Transcript The rise of Islam

The rise of Islam
Islam around the world
There are over 1.5 billion
Muslims (23% of the global
population)
There are around 1.6
million Muslims in the UK
50% of British
Muslims
were born in
the UK
Approximately 50
countries are
Muslim-majority
Indonesia is the largest
Muslim country with over
200 million adherents
World Muslim population
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.
• 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
Photo by Gary Knight
Muslim women & the Qur’an
Judaism, 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.
Original painting by József Molnár
Common ancestry in Abraham
Q: Can we describe Muslims as
our cousins?
A Christian response
Photo by Al Jazeera
Photo by Otabi Kitahachi
• 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
David Kerrigan
Photo by Syibli
“There is no room in the
outworking of our
Christian faith for seeing
people other than as God
would see them.”