ISLAM AT THE CROSSROADS ... 1

ISLAM AT THE CROSSROADS ... 1

Islam spread by the edge of the sword. It will diminish through exposure of its true tenets. Muslims in large numbers are leaving Islam on account of growing awareness of their scriptural content.

In North America approximately 24% of young Muslims have already left Islam. Alarming situation there for the survival of Islam if this trend, as is feared will build up further, continues.

Out of the fear of being punished variously for apostasy, including death where the Sharia rules, large numbers of ex-Muslims are remaining below the radar in Islamic states but their numbers are swelling. In the free world many such have combined to form ex-Muslim associations and organisations which are engaged in educating the world about the real nature of Islam. A prominent one such is 'The Ex-Muslims of North America'.

In India as well, some prominent Muslims and not so prominent ones have returned to the Sanatan Dharma while many others have just come out of the fold of Islam and name themselves just Ex-Muslims. Many of these are carrying on a consistent campaign highlighting the negative features of Islam online on the basis of cited scriptural evidence from the Qur'an, the Hadees and the Sirah.

And yet Muslim numbers are on the rise everywhere across the world. This is because of the inordinately high fertility rate of Muslim women, a consequence of the scripture-based cultural practice of near compulsory marriage for all, hyper-early marriage, near absence of birth control and formation of a large family thereof.

The persecution of non-Muslims in many Islamic states and their forced conversion and resulting exodus is a common phenomenon. But conversion into Islam is being offset more or less equally by conversion out of it. Yet, as aforementioned, Muslim population is increasing everywhere because of the high fertility of Muslim women.

Through all these diverse developments, though, the internet is posing a major threat to Islam today. Its scriptural texts are being scrutinised online with ruthless efficiency by ex-Muslims and its tenets openly questioned which is making the Muslim youth question the validity of core Islamic beliefs and practices. Modernity is exerting its irresistible pressure on global Islam and it is facing an existential threat today.

Written by Sugata Bose