Politics, Knowledge, and Revolution
Pew Research Center is a nonpolitical research Fact Tank that collects information on trends, attitudes, and issues which drive change in the United States and worldwide. This research center published a report in December 2011 entitled: “Global Christianity; A report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Christian Population.”
The reports of this institution often publish in our media, but they do not introduce this institution. So I am also giving a brief introduction for those interested.
“The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that provides information on the issues, attitudes, and trends shaping America and the world. The center conducts public opinion polling, demographic studies, content analysis, and other empirical social science research. It does not take positions on policy issues. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is a project of the Pew Research Center; it delivers timely, impartial information on the issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs in the U.S. and around the world. The Pew Research Center is an independently operated subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.”
This 130-page report describes all the detailed information on the worldwide Christian population. In that regard, from more than 200 countries, people were evaluated. The report shows how many Christians are present in which country and whether they are majority or minority. In addition to countries, the Christian population is described thoroughly in terms of continents and significant geographic/ethnic units. Moreover, all internal details, like the population of different sects of Christianity like Catholicism, Protestants, and Orthodox, etc., and the geographical distribution of those sects settled in other countries, are available.
I will come to the main content of the report and my recommendations later, but the truth is that I feel compelled to give credit to these people for sharing such detailed information and data in one place. In our country, if Allah blesses a person with ability and popularity, he sees only one thing to do: jump into politics. Till today, people have not understood that knowledge, education, information, and institutions are the basis of societal development and change. All these together bring intellectual changes in societies. After that, there will be a meaningful change in the political chambers and arenas. Note that I have used the word meaningful change. A mere change in the House of Power does nothing.
Statistical report
Now come to the contents of the report. According to this report (based on data up to 2010), Christianity has spread so widely that every third person is Christian worldwide. Out of the 6.9 billion people in the world, 2.18 billion people are followers of Christianity. This report states an important point: Christianity, a religion of the continent of Europe for the last thousand years, has now spread throughout the world. It is illustrated in statistical form as follows. In the 1910s, 66.3 percent of the world’s Christian population was in Europe and 27.1 percent in North and South America, as if there was no Christian population outside these two continents.
A century later, i.e., in 2010, it was reported that 38.6% of Christians are in America and 25.9% of Christians are in Europe. The entire area of Africa below the Great Desert, except for North Africa, Central, and Southern Africa, contains 23.6 percent and Asia Pacific 13.1 percent of the Christian population. The rest are present in other regions of the world. So 40 percent of the Christian population is now outside Europe and America, which was negligible a century ago.
The Success of Christian Missionaries
Here I would like to draw the reader’s attention to few things. The first is that in Europe and America, which are still the main strongholds of the Christian population, the population growth rate is much lower than the birth rate, and this has been the case for more or less a century. Second, the two great wars fought in the last century were between the Christian powers of Europe, and millions of people died in them. Third, in America and especially Europe, many native people have adopted atheism and do not like to be identified with Christianity. In light of these facts, the truth is that all that progress in Christianity is not the result of population growth but the extraordinary hard work, struggle, and sacrifice of the Christian missionaries.
I am saying in that background that we are very proud of the growth of the Muslim population. But, all this increase is due to the high birth rate in Muslim countries. It is not related to the efforts of Muslims to do the Dawah struggle or to spread their religion. No new nation has entered Islam’s realm in the last several centuries. We proudly claim that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America and Europe. There is an element of conversion too, but besides this, there are other vital reasons, like the frequent migration of Muslims to Europe and the United States and higher birth rates than the local population.
In comparison, you can see that Christian preachers can proudly proclaim that from the last century, they have embraced the nations of Africa and the Asia-Pacific countries in the circle of Christianity. For example, the proportion of the Christian population in Central and South Africa was only 1.4 percent a century ago. It has become 23.6 percent, while the number of Christians in Asia Pacific has tripled.
Muslims and the Promotion of Polytheism
I can comprehend that today’s Muslims, living in the psychology of pride, may not like my words. Today’s Muslim only wants to hear the sentimental talk that touches his heart. Restoring the greatness of Muslims, making Muslims the world’s superpower again, declaring the conspiracies of non-Muslim powers because of their weakness, etc. These are the topics by which I can increase my popularity a lot. But loyalty to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) requires me to make people aware of their responsibilities, no matter how offensive a sentimental and superficial person may find these matters. Still, a large number of people want to reform themselves after listening to the truth.
They say, “The Gracious One has begotten a son.” Assuredly, you have uttered a monstrous falsehood: the heavens might well-nigh burst thereat, and the earth break asunder, and the mountains fall down in pieces, because they ascribe a son to the Gracious One. (Al-Quran 19 : 88-91).
They say: “The Merciful God has Children. Very grave is this statement you have given. It may well be that because of this; the heavens tear apart, the earth is rent asunder, and the mountains collapse to fall down that people has ascribed children to the Merciful God.”
In a Qudsi Hadith, it is declared that polytheism is considered no less than cursing Allah (Sahi Al-Jamay 4323).
Above are the comments on polytheism in the Qur’an and Hadith. In contrast, our situation is that we celebrate Milad-ul-Nabi with vigor every year. And think that we repaid Prophet’s love. If the integrity of the Messenger is aimed disrespectfully in Denmark, rage provokes everywhere. But Alas! Those who abuse Allah are increasing, and we don’t even see a wrinkle on anyone’s forehead. No one’s sleep is disturbed. Nations are insulting Allah by embracing the religion of Christianity, but unfortunately, Muslims are busy with some other important work under the banner of monotheism. If they get done, then they might think about it.
Today, no one is taking the banner of God’s majesty and aims to spread the truth of Muhammad and the message of monotheism he brought. There is sectarianism, blind following of ancestors, nationalism, sectarianism and hypocrisy. If not, there is no true worshipping of God.
Let me end this meeting on a note that might appeal to someone sympathetic. This report states that every third person in the world insults Allah Almighty in ignorance. And we are the only group under this sky and above the earth, which can clear this misconception of people. But who is here to take the banner of monotheism in hand and try to erase the darkness of polytheism with the torch of guidance!