The rise of Islam

Islam around the worldThere are over 1.5 billion Muslims (23% of the global population)

Approximately 50 countries are Muslim-majority

World Muslim population

There are around 1.6 million Muslims in the UK

50% of British Muslims were born in the UK

Indonesia is the largest Muslim country with over 200 million adherents

9/11: “a defining event of our age”

• Islam identified as the source of America’s tragedy

• Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

• Thousands killed• Security precautions• Suspicion and fear

9/11: “a defining event of our age”

Q: The events of 9/11 have been associated with radical followers of Islam. Has this affected the way you view Islam as a religion?

Q: How do you feel when you see Muslim people?Q: How do you think the media has portrayed Islam

over the last ten years?

Are all terrorists Muslims?

• All major religions have committed atrocities ‘in the name of God’.

• Complex influences: Mohammed, the Qur’an and Islamic history

• Islam (like every other religion) is subject to interpretation by its adherents

The challenge for Europe

• 53 million Muslims in Europe* (7.2% of total European population)

• How can European countries protect religious and social rights for all?

* 2007, excluding Turkey

• Switzerland – referendum banned the building of minarets on mosques.

• France – legislation to ban the wearing of religious symbols in schools.

• Belgium – banned the wearing of the burqa (full veil) for women in public places.

Muslim women & the Qur’an

• The Qur’an’s teaching on women is interpreted in different ways

• Women have different reasons for wearing a veil or hijab

• Some practices (eg forced marriage and dowries) are cultural rather than religious

Common ancestry in AbrahamJudaism, Christianity and Islam all derive their ancestral roots from Abraham: •Ancestor of the Jewish people; recipient of God’s promise of a special land. •Spiritual father to all believers; preface to God the Father’s sacrifice of his son Jesus.•Ancestor of the Arab people; the first Muslim. Q: Can we describe Muslims as

our cousins?

A Christian response

• Learn more about Islam• Campaign for religious freedom

– for Christians and Muslims• Genuine respect and friendship

• Have the attitude that we are all sinners

• Share our faith

“There is no room in the outworking of our Christian faith for seeing people other than as God would see them.”

David Kerrigan