A study conducted by the Pew Research Center (US-based Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.) in 2010 and released January 2011 found that there are 1.62 billion Muslims around the world. The study found more Muslims in the United Kingdom than in Lebanon and more in China than in Syria. According to the Pew Research Center in 2010 there were 49 Muslim-majority countries. Around 62% of the world’s Muslims live in South and Southeast Asia, with over 1 billion adherents. The largest Muslim country is Indonesia home to 12.7% of the world’s Muslims followed by Pakistan (11.0%), India (10.9%), and Bangladesh (9.2%). About 20% of Muslims live in Arab countries. In the Middle East, the non-Arab countries of Turkey and Iran are the largest Muslim-majority countries; in Africa, Egypt and Nigeria have the most populous Muslim communities.
Other key findings of the Pew research are:
v If current trends continue, Muslims will make up 26.4% of the world’s total projected population of 8.3billion in 2030, up from 23.4% of the estimated 2010 world population of 6.9billion
v From 1990 to 2010, the global Muslim population increased at an average annual rate of 2.2%, compared with the projected rate of 1.5% for the period from 2010 to 2030
v 79 countries will have a million or more Muslim inhabitants in 2030, up from 72 countries today
v In the US the population projections show the number of Muslims more than doubling over the next two decades, rising from 2.6million in 2010 to 6.2million in 2030
v In Europe, the Muslim share of the population is expected to grow by nearly one-third over the next 20 years, rising from 6% of the region’s inhabitants in 2010 to 8% in 2030
v The UK’s Muslim population is set to rise from 2.9million now to 5.6million in 2030 – up from 2% of the UK population to 4.6%
If u isolate yourself from this materialistic world for a while and ponder over these statistics of the Pew Research Center, beyond any doubt, this fact will dawn on your existence that the future belongs only to the Islam. But the actual question now is; what is the role of about two billion Muslims inhabiting the entire world in shaping this future?
Do you need to get up from the deep slumber which you are enjoying since long now?
Do you need to come up above the level of self and farce?
Do you need to give up your vested interests for the larger interests of the Ummah?
Do you need to come up above the level of sectarian divide? (Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls. Luke 11:17)
Do you need to give up internal intrigues?
Do you need to change your modus Vivendi?
Yeah, my Muslim brethren “you need”. You have been asleep for long! It is time to wake up!
You need to draft your modus operandi afresh; only then a change is possible. You can’t expect a change without changing yourself. And if you expect so, for sure you are living in a fool’s paradise. The sooner you come out of it, the better it is. Now let me tell you how to draft your modus operandi. Allah (SWT) is crying out to you in His last and the final revelation:
O ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous chastisement? (Surat ul As-Saff; C61:V10)
In the Arabic text the word Tijarat is used which refers to the bargain, transaction, trade: something given or done, in return for something which you desire to get. What you give or do is mentioned in the next verse:
That ye believe in Allah and His messenger, and ye strive (your utmost) in the cause of Allah, with your wealth and your persons: that will be best for you, if ye but knew! (Surat ul As-Saff; C61:V11)
In verse 10 Allah (SWT) refers to the believers (O ye who believe!) and in the following verse the first and the foremost thing Allah (SWT) asks for is “believe in Allah and His messenger”. Asking a believer to believe in Allah and His messenger seems odd and illogical as it raises a question that; don’t a believer believe in Allah and His messenger? If he doesn’t; why he is referred as a believer in verse 10? And if he believes, then why he is asked to believe in verse 11? Here seems a contradiction but it is not. Actually when you say Shahadah (to testify that there is no god but Allah and Prophet Muhammad SAW is His messenger), you take admission in the institution of Islam or you enter into the fold of Islam. For the sake of better understanding let me relate an analogy; when you take admission in a school, college or university you are bound by its rules and regulations. You are bound to abide by its do’s and do not’s unless your admission will be cancelled and you will be thrown out. Same applies to the person who says Shahadah that after saying Shahadah he has to abide by the divine guidance. Only lip service (uttering Shahadah in words) is not sufficient. He has to stick to the teachings of the prophet in letter and spirit. Not only his tongue but his practical life should testify that there is no god but Allah and Prophet Muhammad SAW is His messenger. Very often I am used to say that “the philosophy of our life is not what we believe in. Rather, the philosophy of our life is what we practice.” You must practice what you believe in. if you believe in Islam, it must reflect in all the dimensions of your practical life. And when Islam will reflect in all the dimensions of your life, your life will invite others to join this institution of peace. Such should be the character of the Muslim. With this character you are asked to strive in the cause of Allah. This is the purpose you are created and trained for. You are asked to strive with your wealth and persons because not only your life and wealth but everything belongs to Him.
As for those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah, give them the news of a painful punishment. (Qur’an, 9:34)
And when He asks you to strive in His cause with what belongs to Him, you have no reason to reject. This is the bargain that Allah leads you to. In it is your salvation, for sure if you understand. But you have turned deaf years to this bargain and are indulged in worldly bargains which are like seasonal flowers borne by a plant. They bloom, enjoy a short life, droop and die out. In verse 12 and 13 Allah describes what you will get in return of this bargain.
He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in gardens of eternity: that is indeed the supreme triumph. (Surat ul As-Saff; C61:V12)
And another (favour will he bestow), which ye do love; help from Allah and a speedy victory. So give the glad tidings to the believers. (Surat ul As-Saff; C61:V13)
It is truly a wonderful bargain: what you are asked to give is so little; what you are promised in return is so much. There comes Allah’s unbounded generosity, bounty and munificence.
Oh my Muslim brethren, it is now time to wake up and do this bargain which guarantees our success in the life here and hereafter. This should be the modus operandi of your life. You are an Ummah morally bankrupt, spiritually dead, intellectually corrupted, and politically divided. Don’t you want to get up from this sleep and strive in the cause of Allah? Don’t you that your children should get rid of secular education? For how long your fate will be decided by America? For how long you will live at the beck and call of America? It is time to wake up! Wake up and do this bargain.
Do it or else!
Those are the people who trade the hereafter for this world. The punishment will not be lightened for them. They will not be helped. (Qur’an, 2:86)
What an evil thing they have sold themselves for in rejecting what Allah has sent down, outraged that Allah should send down His favour on whichever of His servants He wills. They have brought down anger upon anger on themselves. The disbelievers will have a humiliating punishment. (Qur’an, 2:90)
Glory, be to Allah! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. (Qur’an, 2: 32)
MIR JAWHAR GREEN 