Has rise in Islamophobia resulted into more non-Muslims reverting to Islam?

In the recent times, the word Islamophobia has gained unprecedent momentum and it is one of the most talked about word across the world. Invariably, an act of aggression or terrorism is instantly connected to Islam and Muslims condemned as a whole. But despite the misuse of Islamophobia, it is generally understood that reversion of non Muslims to Islam is gaining momentum. Today, we share a video on the subject to enlighten our viewers on the subject. 

However, before we share the video of a Dutch revert and let him answer the question, let us first understand what Islamophobia really is and how it has had a positive effect on non-Muslims to know more about Islam and ultimately embracing Islam.

Islamophobia refers to the irrational fear, hatred, or prejudice against Islam and Muslims. It can manifest in various forms, including negative stereotypes, discrimination, verbal abuse, physical violence, and even institutional biases against Muslims. Islamophobia often stems from misunderstandings about Islam, misinformation, or the association of Islam with terrorism or extremism, particularly in the wake of significant global events like the 9/11 attacks.

While Islamophobia is a serious societal issue, it has led to complex outcomes regarding how people perceive and engage with Islam. Some key points to consider about whether the rise of Islamophobia has resulted in more non-Muslims converting to Islam:

• Increased Curiosity and Research: In some cases, individuals who are exposed to Islamophobic rhetoric may become curious about the religion and seek to learn more. This can lead to non-Muslims critically exploring Islamic teachings and practices, sometimes resulting in conversion. The desire to understand the religion beyond the distorted portrayals in media can motivate some to embrace Islam.
• Rejection of Islamophobic Narratives: For some individuals, the rise of Islamophobia may provoke a sense of justice or solidarity with Muslims, leading them to convert. In these cases, people might be drawn to Islam as a way of counteracting negative stereotypes or standing against what they perceive as unfair prejudice.
• Islam’s Appeal: Islam is the second-largest religion in the world, with a rich history and a comprehensive spiritual, ethical, and social system. The increase in Islamophobic incidents does not directly cause people to convert, but it may contribute to a broader awareness of the religion, which can lead to conversions for various personal, intellectual, or spiritual reasons.
• Cultural and Political Influences: In a globalized world, people are exposed to a variety of religious beliefs and practices. While Islamophobia can make some people more defensive or resistant to learning about Islam, others may become more open to understanding different cultures and faiths. Social and political movements aimed at tackling Islamophobia can also increase awareness and empathy, leading some individuals to embrace Islam as a means of challenging prejudice.
• Social Media and Globalization: The internet and social media have allowed more people to learn about Islam directly from Muslims or Islamic scholars, which can encourage conversions. Social media platforms also serve as spaces for discussions and sharing personal stories, which can influence others.
• Personal and Spiritual Factors: Many people who convert to Islam do so because they feel a spiritual connection or intellectual curiosity. In some cases, individuals who feel dissatisfied with their previous religious beliefs may turn to Islam.

The trend of conversion to Islam has seen gradual increase in certain parts of the world, especially in non-Muslim-majority countries like the United States and parts of Europe. This could be attributed to factors like greater visibility of Islam, increased awareness, and dissatisfaction with other faiths. it is often estimated that around 20,000 to 25,000 people convert to Islam every day worldwide. This translates to roughly 7 to 9 million new converts annually, though these estimates can vary. A notable study from the Pew Research Center found that about 20,000 Americans convert to Islam each year.

In summary, while Islamophobia itself is a harmful and unjust phenomenon, its rise has occasionally led some non-Muslims to explore Islam more deeply, which in some cases has resulted in conversions. However, conversion to Islam is influenced by a range of factors, including personal spiritual journeys, intellectual curiosity, and the desire for social justice. Actually Islamophobia has helped revert more people to Islam. This is how Allah has worked his miracle. Once people start reading about Islam instead of false information spread they find truth, truth always appeals to heart.

We have in the past, posted a number of revert experiences wherein non-Muslims have reverted to Islam, mostly born in the age of Islamophobia. Today, we share an interview with a Dutch man who reverted to Islam despite being born in a country where the temperature against Islam is rather high as compared to other countries.

Please watch the video:

Interviewer of Dutch revert is Moeed Pirzada who is a prominent British Pakistani geo-strategic analyst, TV Anchor, columnist and blogger currently based in Washington, US. He has written extensively for national & international publications - including Dawn, Tribune, Guardian, Al Jazeera, Khaleej Times - and is founder Editor of Global Village Space (GVS), on online news publication with a print magazine.

Those mulling over to revert to Islam, should watch this video for it may show them the light to the truth which is otherwise is obscured by prejudices and hatred about Islam. 

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is our duty to convey only to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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How the world view Islam as the fastest growing religion

I started writing my blog back in 2018 to know why non Muslims embrace Islam and since my first post, everyday is a new day for me to get an answer to my question. Every single revert experience is so absorbing and meaningful that solidifies my faith in Islam more than yesterday. 

There have been many surveys that have been carried out in the past and are still being carried out to find why Islam is getting a firm foothold in every non Muslim country around the world and why the Muslim population is on the increase in the recent years. Muslims were a billion plus some twenty years ago, but the rapid reversion of non Muslims of every faith has made the Muslim population swell to more than 2.5 billion. Every year, more than 400o-5000 Americans revert to Islam, and the ratio is no less in other non Muslim countries. In Russia alone the Muslim population is around 23 million, despite the ruthless clamping of the Muslims in the communist era. Mind you the growth of Islam is undeterred by the general conception of Islamophobia and considering Muslims as terrorists and illiterate vagabonds. Many around the world believe that by the present growth size of Muslims, Islam will become the dominating religion in the world by year 2050, surpassing Christianity.

One of the amazing find of the surveys is that despite a general hatred for Hijab, the ratio of women embracing Islam is more than the men.  Many interview reveal that women wearing Hijab feel more confident of themselves, more precious that before when they wore revealing clothes and men stared on the bodies rather than finding more about character. The separate identity that Hijab gives to Muslim women is much more valuable to them rather than when they were out there in open, playing in the hands of lust of the men.

Today, I share an exhaustive video on what drives people to embrace Islam - a video that is a must watch for all Muslims and non Muslims, mulling to enter the fold of Islam.  In this video, despite the general prejudice about Islam, non Muslims are forced to confess Islam as the most peaceful religion that answers many a unanswered queries of the non Muslims about all prophets that have lived before the  last of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, difference between God and Allah, and the concept of Trinity. In fact Qur'an, the last of the Divine Scripturas after Psalms, Torah and the Bible, talks more about Prophet Eesa (Jesus, peace be upon him) than Bible as some Christians think.

Please take out time and watch the video. If you are running short of time, then don't fast forward it, rather read in short lengths to understand the true growth of Islam around the world.  I for myself feel proud of living in a time when more and more access is available to Islam and people are willingly reading Qur'an, and Hadith / Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and taking Shahadah. Even priests, monks and bishops too are among those who are reverting to Islam, for they know where the truth lies.

I feel happy for being a part of the Da'wah (invitation to Islam) drive by writing about Islam and sharing information, like the one in the above shared video, with firm belief that these efforts will not go waste. And all my posts in my blog will be read over from every corner of the world, and if even one non Muslim takes Shahadah after reading my post, I will say I have achieved my mission to introduce Islam to the world, though my effort is like a drop of water dropped into the ocean of knowledge being shared around the world by scholars, imams and preachers.

May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us have unflinching faith and trust in Divine Wisdom and decisions and should never lament for we do not know that something better has been planned for us by our most caring Lord. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Disclaimer: The data / video for this post has been collected from the references given below or YouTube. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To read personal accounts of many who have reverted to Islam, please visit our page: Embracing Islam: Revert Experiences. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo | Resource References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Can Desecration of Qur'an stop the spread of Islam

The gory incident desecration of Qur'an recently in Sweden has really disturbed Muslims all over the world, for Qur'an is similarly sacred to Muslims as is Torah to Jews and Bible to Christians. This horrendous act is not the first of its kind, which the non0Muslims around the world undertake under the pretext of freedom of speech and expression.

Such incidents not only show hatred of non-Muslims towards Islam and Muslims, but also show the utter frustration the non-Muslim feel when they see Islam flourishing and spreading despite an intense media war against Islam and Muslims. The Islamophobiac actions such as burning of copies of Qur'an and snatching headscarves from Muslim women are gaining momentum in many non-Muslim countries including USA, Britian and man European countries. 

If any religion was attacked the way Islam is being attacked every day, it would have collapsed by now or may be many years ago. But Islam stands and stands stronger with every day that passes. Besides, over the years Islam has become the fastest growing religion, and perhaps this is one thing that worries the non-Muslims. Although many rubbish the growing numbers and attribute it to a greater number of children being born to Musils, but it seems a lame excuse as the statistics by independent watch group show that more and more non-Muslims are reverting to Islam. A post that I recently posted showed that almost 25,000 Americans revert to Islam each year.

In fact, there are revert experiences where many non-Muslims confessed that they were dead against Islam and considered Qur'an as a fabrication. Many tried to find faults in Qur'an by reading it over and over again, but ending up reverting to Islam. So, this shows that the very basis of media bashing of Islam is losing war against the truth that Islam shows and the guidance that Qur'an provides. It is by reading Qur'an that many non-Muslims come to know that their belief of Jesus being son of God or even at par with God was ill-founded and that Jesus was a revered prophet like Moses, Noah and Muhammad (peace be upon all). They are also astounded to know that Muslims revere Moses and Jesus and keep them in high esteem. 

Please read many posts from our Reference Page: Embracing Islam: The Revert Experiences, where many accounts are given of those who read Qur'an to shoot it down as a false fiction book, but ended up in embracing Islam.

As a response to burning of Qur'an in Sweden, someone announced burring of Torah, which drew strong reaction from the Jews and other non-Muslims. This in fact shows double standards of non-Muslims about Muslims. While they can allow burning of Qur'an at a venue well-guarded by Police so that non-Muslim could intervene with this 'Grant Act of hatred against Muslims," they refuse to allow burning of Torah. Although no Muslim will do it even by compulsion, I think it was a symbolic gesture to show the ugly face of the notion of Freedom of Expression which extremely biased and is leisurely used for point scoring against Muslims.

The truth which many do not understand that by burning Qur'an, they cannot hinder spread of Islam. Even if all copies of Qur'an from the entire world are burnt, Qur'an will still be preserved as it is memorized by heart by millions of Muslims across the globe.  wonder if there are devotees in other religions who have memorized their entire scriptures. And if the idea is to obliterate from Qur'an from the book shelves, libraries and masjid, what would you do about Qur'an preserved in the hearts and minds of millions of Muslims, as small as five years old? Start killing them too?

You may like to watch a video which was made after this gory incident of desecration of Qur'an and is an eye opener for those who think they can stop spread of Islam by burning Qur'an:

I do hope, and this is the voice of all Muslims around the world, that sanity would prevail in the non-Muslim world and they will come to realize the universality of Qur'an and its growth based on logic and not misinformation or disinformation. The clerics of each religion need to foster inter religion harmony and should not feed negativities in the minds of their followers so that they behave irrationally and express anger about each other's faith.

As for Islam, I have yet to come across a imam talking against Torah or Bible, though we do believe that many invocations have entered in these Divine Scriptures which have overshadowed the actual Divine Wisdom contained therein. Qur'an being the final Divine Scripture of One True God without any associates, assistants or even kith and kin, summarizes all the commandments contained in Torah and Bible and present the unpolluted and unequivocal word of God, the only Lord of the entire universe. Unless others come to terms with Islam and Qur'an, such emotional outburst by non-Muslims would continue, which may disturb the world peace.

All non-Muslim countries need to be prudent and address the growing extremism against in their countries and let no one hurt the religious feelings of others' faith even if paid or under the garb of freedom of expression, for religions are far above the freedom of expression thing as these are commandments of God, and not of men, clerics and imams.

Author's Note: The data above has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

For more posts, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the World. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Resurgence of Islamophobia - Time Sanity Prevails

Islamophobia is nota new term anymore for now it has been used excessively over the years to show "growing concern" about Islam and the threat it makes to the Christian world for Islam has now become one of the fastest growing religion in the world. More and more non Muslims are embracing Islam for the ultimately come to the conclusion that word of Qur'an is more closer to the Divine Truth that what is being preached in the churches and synagogues.

Thus it makes Islam an easy target for the hard core follows of other faiths to target Islam on one pretext or the other to debase Islam and Muslims, specially those living in the non Muslim countries and make their living difficult under tougher anti Islam environment. They know that Muslims get intimidated and provoked easily when the very personality of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is targeted.  And in this regard, France is in the forefronts which by taking its Freedom of Speech law more often than not debase Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, by using social and print media.

Years ago, the publication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical weekly magazine, left a very bad taste of France about Muslims living in France. And obviously this hurts Muslims not only in France but the world over to see demeaning caricatures of their beloved Prophet and get provoked. 

When this happened, at that time while much of the (Christian) world  rallied in solidarity with the publication, its irreverent cartoonists and their right to free speech, there were some saner rejections too. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, a U.S. organization that "defends the rights of Catholics," issued a statement titled "Muslims are right to be angry." In it, Donohue criticized the publication's history of offending the world's religiously devout, including non-Muslims. In fact his statement ended with a quote from U.S. founding father James Madison: "Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power." In other words, we may be free to speak, but we have to appreciate the value of that right.

And when they express their anger, the French government takes sides of its writers and cartoonists and support them for they cannot be prosecuted under the Freedom of Speech law. In fact they have never shown concerns of such publications which are in fact the main cause of Muslims' sharp reaction and protests.

The hate for Islam in France is not a new thing. Back in 1890, a play screened in Paris also targeted Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). And as reported in the history, the then Sultan of Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire took a very serious note of the insults being hurled on to Prophet of Allah and summoned the French ambassador to his court and showed his discontent in very blunt tone:

Read details at Facebook

The publication of caricatures, burning of copies of Qur'an and hates speeches are now gearing up in many countries across Europe, specially Fence, Norway and Denmark. The very recent issue of a French teacher showing the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has further added fuel to fire, which ended up in sad event of murdering of the teacher by an 18 years old Chechen, who was instantly killed by police. While the Muslims condemned the act of the teacher, they also condemned the act of the young Chechen, for Islam does not allow killing people for difference of opinion. But at the same time, the people of France would understand the sentiments of Muslims and should not support those hurting their religion by pen or by tongue.

This time the reaction of the Muslim world is much sharper and instant than before and many a Muslim countries have banned French imports and taken of French made commodities off the the shelves. Turkey's president and prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, have severely criticized the French president who vowed to continue allowing caricatures and drawings and supporting French journalists and writers to continue with their anti Islam drive for he doesn't want to challenge the freedom of speech law of his country. Even the French non Muslims have started to tell Muslims to leave their country if they cannot respect their laws. But the point is why cannot the French people respect the sentiments of Muslims, which the largest single minority in France? Does it mean France is at war with its Muslim citizens?

Where this terrible state of affairs of intimidating and provoking Muslims will lead to? Cannot the non Muslims learn to respect the religious sentiments of Muslims rather than defending their right to freedom of speech. Instead of moving to the path of tolerance and religious harmony, I think the world is drifting apart more rapidly than before and the present wave of resurgence of Islamophobia will really hurt both Muslims and Non Muslims alike.

After the incident, the French president went public and severely attacked Islam over the death of a French teacher, for showing cartoons of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) during a class on free speech. Not only this, just last month, he had refused to denounce the infamous magazine Charlie Hebdo after it decided to republish Prophet (PBUH) sketches, provoking French Muslims to react. When asked about his opinion on the matter, the French President said that he was in no position to deny the magazine its right of ‘free speech.’

Responding to the French president response, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan lambasted French President Macron for attacking Islam. 

Khan said that Macron deliberately hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims around the world. PM Khan said that a real leader unites human beings rather than dividing them. This is a time when President Macron could have put healing touch & denied space to extremists rather than creating further polarization & marginalization that inevitably leads to radicalization. Instead, he encouraged Islamophobia by attacking Islam ‘rather than the terrorists who carry out violence, be it Muslims, White Supremacists or Nazi ideologists.’

Imran Khan also wrote to Mr. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook asking for Facebook to place a similar ban on Islamophobia and hate against Islam that has been put in place for the Holocaust.  

Here I may again refer to a quote from U.S. founding father James Madison: "Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power."  So let not French people, or any other non Muslim people and governments around the world misuse the liberty and freedom of expression for it may be endangered by the abuse of liberty and freedom laws. Let sanity prevail and let us not hurt feelings and sentiments, specially the religious sentiments, of others.

Meantime, the Turkish president too has expressed his dismay over the French president's response to the incident and has asked for sweeping boycott of French goods:

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

You may also read our earlier posts on Islamophobia:

• Islamophobia and how to counter it
• How should Muslims react to instigative emotional excesses?
• Muslims in Non Muslim Countries - France

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Quran Burning: A Sad Day for Norwegians

Saturday, November 16, 2019 was indeed a sad day of the Norway and Norwegians when they lined up together on the streets of Kristiansand to watch a hate crime being committed against Islam and Muslims. The jubilant crowd of far-right group Stop the Islamisation of Norway (SIAN) watched as copies of Qur'an, the equivalent of Bible for Muslims were thrown in anger into the dustbins and even one far right anti Islam Islamophobic, Lars Thorsen, tried to burn the copy of the Qur'an. All this was being staged in the presence of the local police, which make many to wonder if police too was in hand in glove with the demonstrators against Islam. 

The Hero "Ilays" who could not bear the burning of Qur'an and thrashed Lars Thorsen

And when Muslims could not take it any more, the insult of Qur'an, one young man, named Ilyas, jumped over the barricade and attacked the criminal minded Islamophobic. And expected, police rushed forward to grab him and not the Qur'an burner. The police seemed more in the safety and security of the one who instigated the Muslims rather than arresting him for his evil deed.

This Muslim man who is being hailed as a hero by the Muslims all over the world, in fact to the dismay of the Norwegians, spoiled their Qur'an hate show for which they had gathered together for hours.

And this is the only incident of Hate-Muslims-Campaign by the far-right group Stop the Islamisation of Norway (SIAN). There have been many more incidents of firing at the mosque and thrashing Muslims openly. The worldwide such anti scenes are getting more noticeable and pronounced, not that Bible teaches Christians to hate Muslims, but it is the misinformation spread out by the governments and media that is fuel charging the ordinaries against Islam. The printing of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which Muslims revere the same way as Christians revere Jesus Christ, is yet another instigation that creates distances between Muslims and Christians. Perhaps such incidents are tailor made intentionally to keep the two religions apart and create hatred for Muslims and Islam. 

But such hate actions and Qur'an burning cannot stop the spread of Islam which many critics of Islam fear may over take Christianity by 2050 in many countries. It is this fear that non Muslims, mostly Christians are attacking Muslims worldwide and showing their anger against Islam and Muslims.

Please watch the video below which is going viral the world over on this sad incident:

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Finland

Muslims in Finland constitute a thin minority, numbering approximately 65,000 in a total Finnish population of  5.5 million. Muslim Tartars are the oldest Muslims that came to came to Finland in the late 19th and early 20th centrality. Since the late 20th century the number of Muslims in Finland has increased rapidly due to immigration. 

The new immigrants established their own mosques and societies. In 1996 these groups came together to form a cooperative organ - the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Finland. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 Finns have converted to Islam. The vast majority of these are women who have married Muslim men. However, it would be interesting to note that Finnish women converting to Islam don't see the veil as a symbol of oppression, but as a sign of liberation from superficial beauty, a researcher specializing in religious issues has claimed. In fact Veiled women on Finnish streets have become an increasingly familiar sight.

The idea that the number of converts is rising was shared by Pia Jardi, a proud Muslim since 1986, Helsinki Mosque employee and a collaborator with the National Forum for Cooperation of Religions (USKOT). According to Jardi, people are drawn to Islam by its clarity, direct contact with God and rites with transparent meaning.

Islamophobia is one of the major concerns for the Muslims of Finland. Researcher Linda Hyokki – herself a convert to Islam says, "Europe has a problem with religion. As an academic I noticed that there is a lack of research on Islamophobia in Finland. Islamophobia has a lot to do with the phenomenon known as the "racialisation of Muslims". Muslims are treated as if Islam were a race. In this way, anti-Muslim prejudice becomes racism. It employs the same terminology that is used in biological racism, which is why researchers often talk about "anti-Muslim racism". She is of the view that even if you are Finnish born and bred, once you convert to Islam, you become the ʹracial otherʹ because you are no longer accepted into the "original culture". Right-wing politicians have juxtaposed Muslims with a supposed Nordic race.

In an interview, when asked "What kinds of discrimination have you observed towards converts to Islam?", Linda said: During my fieldwork I interviewed both men and women, in an attempt to record their experiences. One girl told me how her mother called a helpline for victims of religion when she learnt that her daughter had turned Muslim, fearing that she had been brainwashed. Another story tells of a girl who graduated from high school as the best student in her year. As tradition goes, she would have been the one to deliver that yearʹs graduation speech. But because she was a Muslim the headmaster wouldnʹt allow her to speak, arguing that the institution didnʹt want a girl with a headscarf to speak for the school.

How to Finns think of religions? Joni-Petteri Kivistö, Member of Liberal party of Finland and a moderate minarchist, says: There is quite lot of prejudice sometimes but not so much open racism and discrimination. Much less than there is elsewhere I would say. Generally Finns tend to see what kind of individual you are. We are very secular state with strong history in gender equality. Those who practice their religion very conservatively, christian or Muslim might face some amount of prejudice. 

Roope Niemi, who lives in Finland, observes: Finland is already home to a sizeable muslim community, and therefore has alot for muslims. For example in Itis (a shopping center) they have Ramadan every year, and in all the big cities they serve halal. Everyone has their right to practice their freedom in Finland. Racism has cooled down over the years, and you will not hear that much it. There may be some cases of racism but they are rare. Atleast where i live in, Helsinki. I dont know where you come from but most services in Finland are provided in Arabic and Somali.

Despite the Islamophobic attitude, the young Muslims are very resilient and instead of Islamophobia having a hugely negative impact on convertsʹ lives and that they were suffering, the Muslims regard it as a test by God – a lesson in patience. They would ask: what ways are there of dealing with discriminatory behaviour other than aggression? Can I beat people with arguments? Instead of buying into the passive victim role, I have found that Muslims in Finland are ready to speak up about the injustices they face, says Linda.

Järvenpää Mosque is the only purpose-built mosque in Finland, which was commissioned in 1942. The Järvenpää Mosque belongs to the Islamic congregation of Finland’s Tatars, established in 1925. However, the call for prayer from the minaret is not permitted.

Jarvenpaan moskeija, Jarvenpaa, Finland [Photo]

Besides the only "actual mosque" as mentioned above, there are also around 80 small mosques in Finland, around 30 of them in converted buildings or private flats in Helsinki, although many of them are referred to as "prayer rooms". The Muslims have always been yearning for one central official mosque for their special days and congregations, but have so far been denied. In December 2017 the city of Helsinki rejected a proposal to build a large mosque financed by funds from Bahrain.

Finding halal foods hardly poses any problem. There are small shops selling halal foods in cities where Muslims live. In Helsinki and Turku one can even find fresh halal meat. So Muslim tourists vising Finland don’t worry about the food.

After the recent NZ massacre of Muslims in two mosques, hate graffiti on the walls of Helsinki mosque really distressed the Finnish Muslims. The words “Fuck Islam” and “Rapers”, sprayed on the outer walls of a mosque in Mellunmäki coincided with the mass shooting of Muslims in New Zealand has caused sorrow, distress and fear among the Muslim community in Helsinki.

Despite all negative attitudes of the Finns, the Muslims continue to live a healthy and all encompassing live, celebrating religious festivals and days. Month of Ramadan is actively celebrated by fasting followed by actively participating in gatherings of Eid ul Fitr. 

Please watch the video below a documentary on Islam in Finland:

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
For more Q&A about Understanding Islam click here

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Norway

I have been writing on the status of Muslims living in the non Muslim countries and wondering which country should I select next for my series of posts on Life of Muslims in non Muslims countries, when just yesterday a news headlines caught my eyes: "Islamophobes awaken after Coca-Cola Norway releases Ramadan logo." And that gave me the cue for my next post: Life of Muslims in Norway !!

The crescent moon by Coca Cola that has sparked a wave of discontmentin Norway

Before I deliberate on the life of Muslims and status of Islam in Norway, let me first share the news item sparked by the Coca Cola to introduce its brands in Norway with crescent, which is  symbol of Islam, in the ongoing holy month of Ramadan or the month of fasting. In fact it is the first time that Coca Cola has decided to celebrate Ramadan with the Muslims by adding the crescent sign. The news read:

Members of the far-right in Norway and the world decided to give their two Islamophobic cents following the release of the brand's Ramadan campaign. "Islam is not welcome or wanted in beautiful Norway. Go to an Islamic country with this c**p. Try marketing Christian holidays there," one user reportedly wrote on Instagram. Many soon began calling for the boycott of Coca-Cola, threatening to start consuming Pepsi if the campaign is not retracted.

And soon after the display of "Islamic Coca Cola" on the markets shelves, it seems as though Islamophobes want Muslims to be treated as outcasts. What's worse is the fact that they publicly voice their hate on social media. One Islamophobe twittered: If your company is using the crescent moon of Islam in Norway as a marketing tool during Ramadan, I will have no choice but to boycott your products. And that is just the beginning as many such posts have flooded twitter from Norwegians. 

So this just one example sets in the mood for me to write how would be the life of Muslims in Norway. As per Wikipedia [2] "In a national representative survey from 2012, prepared by the Center for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Minorities, a full 66 per cent of those surveyed reported that they would "strongly dislike" (38 per cent) or "dislike" (28 per cent) a Muslim to be married into their family." And the same year, a study by researchers at the Institutt for Samfunnsforskning found that job applicants with Pakistani-sounding or Muslim-sounding names received 25% less callbacks from employers than 'ethnic' Norwegian applicants given exact similar qualifications and work experience. An older 2006 study concluded that Somali and Iraqi immigrants faced the most discrimination of any immigrant group in the labor market and housing.

In fact, the Convention Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination raised concerns in 2015 about an "increase in... [hate] speech and xenophobic discourse by politicians, in the media and in other public platforms" in Norway. "Stop Islamisation of Norway is a Norwegian organisation which was established in 2008. Its stated aim is to work against Islam, which it defines as a totalitarian political ideology that violates the Norwegian Constitution as well as democratic and human values."

Islam in Norway is a minority religion and the second largest religion in Norway after Christianity. As of 2018, Statistics Norway give a number of 166,861 muslims living in Norway or 3.15% of total population, although, the numbers varies in dependence of the source.

The majority of Muslims in Norway are Sunni, with a significant Shia minority. 55% lived in the counties of Oslo and Akershus. The vast majority have an immigrant background, with Norwegians of Pakistani descent being the most visible and well-known group. Islam in Norway has also some famous converts which includes the ethnic Norwegian man Yousef-Al Nahi and Vegard Bjørge, they are both well known for their engagement on social media, especially when it comes to tolerance and rights for minorities. Other famous muslims from Norway includes Fatima Almanea, Hadia Tajik and Sumaya Jirde Ali. [3]

The Coca Cola example quoted above generally shows the mindset in Norway. In one of the report by the New York Times, it says "Blaming Muslims, at first, in Norway. Whenever anything happens, it is straightaway blamed on Muslims. [4] One may hear such remarks as one quoted by the newspaper: "“You people, you come here and ruin our country!” he yelled. “Norway is peaceful, and now you’re destroying it! Go home. Make your own country crap. Leave ours alone!”

There are may anti-Islam groups, like the Norwegian Defense League, which actively support anti Muslim sentiments and threaten Muslims both openly and otherwise. A few days after a terrorist attack in New Zealand, where at least 50 people were killed in a mosque shooting in Christchurch, Muslims in Norway's northernmost Finnmark County were met by extremist slogans and messages. Stickers calling for "revolution" against Islam have appeared on the local mosque in the town Alta.Incendiary stickers appeared in several public places, such as schools and mosques in Alta and Sør-Varanger. [5]

In 2017, an image that seemingly appeared to show six women in burqas sitting in a bus, sparked a heated debate in a Norwegian anti-immigration Facebook group called "Fatherland first." Members of the far-right group felt that the photo was proof of "the Islamification of Norway."  Later it  turned out that the image wasn't actually of women in burqas; it was just empty bus seats. 

"I'm shocked by how much hate and fake news is spread there. The hatred that was displayed toward some empty bus seats really shows how much prejudices trump wisdom," a member of the group said at the time. The incident came just a month after Norway proposed a bill that would effectively ban the burqa, a face veil worn by some Muslim women, in the country's schools and kindergartens. A year later, in 2018, Norway's parliament approved the bill. [1]

Mosques in Oslo are steadily gaining new converts, given the estimates from researchers specializing in Islam. PHOTO: newsinenglish.no

I do not know how much percentage of population in Norway is against Islam but it is also a fact that the number of converted Muslims in Norway increased to at least 3,000 in the recent years, a researcher at Oslo University’s Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages said. Norway’s leading Verdens Gang newspaper reported on Sunday that the number of Norwegians choosing to become Muslim since 1990s have increased. [6] So this means there is a brighter side of the story as well. For if there are converts or reverts as we say in Islam and the number is increasing, this means the inherent attraction of Islam is having a positive effect on the non Muslims of the country.

in 2018 there news that Norway’s anti-immigration Progress Party, part of the ruling two-party coalition, was set to vote on banning the Muslim call to prayer in Norway. There main objection though was more of convenience of public rather than anti Islamic. The said: “A great many people perceive this as annoying and inappropriate. In Norway we have freedom of religion, which should also include the right not to be exposed to public calls to prayer.” [7]

As for Halal meat, the Islamic Council of Norway halal-certifies slaughterhouses, and there are quite a few of them. But the Norwegians do not generally like the idea as one commented: "Yes, Halal meat is available at selected outlets. But seeing as the concept of halal food is barbaric and cruel to animals, and based on superstition and fairytales, I suggest you purchase normal food instead. 

Ramadan comes to Norway too and despite the rather long hours of fasting, the Muslims observe it with strong religious fervor. Muslims living towards the north of the country can expect to fast for up to 20 hours and 20 minutes, while those in Oslo will observe between 18 and 19 hours of fasting. However there are connected challenges too. The biggest challenge isn’t the long hours, but to incorporate her Ramadan in a society that demands constant high productivity and may not value the need to slow down the pace of life.

“The challenge with conducting Ramadan in Norway is to fast in a non-Islamic society,” actress Iman Meskini told CNBC. “Everyday-life continues as usual and society expects you to perform — school, job, exams etc. — at the same level as rest of the year.” [9]

Living in Norway with a nostalgia of lands once one came from is still strong and can be felt. Oslo's community of Gronland is multicultural with a significant presence of Pakistanis, the majority of which belongs to the province of Punjab especially those who feel nostalgic for their cultural roots, like the street life of Lahore, and thus they have named their shops and places after the names of places in their ancestral lands!! Watch the video below [video has no sound]

This is all I could gather in the short time that I had. However I wanted some positivities too but could find any on the internet. May be those living in Norway give their input to make this report wholesome.

Author's Note: The data above has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: New Zealand

New Zealand, the far esterly country, has always been peaceful and accommodative of people from across the world even belonging to religions other than the majority religion of Christianity. Muslims are a very negligible part of the population, 1-2% and have been there since 1850s when the first Muslim from India came to Cashmere. Thereafter, Muslims have been trickling in but never in large numbers.

The first Islamic organisation in New Zealand, the New Zealand Muslim Association (NZMA), was established in Auckland in 1950. In 1951 the refugee boat SS Goya brought over 60 Muslim men from eastern Europe, including Mazhar Krasniqi who would later serve twice as president of the New Zealand Muslim Association. 

Significant increase in Muslim populations is attributed to the arrival of mainly Indo-Fijians in the 1970s, and later followed by professionals after the first Fiji coup of 1987. In the 1990s many migrants came from the war torn countries like Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq. There are also a significant number of Muslims from Iran who live in New Zealand.

Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, image. © Farrukh, Flickr/ CC

As per 2013 census there were approximately 47,000 Muslims in the country. New Zealand  has a number of mosques in the major centres, and two Islamic schools (Al Madinah and Zayed College for Girls). The Al Noor Mosque in Riccarton, Christchurch, was the world's southernmost mosque until 1999. The majority of New Zealand Muslims are Sunnis but there is a large number of Shias who live in New Zealand, concentrated mainly in Auckland.

The life of people of New Zealand and Muslims has been a beautiful example of peaceful coexistence ever sine and despite concerns of islamophobia in some minds, nothing of the sort ever happened here. Muslims, mostly professionals and well read have been a valuable asset of the Kiwi society and have always been productive. The Muslims from Pakistan have generally been called Pakistani Kiwis and so were others. New Zealand is pretty tolerant from a religious perspective, and has an expectation of religious tolerance. No one particularly cares what religion one believes in, unless someone tries to impose your religious/cultural beliefs on others in some way. Almost 9 out of 10 New Zealanders believe that it is positive to have a diverse society, made up of different religions, cultures and ethnic groups, according to a survey carried out in the country in 2008 by Ward & Masgoret.

The common New Zealanders have generally been talking positively about Muslims being around: 

• Aaron Alexander, born in Christchurch, live in Wellington, New Zealand's capital city, says: "We are certainly not immune to small-mindedness and bigotry in some places. And certainly fearful and bigoted people are being emboldened here as they are elsewhere in the West. Also, public sentiment is shifting against immigration on the whole, though that is about housing availability and is not about Muslims in particular. I believe that on the whole New Zealand prides itself on being a tolerant, open society. As such, the prevailing attitude regarding Islam would be, at the very least ‘we have no problem with Muslim people and we’ll treat them better than most other places these days’."
• Andrew Lim, originally from Malaysia, have lived in New Zealand since 2004 says that  Having lived in New Zealand for twelve years, I would say that the country is generally safe and welcoming to immigrants. Auckland has several mosques and the University of Auckland has a large number of Muslim students, mainly from Malaysia, South Asia, and the Middle East. The University also has its own Muslim prayer room and Muslim association. Muslims are the fastest growing religious group in New Zealand with a sixfold increase between 1991 and 2006 alone. However, we do have some elements of Islamophobia in New Zealand society. Not to the same level as in the US and Europe thankfully but still disconcerting for some. There are some anti-Islamic elements in New Zealand like the politician Richard Prosser, the conservative magazine editor Ian Wishart, and the right-wing blogger Cameron Slater but their views on Islam don’t reflect the general public’s views.
• Jim Schofield, lives in New Zealand is of the view that there is some discrimination and there are occasional anti-Muslim acts, largely limited to graffiti on mosques etc and ‘passive’ discrimination against women with head coverings (i.e. fairly low level - the chances of encountering overt racism/anti-Muslim discrimination is less; the chances of violence or race riots is much lower than for example Australia or the UK). Muslim have been members of Parliament, and there’s a fairly large Muslim population from a huge number of Muslim nations. So there’s a substantial number of Mosques and communities of Muslims around NZ - to me, they’re “fine” - they don’t cause any concern whatsoever to me, and in turn they don’t cause any notable “problems” (to me).

All was going well till a lone white Christian from Australia chose to make a difference. The gory and ghastly terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, namely the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque, that resulted in to death of 50 Muslims and injuring a large number, disturbed the peace and tranquility that always existed in New Zealand. No words can describe the tragedy, but the way the local people reacted to this terrorist act was really moving. People form all walks of life and religion stood behind the Muslims in their hour of grief and displayed a superb unity against terrorism that shattered everyone's hearts.

The massacre showed the rare side of human beings: The spirit to protect others while daring to stand in front of the assailant. A wife from Bangladesh shielded her husband on wheelchair and gave her life in protecting him. A father wrapped around his four years old son to protect him from the spraying bullets and succumbed to his wounds. A Pakistan teacher Naeem Rashid dared the attacker by trying to block his way and lost his life. Life would go on without those fifty who perished, but their memories shall always remain forever.

The New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern instantly rose to the occasion and appeared on the TV with a head covering, a Muslim woman's attire, and strongly condemned the attack. And vowed to ban the automatic and semi automatic weapons which could be used by terrorists. she also went about meeting the families of the victims and assuring them of every possible support they might need. She also announced bearing expenses on the funeral of all those who perished in the terrorist attack.

In a rare display of solidarity with the Muslims, 22nd March was declared as the Wear the Hijab Day to express the love people of New Zealand have for their Muslim community and on Friday everywhere non Muslim women were seen head scarves as a mark of solidarity with Muslim women who lost their relatives.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and other New Zealanders joined the Muslims in Hagley Park adjacent to the Al Noor Mosque where most of the victims perished in Christchurch on Friday to listen to the Muslim call to prayer. The call to prayer was also aired on the NZ TV.

The emotions and solidarity shown by the ordinary citizens of the New Zealand to sympathize with the Muslims will go a long way in the hearts of the Muslims living in New Zealand and even all over the world and will always be thankful to them for being with them in their hour of grief and extreme test. While Ardern told the gathering, "New Zealand mourns with you, we are one," the imam of the Al Noor mosque, Gamal Fouda, said in thanking New Zealanders for their support and compassion since the attacks. "We are brokenhearted, but we are not broken, this terrorist sought to tear our nation apart with an evil ideology ... but we have shown that New Zealand is unbreakable."

The people of Christchurch are attending funerals of the perished Muslims and coming forward in expressing their grief with the bereaved families. Watch the video below with moving emotional scens:

Author's Note: The data above has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Naeem Rashid: A hero who dared the Christchurch terrorist

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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