Did you know that Islam is growing faster than the world’s population and it will become the world’s largest religion by 2075?
Religious trends are changing rapidly worldwide with high growth in the followers of specific religions. While Christianity is believed to be the largest religious group for the next three decades, trends show that Islam will multiply faster than any other religion.
Projections show that Islam will be the largest religion in the world by 2075.
But how?
Islam is expected to become the most followed religion around the world because of the high fertility, young population, and age distribution. Here’s a breakdown of growth projections for each religion over time and influencing factors.
If the growth of religions follows similar growth rates as of now, the number of Christians and Muslims worldwide will be equal in 2050. Other estimated statistics for the global religion dynamics include;
The religious populations will grow 23 times larger than the unreligious by 2050.
The world’s total population will decline as the number of followers of atheism, antagonism, and other such beliefs will rise in the United States and France.
The US will experience a decline in the number of Christians to two-thirds from three-quarters of the overall population.
The Jewish population in the USA will be less than the number of Muslims.
Muslims will become 10% of the total population of Europe.
India will have the largest Muslim population in the world, surpassing Indonesia. However, Hinduism will stay the most popular religious belief in the country.
Christianity was the world’s largest religion in 2010, with around 31% of the people following the belief on the planet. Islam stood second, with 23% of the total population.
Studies predict a growth of 35% in the global population between 2010 and 2050. The number of inhabitants on Earth will become around 9.3 billion per these growth statistics.
Projections by PewResearch show that Islam will rule 30% of the global population with 31% Christians in 2050. At this point, Islam and Christianity will be in close proximity. Yet, the higher growth rate of Islam will eventually lead to more Muslims worldwide.
Muslims will proliferate at a 73% growth rate compared to the 35% growth of Christianity.
Jews and Hindus will grow over the years. Hinduism will rise by 34% (from 1 billion to around 1.4 billion), and Jews will be approximately 16.1 million globally. On the contrary, Buddhism is not expected to grow in the following years due to low fertility rates which contributes to the Islam’s domination of the world by 2075
Other religions, including the Sikhs, Jains, Bahai, and others, may experience a growth of 6%. Native American, Australian aboriginal, and African traditional religions will reach 450 million compared to the present 405 million followers.
The growth rate of religions globally depends significantly on their fertility rates and age distribution. One common example of the impact of fertility and age distribution is the static growth of Buddhists. The primary reason for stability in the number of Buddhists is fewer fertile youth and more old people in the community.
Let’s tell you how Islam will be the most prominent religion by 2075.
The replacement level or the minimum rate to maintain a stable population is 2.2. Muslims have the highest fertility rates globally, with 3.1 children per woman on average. Unlike Muslims, Christian fertility is 2.7 children per woman, and Hindus stand the third-highest fertile with 2.4 children per woman. The Jew followers have 2.5 children per woman fertility rate. Other religions are below the population determinant level of 2.2.
Higher fertility rates = more people born into Muslim/ Christian households
The age distribution widely matters for any religion’s population growth. A religious group with a higher number of fertile adults of child-bearing age is more likely to grow than others. In 2010, Muslims had the highest number (34%) of children under 25 years of age, followed by 30% of Hindus under 15. Christian children under 15 years old are around 27%.
The trend of being religiously unaffiliated is increasing tremendously in progressive parts of the world. It is standard in countries like the USA for children to change their childhood beliefs and follow another religion. Now, more people are abandoning their childhood religious associations and becoming “religiously unaffiliated.”
Christianity will face the largest setback among all faiths, with a net loss of around 66 million followers. A total of 40 million people will switch to Christianity, and 106 million Christians will become religiously unaffiliated. Jews and Buddhists may also lose around 0.3 million and 3 million followers, respectively.
On the other hand, about 3 million people from other religions will switch to Islam by 2075 and the next few decades.
According to the projections based on current religious growth rates and trends, Muslims will have more children than Christian between 2050 and 2060. 232 million babies will be born to Muslims, whereas 226 million will be born in Christian households. The disparity in the population of both religions is to reach 6 million by 2060, giving Islam a lead over Christianity.
If the religions grow by the projected growth rates, Muslims and Christians each will share 32% of the world population. As studies show a higher growth rate for Muslims, Islam will be widespread compared to Christianity.
Reports also suggest that Muslims (35%) will be 1% more of the global population in comparison to Christians (34%) by the 22nd century.
Islam will be the largest religion by 2075, with around 4.9 billion Muslims globally.
Islamophobia has become a common word around us. After the 9/11 incident, Muslims around the globe have been looked upon as terrorists. Many followers of other religions do not like Islam, giving rise to the term “Islamophobia.”
Islamophobia is not only depicted in the behavior of the public. Instead, it shows in many unethical laws worldwide regarding Muslims and Islam. As Islam continues to grow, Muslims understand their rights and their violation. The dislike and unfair restrictions against praying in mosques, arranging sermons, and wearing veils have become more prominent.
The phobia against headscarf, burqa, hijab, and veil decreased in 2020 due to Covid-19 (wearing masks. Yet, it rose again in 2021. Despite the growing Muslim population, India, the UK, and the US are the most Islamophobic regions. Kicks on the hijab ban in Norway, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Sri Lanka, and others are also being observed.
Islam is growing faster than the global population and is believed to become the largest religion by 2075, followed by Christianity. Islam is growing at 7.3% compared to the 3.5% growth of Christianity on the annual benchmark as reported by Sources.
Both religions will have a similar worldwide proportion by 2050.
However, Islam in 2075 will see a swift growth rate that will enable it to surpass Christianity shortly after 2060. Projections by PewResearch suggest that Muslims will be 1% more than of the global population in comparison to Christianity. Other religions except Buddhism will also grow.
Also, the number of “unassociated” or atheists will decline in the following decades. In the sight of the growing Muslim population, various groups are trying to create issues. Islamophobia is spreading widely in Europe and the UK, besides India and the USA.
Islamophobia threatens basic principles of justice, freedom, and equality by targeting Muslims in specific regions.