals taking their responsibility of pilgrimage to Mecca. Omar Yamaoka, the first known Japanese convert to Islam on November 1, 1909 embarked in Jeddah on December 10 on his way to perform the Hajj.

Immediately afterwards, his next initiative was building a mosque in Japan that was opened in 1938. By then many other Japanese had embraced Islam and they trended to perform the Hajj. 8 Japanese Muslims performed the Hajj between 1934 and 1938, five of whom sailed for Mecca at least twice.

Muhammad Asad, a German Jew best known for his English translation and commentary of the Quran embraced Islam in 1926 and performed the Hajj soon afterwards. Describing the Black Stone of Ka’ba he said, “The prophet was well aware that all later generations of the faithful would always follow his example and when kissed the stone he knew that on it the lips of future pilgrims would forever meet the memory of his lips in the symbolic embrace he thus offered, beyond time and beyond death, to his entire community.” And heading to Mount Arafat, he felt as if “the wind shouts a wild paean of joy into my ears: “Never again, never again, never again will you be a stranger.”

Malcolm X converted to orthodox Islam due to his experience of the Hajj in 1964. He himself commented on the effect, “Islam’s conversions around the world could double and triple if the colorfulness and the true spiritualness of the Hajj pilgrimage were properly advertised and communicated to the outside world.” 

The Hajj also served as an international forum and marketplace. In pre-modern times, the journey took months, if not years. A case in point is the famous hajj of Mansa Musa of Mali in 1324-25. He led a large caravan and carried so much gold, distributed in charity and gifts along the way, and it caused hyperinflation and derailed the economies of Cairo, Madinah and Mecca for years. On his way back he brought back many Islamic texts and several scholars, including the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Sahili, who settled in Timbuktu and led the task of construction of the famous Djinguereber mosque.

He thus played in Timbuktu’s emergence as a preeminent Islamic city in West Africa. Of course, this sense of unity extended beyond the experience of Hajj. For example, in 1894 the Ottoman Sultan sent a British convert Abdullah Quilliam of Liverpool as his representative to the opening of Shitta-Bey Mosque, the first major mosque in Lagos, Nigeria.

He was warmly received by Muslims across West Africa, and at least one person from the region, John Thomas Brimah later embraced Islam after reading Quilliam’s writing The Faith of Islam.

3. The universality of Islam. The article referred to Dr. Umar Abd-Allah who said most beautifully about it: “In history, Islam showed itself to be culturally friendly and, in that regard, has been likened to a crystal clear river. Its waters (Islam) are pure, sweet, and life-giving but –having no color of their own-reflect the bedrock (indigenous culture) over which they flow. In China, Islam looked Chinese; in Mali, it looked African. Sustained cultural relevance to distinct peoples, diverse places, and different times underlay Islam’s long success as a global civilization.”

This reflected an established principle of Islamic jurisprudence articulated by several jurists that all customs are permissible by default except what is proven to be forbidden. The spread of Islam has been a historic success in large part due to the fact it generally occurred in ways that were not overly disruptive of the local cultures and lifestyles.

This is a very important point in today’s sociopolitical climate, with Islamophobic and anti-refugee rhetoric, particularly in Europe based on ostensible threat of Islam to Europe’s Judeo-Christian heritage and culture. Historically, however, early Muslim communities generally adhered to a distinctive subculture, adopting everything they deemed acceptable in the dominant (or hegemonic) culture and refraining from what they felt clearly conflicted with their faith.

Perhaps the most remarkable example of the universality of Islam is its ability to absorb even the Mongols after they caused unprecedented destruction in large parts of the Muslim domain. As Ishayahu Landa, a Mongol who is Professor of History at the Open University of Israel noted, “This issue is of special importance, as it provides a relatively rare case in Islamic history in which the rulers adopted their subjects’ religion and not vice versa.”

Of the four khanates, three embraced Islam within a century of the death of Genghis Khan. El-Qutlugh Khatun, a Mongol princess who performed the hajj in 1323 soon after conversion was described as good Muslim who often gave advice to Muslims and was noted for giving large amounts in charity while on her journey, including 30,000 dinars in Mecca and Medina alone.

In conclusion the article said the examples presented were not exhaustive in their relation to the spread of Islam. It hoped that many historical “moments” which make up the larger “story” of the spread of Islam would inspire readers to explore particular moments in more detail through their own research, which was essential for developing appreciation of complexity of spread of Islam, which is one of the most transformative processes in human history. It also hoped that the discussion in the article inspire and inform the present dawah efforts.

The article ended describing Lady Evelyn Cobbold ( d. 1963), a Scottish noblewoman who declared “I am a Muslim” during a private audience with the Pope, recorded in the following in her diary: “The more I read and the more I studied, the more convinced I became that Islam was, the most practical religion, and the more calculated to solve the world’s many perplexing problems, and to bring humanity peace and happiness.”

The discussion in the article focused primarily on some of the more prominent structural factors that have contributed to the spread of Islam, such as trade and migration. However, it is important to note that in recent years there has been a “cultural turn” in the historiography of conversion to Islam. Memoirs, diaries and other first-hand accounts of converts in which they describe their journeys to Islam, are increasingly becoming available.

These, along with a growing body of psychological research on why many people convert to Islam today, offer important areas of further research on the subject of conversion to Islam in history.

An OpEd in Eurasia Review by Matija Seric, a geopolitical analyst posed the question The Rapid Rise of Islam in the West: Will Islam become the leading world Religion? November 17, 2022 and asked Why is Islam so attractive to Westerners and other people that come from from quite different cultural and social environments? And answered it is well known that all great religions of the world, including Islam, laid the foundations for moral and ethical principles and beliefs that shape societies in a positive way.

Essentially Islam has enormous potential to solve problems such as social injustice, racism, social inequalities and national conflicts. Islam brings calmness and tranquility to its true believers, peace with God and other people.

As time goes by, people are less prejudiced, they are more willing to listen and explore what Islam is in essence. It is the appeal and quality of the content that has made Islam the world’s fastest growing religion. The simplicity, rationality and universal character of Islamic teachings attract many people who are either disillusioned with Christianity or were previously not believers at all.

That Islam is fastest growing religion in countries such as Japan and Canada is surprising at first glance, and in japan between 112 and 230 thousand have accepted Islam. Japan was not so hospitable to Islam in the past, but in recent years Japanese have become more tolerant of different religions and cultures, and many restaurants offer halal food.

Some Japanese Muslims strictly follow Islamic traditions, others are more liberal. Approximately half of Muslims have started a family, suggesting that in the future the country will be home to authentic second and third generation Muslims.

The situation is similar in Canada. Official statistics confirm that Islam is the fastest growing religion in that Western country, and Muslim population has more than tripled from 1996. Until 1985 there were few Muslims and they were categorized as “other”, in 2021 the Muslim population was 4.9%, up from 3.2% in 2011.

In total, about 1.7 million Muslims live in the country. It is interesting Islam is spreading, while overall religiosity in Canada is declining; in 2003, 71% of Canadians said religious belief was important, in 2019 only 54% said so. Recently, there was an increase in anti-Islamic violence, so Prime Minister Justine Trudeau reacted declaring “Canada is not a place for Islamophobia.”

The article dsecribed that despite Islamophobia and often negative depictions of Muhammad in Western Media, the growth of Islam is steady and the faith is attracting new followers again and again.

Islam is a religion that governs the entire life of the individual and the community, the private and public sphere. Islamic teachings regulate the entire social life, starting with family, business, civil and criminal law, nutrition, clothing and personal hygiene.

In the Islamic worldview, there are few (if any) aspects of individual and social life that are not considered an expression of Islam as a complex civilization in which individuals, societies, and governments should reflect the will of God. That is why it can be said that Islam is much more than a religion; in fact it represents the totality of human behavior and actions.

Islam is a religion that, unlike Christianity, does not try to adapt to current trends, but adheres to fundamental principles that have been in force for centuries. The principles of Islam such as strict rules, norms and prohibitions attract people who previously who had no connection with Islam. Simple doctrines, equality of believers, practice of faith, and clear religious hierarchy favor the attraction of new believers.

Believers in Islam must follow the guidance of God’s law in order to get to heaven. For many in developed countries, Islam can provide an attractive alternative because it gives meaning in this life and the afterlife. Such an alternative provides a new outlook on the world and spiritual peace in the modern world where uncertainty is the only constant. Islam, as a thoroughly elaborated religion, has a Universalist character that can be accepted by people all over the world.

With all of the above, Muslim religious missionaries as well as ordinary believers strive to spread Islam more than Christians or Jews do in spreading their faith. Also, Muslim families are very happy to accept new members. All these are reasons why Islam is the fastest growing world religion.

The Best Diplomats dated February 13, 2024 Why Islam is the Fastest Growing Religion in the World? by Oleksanda Mamchii, a Ukranian expert on social and political issues said, “You might have seen a lot of news regarding famous converts to Islam. Some of the famous names are Mike Tyson, Adrew Tate, Muhammad Ali, Liam Neeson, and many more. There is also a beautiful story of Joram Van Klaveren, an anti-Islam politician who was writing an anti-Islamic book but became a Muslim instead. Why are people converting to Islam at a time when Islamophobia is at its peak? Why Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world?

Historical Context: Islam’s journey from the 7th century to the fastest-growing global religion is a crucial part of its historical rise. After Prophet Muhammad received revelation, Islam spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, bringing different tribes together under the banner of one God (Allah).

Following Prophet Muhammad, the Rashidun Caliphs spearheaded operations that saw the spread of Islam across vast territories from Spain in the West to the Indian subcontinent in the East. During these early years, voluntary conversions were frequently aided by the appeal of Islamic teachings and the religion’s reputation for tolerance.

The Silk Road in particular was a major conduit for the spread of Islamic trade, knowledge, and culture. A rich and active civilization was fostered by the cultural interaction along these routes, which helped to assimilate other traditions into the Islamic fold.

Islamic societies flourished in the fields of philosophy, science, medicine, and arts from the 8 th to the 14 th centuries, known as the Islamic Golden Age. Scholars from different backgrounds were drawn to this intellectual blossoming, which facilitated the exchange of ideas and increased the growth of Islamic knowledge.

What Are the Key Factors That Influence the Growth of Islam?

1. Population Growth. There is no denying that strong population in countries with a majority of Muslims is correlated with Islam’s exponential rise to prominence as the religion with the quickest rate of expansion.

Consistent growth has significant effects on socio-religious landscape and is not only a statistical phenomenon. Islam is seen as a dynamic and changing force that is reshaping the social and cultural fabric of communities all over the world due to increased demographic influence.

2. Young Muslim population. The demographic profile of young population highlights their disproportionate representation within Muslim communities with the possibility of Islam’s spread.

The younger population is vital for the creation of modern story of Islam because of their energy and openness to change. Their use of international communication channels and technical innovations promotes the spread of Islamic ideals and gives a feeling of connectivity among Muslims around the world.

By embracing contemporary media, young Muslims play a crucial role in dispelling myths and promoting a progressive, inclusive view of Islam.

The younger Muslim population is a guardian of the future, insuring not only the continuation of Islamic customs but also innovation and adaptation to the changing global environment. Their impact surpasses demographic data, as they play a crucial role in directing the course of Islam’s expansion in both local communities and worldwide. The youthful Muslim population has vitality and dynamism which promote the religion’s ongoing spread and significance in the modern world.

3. Historical Expansion. The Prophet and Rashidun Caliphs led the first expansion that resulted in the creation of a huge empire that spread from Spain to India. The military victories were frequently accompanied by intellectual and tolerant reputation creating an environment favorable to the acceptance of Islamic principles.

The spread of Islamic culture was greatly helped by trade routes allowing traders and travelers in transporting ideas and goods across continents expanding the influence of Islam. Islamic civilization flourished by Muslim scholars translating and preserving classical Greek and Roman manuscripts during historical growth of Islam.

Many traditions were integrated into the Islamic fold made easier by by the rich culture being fashioned through encounters with numerous nations. Knowing how Islam spread through history might help one appreciate how flexible and resilient is the faith. Islam expanded through a dynamic process of cohabitation, knowledge transmission, and cultural interaction and not only conquering lands. This historical trajectory serves as a foundation for contemporary global presence and continued growth of Islam.

4. Addressing Misconceptions. Through education Islamic communities, academics, and outreach participants have aggressively confronted misunderstandings about Islam seeking to close the gap between perception and reality by disseminating correct information about Islamic ideas, practices and values.

Social media and online platforms have become powerful tools in the battle against misconceptions.

Leveraging these channels, Muslims and advocates of understanding share authentic narratives, personal experiences, and diverse perspectives to counteract the often sensationalized portrayal prevalent in mainstream media.

Another useful tool for clearing up misunderstandings, encouraging tolerance, and creating connections between various religious communities is interfaith conversation. People of different spiritual backgrounds can debunk misconceptions and preconceptions about Islam by having polite, open discussions that help them gain a more realistic understanding of the religion.

Dispelling myths raises public knowledge and helps build a welcoming atmosphere where people from different backgrounds can live in harmony with one another. The proactive efforts to dispel misconceptions about Islam inspire a more knowledgeable and tolerant global community, which in turn influences how the Islamic faith is viewed and deveosped.

5. Political and Geopolitical Dynamics. Although the article relates to the political climate in the countries where Muslims make up the majority population having impact on how Islam is portrayed, apart from Pakistan where military has often interfered , the current support of Sharia among Muslims is almost universal, and Islamic movements are winning elections on it although Western powers call it threat to democracy.

Noah Feldman a professor of law at Harvard University has probed the subject deeply in the Fall and Rise of of the Islamic State, Princeton University Press, 2024. He reveals how the classical Islamic constitution governed through Sharia was balanced and legitimated by scholars. But the reforms of the modern era were tragically incomplete, and in this vacuum the power of the executive grew at the expense of law and justice.

This balance of power was destroyed by unchecked executive dominance that now distorts politics in so many states. He argues that a modern Islamic state could work only if it adopts a new constitution that restores the constitutional balance of power. It would thus hold a renewed promise for Muslims and Westerners alike.

6. Community and Social Support. The idea of Ummah or a single global community is a blessing that gives Muslims a unique sense of identity and mutual support. Close relationships among members of this community not only provide social and emotional support but also help in preservation and passing down of Islamic values from generation to generation.

New members know that they are not only welcome, but integrated within the community. Community support takes various forms from charity projects to religious education programs. As a focal point, mosques function as venue for outreach initiatives, besides being a place for worship. These places foster a collective health for the local community that strengthens their common Islamic identity.

Social support would encompass wider societal issues, and go beyond religious issues. They could tackle poverty, healthcare, and education and present Islam as a force for social improvement, and contribute to larger social fabric

7. Social Media. Islam is the religion with the fastest rate of expansion and social media has a profound impact on the narrative surrounding it. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X give Muslims unprecedented avenues to interact and project their faith around the world in this digital age. Social media also have the ability to debunk myths about Islam.

Using these channels, Muslim academics, and influencers tell the truth about Islam, rectify errors, and highlight the variety of the Islamic world. A more comprehensive understanding of Islam is projected by this direct contact, which dispels misconceptions and promotes intercultural communication.

Social media also make it easier to share Islamic principles and teachings. Online platforms are employed by Islamic scholars and institutions to disseminate sermons, lectures, and educational information to worldwide audience. The democratization of information makes it easier for anyone to obtain religious knowledge, and benefitting Muslim community by making it more connected and informed.

Social media connects people in ways that go beyond physical distance, forming a virtual Ummah. Muslims throughout the world can converse about their beliefs, show solidarity, and exchange experiences. In addition fostering a stronger feeling of community, this connection increases Islam’s prominence and influence on worldwide scale.

There are drawbacks to social media with the possibility of spreading false information or exaggeration of extreme viewpoints. However, with its dynamic nature as a vehicle for outreach, education, and community building in the modern day, its overall impact on the rise of Islam is indisputable.

8. Religious flexibility. As discussed earlier, Islam is adaptable to many cultural contexts and this is a crucial factor in making it world’s fastest growing religion. Islam’s intrinsic ability to uphold its fundamental ideas is demonstrated in its accommodating diverse cultural practices and interpretations.

Islamic teachings offer a framework that permits some interpretation and adjustment to regional practices without core principles. This adaptation attracts a diverse variety of followers by fostering a dynamic link between Islamic teachings and the subtle cultural differences of many groups.

The adaptability of Islamic law, or fiqh, allows it to preserve the fundamentals of Islamic ethics while accommodating shifting social standards. Islam’s flexibility has made it possible for it to coexist with a wide range of historical settings and cultural traditions, which has increased its appeal and significance across geographical boundaries.

Islam’s flexibility regarding religion allows for a range for a range of degrees of religious as well as individual displays of faith. Because of openness, Muslims can tolerate various views and behaviors while navigating their religious journey within the confines of Islam.

Islam’s inherent flexibility serves as a unifying feature that promotes a sense of belonging among varied populations as it spreads throughout the world. Islam’s capacity to coexist peacefully with local traditions while preserving a distinct religious identity is crucial to religion’s spread and appeal in a world that is always changing.

9. Conversion Rates Based on spiritual Enlightenment. The people who choose to convert to Islam is represented by conversion rates, and the conversion factors underscore Islam’s dynamic appeal to a wide spectrum of people around the globe.

Islam’s basic beliefs are based on monotheism and social justice, frequently draw people looking for spiritual enlightenment. For those who are drawn to a monotheistic faith, the simplicity and clarity of Islamic teachings make for an easy road.

Islam’s emphasis on community is very important and those looking for companionship and social connection, Muslim communities are welcoming providing support and belonging. Islamic groups have strong ties to one another creating a welcoming atmosphere for recent converts and promote solidarity.

People are exploring many theological paths as a result of their desire for spiritual meaning and purpose in a world that is changing quickly. Islam’s emphasis on moral character, personal responsibility, and meaningful living speaks to those who are trying to make a sense of the complicated world we live in today.

High profile conversions also aid in the spread of Islam by affecting public opinion. Publicly embracing Islam by well-known people not only attracts media attention but also dispels misconceptions and increases knowledge of faith.

The attraction of Islam’s core beliefs, the friendliness of Muslim societies, the pursuit of spiritual fulfilment, and the significance of well-publicized conversions all have an impact on Islam’s conversion rates. All these elements work together to support Islam’s ongoing expansion since people from all walks of life can relate to is principles and teachings.

People convert to Islam rather than other religions because of its justice, tolerance, peace, and patience teachings. And Muslim population is predicted to grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population by 2060. Here are discussed the most prominent reasons for Islam’s unbelievable growth.

As Muslims we pray that God gives us the ability to serve in some capacity in Islam’s onward march. That Islam leads the world to welfare and we gain His pleasure in this world and in the Hereafter.