The speedy growth of Islam must go side by side the drive for peaceful coexistence

My article on Islam and peace in Ghana titled “National Chief Imam and Muslims deserve honor for promoting peace in Ghana” gives a mixed picture of a growing religion whose reputation is being threatened by misguided extremist forces who claim to be Muslims. Most Muslims are happy with the growth of the religion but would be happy if all Muslims would follow the footsteps of those Muslim leaders like Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu National Chief Imam who has lived all their lives working for unity and understanding of all mankind. NOW READ and get updated on the statistics’ by the Pew Research Center and authored by Ruth Halkon on 10th December 2015 titled Islam is the 'fastest growing religion' and will 'overtake Christianity by the end of the century’ who have said that The number of Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the world's population from now until 2050.

sReuters

Forecast: Muslims are projected to outnumber Christians by the end of the century

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and is expected to outstrip Christianity by the end of the century.

The number of Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the world's population from now until 2050, the Pew Research Center has said.

While the world’s population is projected to grow 35 per cent before the middle of the century, the number of Muslims is expected to increase by 73 per cent – from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.8 billion

In 2010, Muslims made up 23.2 per cent of the global population. Four decades later, they are expected to make up about three-in-ten of the world’s people (29.7per cent), the Washington-based fact tank said.

Pew Research Center

Study: Projected growth of religious groups

By 2050, Muslims will be nearly as numerous as Christians, who are projected to remain the world’s largest religious group at 31.4 per cent of the global population.

In Europe, Muslims will make up 10% of the overall population by the middle of the century, compared to 5.9 per cent in 2010.

Pew Research Center

Growth: Projection of Muslim and Christian share of the world's population

The researchers said the main reason for Islam's growth was "simple demographics".

They said: "To begin with, Muslims have more children than members of the seven other major religious groups analysed in the study.

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"Each Muslim woman has an average of 3.1 children, significantly above the next-highest group (Christians at 2.7) and the average of all non-Muslims (2.3).

Pew Research Center

Contrast: Islam is world's fastest growing religion

In all major regions where there is a sizable Muslim population, Muslim fertility exceeds non-Muslim fertility."

The researchers also said population growth was also helped by the fact Muslims did not have the problem of ageing populations unlike in the West - with the median age being 23 as opposed to 30 for the rest of the world.

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As well as a difference in birth rates, fewer Muslims are expected to switch religions or give up their faith, compared to Christianity which is projected to have a net loss of more than 60 million adherents worldwide.

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