The document discusses the growth of Islam in various parts of Africa and Europe. It provides statistics showing that the Muslim population has been increasing in some African countries like Rwanda and Uganda due to factors like conflicts and wars. It also notes that Islam is becoming more prominent in some European nations like Austria, Belgium, and parts of the former Yugoslavia due to immigration and birth rates. Overall, the document examines the spread of Islam across the African and European continents.

1. ولله العزّة و لرسوله للمؤمنين ( المنافقون 8)

2. يريدون ليطفؤا نور الله بأفواههم والله متم نوره ولو كره الكافرون الايه رقم 8 سورة الصف ولا تَهِنُوا ولا تَحْزَنُوا وأَنتُمُ الأَعْلَوْنَ إن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ] [ آل عمران : 139 ( اتخذوا أحبارهم ورهبانهم أرباباً من دون الله و المسيح ابن مريم وما أمروا إلا ليعبدوا إلهاً واحدا لا إله إلا هو سبحانه عما يشركون ً * يريدون أن يطفئوا نور الله بأفواههم و يأبى الله إلا أن يتم نوره و لو كره الكافرون * هو الذي أرسل رسوله بالهدى و دين الحق ليظهره على الدين كله ولو كره المشركون ) التوبة 33 ، 32 ، 31 قال تعالى ان الدين عند الله الاسلام وقال ومن يبتغي غير الاسلام دينا فلن يقبل منه وهو في الاخرة من الخاسرين

3. ومما زادني فخرا و تيها و كدت بأخمصي قدمي أطأ الثريا دخولي تحت قولك يا عبادي وأن جعلت أحمد لي نبيا ***************************************************** رحلتي والطريق ظل وماء لسوى الله رحلتي لن تكوني أنا مسلم وهذا إنتمائي وكما شئت يا حياة فكوني ملأ صوتي أقولها ملأ نبضي ملأ شمس الوجود ملأ يقيني مسلم و تحتفل الأرض وتزهو مرابع الزيتون ******************************************************** ولست أبالي حين أقتل مسلما على أي جنب كان في الله مصرعي وذاك في ذات الإله وإن يشأ يبارك على أشلاء شنو ممزع ************************************************************* أبي الإسلام لا أبا لي سواه إن افتخروا بقيس أو تميم

5. Halleluyah is a composite of Hallelu and Jah ( Yah ). It literally translates from Hebrew as "Praise Jah, [third-person plural]!" or simply "Praise Jah!" Jah is the shortened form of the name Jehovah ( Yahweh ), referred to as the Tetragrammaton . Hall-u-ya: en la lisant de droite à gauche en arabe donnerait (Ya allah!). Le même synonyme ci-dessus. ALLA Lisez ce mot de gauche à droite en lettres latines, et de droite à gauche en lettres arabe (qu'en pensez-vous). Les statistiques disent clairement que 80% de la population mondiale n'adore pas LE VRAI DIEU (ALLAH) Dis: "O gens du Livre, venez à une parole commune entre nous et vous: que nous n'adorions qu'Allah, sans rien Lui associer, et que nous ne prenions point les uns les autres pour seigneurs en dehors d' Allah ". S'ils tournent le dos, dites: "Soyez témoins que nous, nous sommes soumis". (Coran, 3: 64)

6. Statistiques de (D. Barrett) Musulmans (1,313 milliards) , Catholiques romains (1,119 milliards) , Hindouistes (870 millions) Sans religion (769 millions) Chrétiens , Religions chinoises , Protestants , Orthodoxes , Anglicans , Bouddhistes , Sikhs , Juifs , Religions tribales (256 millions) Athées , Nouveaux mouvements religieux Chiffres fournis par adherents.com Chrétiens , Musulmans Sans religion ( agnostiques , athées etc..) (1,1 milliards) Religions africaines , Hindouistes , Religions chinoises , Bouddhisme Religions tribales (300 millions) Religions africaines , Sikhs , Juche , Spirites , Juifs , Bahaïsme , Témoins de Jéhovah , Jaïns , Shintoïstes , Caodaïstes , Zoroastriens Tenrikyo , Néo-païens , Unitaristes , Rastafariens

7. 2006: More Jews converting to Islam New record: 70 Israeli citizens expected to convert to Islam this year – more than twice the number in previous years. Most are cases of Jewish, Christian women marrying Muslim men According to statistics from the Population Administration, 2006 will be a record year for Israeli Jews joining the Muslim religion. In the past few years, the number of conversions to Islam was relatively stable at 35 per year, but over 70 conversions were expected this year. In 2003, 40 Jews converted to Islam; in 2004 the number dropped to 27; and last year it stood at 33. “Jews say they decided to convert after deepening their knowledge of Islam. Many are disappointed in Judaism,” a senior member of the Islamic court said.

8. L'islam gagne du terrain en Afrique, selon ses promoteurs dimanche 14 novembre 2004 KIGALI/LE CAP (Reuters) - L'islam continue de progresser sur le continent noir, jusqu'en Afrique du Sud, et les conflits armés, qu'il s'agisse de guerres civiles ou des offensives américaines en terres musulmanes, ne sont pas étrangers à cette tendance. Le voile qui couvre aujourd'hui la tête de Zafran Mukanwali n'en est qu'une modeste illustration. Catholique comme l'écrasante majorité de la population rwandaise, cette jeune femme de 22 ans s'est convertie à l'islam après le génocide de 1994. "J'ai compris que les catholiques ne pratiquaient pas ce qu'ils prêchent", explique cette Tutsie, dont les parents comptent parmi les 800.000 victimes des extrémistes hutus. "Quand j'ai saisi que les gens avec lesquels je priais avaient tué mes parents, j'ai décidé de me convertir à l'islam parce que les musulmans ont sauvé beaucoup de vies et n'ont pas pris part aux massacres". Comprise entre 1 et 2% avant 1994, la population musulmane représente aujourd'hui 5% des Rwandais et le nombre de mosquées est passé dans le même temps de 220 à 570. Cette évolution, qui concerne d'autres pays sub-sahariens où l'islam se répand de longue date et par bonds successifs aux dépens du christianisme prédominant et de cultes ancestraux en régression, suscite un vif intérêt. L'attention se porte notamment sur l'évolution des relations - traditionnellement paisibles - entre communautés et sur l'écho que rencontrent les thèses extrémistes venues du Proche-Orient.

9. (suite) En dépit de cet intérêt, peu d'études ont été consacrées à l'évolution des religions sur le continent noir. La plupart des recensements n'abordent pas la question du culte et, quand ils le font, leurs résultats ne sont pas publiés, déplore Hassan Mwakimako, professeur de théologie à l'université de Nairobi. Il existe des estimations, confirme Ephraïm Issac, directeur de l'Institut d' études sémitiques de l'université de Princeton, aux Etats-Unis, mais aucune ne fait autorité. "Il y a une espèce de guerre statistique entre l'islam dont on dit qu'il progresse par bonds d'un côté, et, de l'autre, le christianisme qui gagne du terrain, notamment chez les pentecotistes et les charismatiques. Les statistiques ont une influence. Les gens aiment être du côté des gagnants", souligne-t-il.

10. LES AFRICAINS S'IDENTIFIENT AUX VICTIMES DE BUSH Pour Thierno Amadou, un Sierra-léonais musulman qui vit à Madagascar, la progression de l'islam est un fait incontestable. "Il était difficile de trouver un musulman en Sierra Leone dans les années 60. A présent, c'est un vaste mouvement qui prend de l'ampleur à chaque génération", assure-t-il, insistant sur le rôle moteur des récentes interventions militaires américaines en Afghanistan et en Irak. "Les Africains s'identifient aux victimes de Bush parce qu'ils ont souffert sous les régimes coloniaux européens, qui étaient également chrétiens", explique Amadou. "En Ouganda, l'islam progresse tellement vite... Chaque minute nous apporte de nouveaux convertis", assure le cheikh Harun. Sengooba, de l'Union des conseils musulmans d'Afrique de l'Est du Centre et du Sud. Chrétiens à 80%, les Sud-africains sont également de plus en plus nombreux, notamment parmi la population noire, à se laisser séduire par l'islam. Il ne concerne à l'heure actuelle que 2% des 45 millions d'habitants et reste essentiellement cantonné à la communauté indienne et aux métisses, mais le Human Science Research Concil évalue à 74.700 le nombre de Noirs musulmans, contre 12.000 en 1991. Islam et christianisme coexistent depuis des temps très anciens en Afrique où ils se livrent à une âpre compétition, tempérée par la tolérance héritée des cultes traditionnels, notamment animistes. Mais la confrontation peu parfois prendre un tour catastrophique, comme au Soudan ou en Côte d'Ivoire, bien que la religion ne soit pas

11. (suite) l'unique moteur du conflit. Dans un rapport rédigé dans les années 90, le Vatican mettait déjà en garde contre les risques de cette compétition en Afrique. C'est au Nigeria, pays le plus peuplé du continent, que la tension semble la plus forte. Plus de 5.000 personnes y ont trouvé la mort dans des violences interreligieuses depuis 2000, date à laquelle 12 Etats du Nord de la fédération ont adopté la loi islamique (charia). Les suites du 11 septembre 2001 et la guerre planétaire que les Etats-Unis ont entrepris de livrer aux terroristes pourraient par ailleurs entamer la solidarité multiraciale de l'Afrique du Sud post-Apartheid, par exemple, estime Ali Mazrui, historien kenyan. "Elles ont déjà accru le clivage entre le gouvernement chrétien de Tanzanie à Dar es Salam et les îles séparatistes de Zanzibar et de Pemba, très majoritairement musulmanes", souligne-t-il.

12. Muslims in Europe: Country guide Islam is widely considered Europe's fastest growing religion, with immigration and above average birth rates leading to a rapid increase in the Muslim population. The exact number of Muslims is difficult to establish however, as census figures are often questioned and many countries choose not to compile such information anyway. Albania Total population: 3.1 million Muslim population: 2.2 million (70%) Background: Religious worship was banned in Albania until the transition from Stalinist state to democracy in the 1990s. Islam is now openly recognised as the country's major religion and most Albanians are Sunni Muslim by virtue of the nation's history: The Balkans has had centuries of association with the faith as many parts of it were part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. While the empire is long gone, the culture remained in place. Significant populations of Albanian Muslims exist in a number of other European countries. Sources: Total population - Albanian Institute of Statistics, 2005; Muslim population - UK Foreign Office. AUSTRIA Total population: 8.2 million Muslim population: 339,000 (4.1%) Background: Large numbers of Muslims lived under Austrian rule when Bosnia-Hercegovina was annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908. Many of Austria's Muslims have roots in Turkey and others arrived from the Balkans during the 1990s wars - partly because of historical ties. Islam has been recognised as an official religion in Austria for many years, meaning that it has a role in the religious teaching in schools. Vienna has historically been regarded as the point where the Islamic world reached its most western point, a critical battle in Austria in the 16th century marking the beginning of the decline of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Sources: Total population - Statistics Austria, 2005 figures; Muslim population - Statistics Austria, 2001 figures.

13. BELGIUM Total population: 10.3 million Muslim population: 0.4 million (4%) Background: Islam is one of seven recognised religions in Belgium, a status that brings it a number of subsidies and official roles, such as providing teachers. Despite this there have been complaints of discrimination. Unemployment and poor housing have been one such cause of tension. There have also been claims of discrimination against women in traditional dress. A majority of Belgium's Muslims are of Moroccan or Turkish origin; many others are from Albania. (Citizenship is available after seven years). Sources: Total population - Statistics Belgium 2001; Muslim population - US State Department. BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA Total population: 3.8 million Muslim population: 1.5 million (40%) Background: Bosnia-Hercegovina is still recovering from the bloody inter-ethnic war of 1992-95. Around 250,000 people died in the conflict between Bosnian Muslims, Croats and Serbs. Almost 8,000 Muslims were killed by Bosnian Serbs at Srebrenica in 1995 - Europe's worst atrocity since World War II. Many Muslims were displaced, as were members of other communities. A peacekeeping force remains in the country, whose frontiers have long been considered the western borders of the Islamic faith in Europe. Sources: Total population - Agency for Statistics Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2003 figures; Muslim population - US State Department.

14. DENMARK Total population: 5.4 million Muslim population: 270,000 (5%) Background: In the 1970s Muslims arrived from Turkey, Pakistan, Morocco and the former Yugoslavia to work. In the 1980s and 90s the majority of Muslim arrivals were refugees and asylum seekers from Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Bosnia. Access to housing and employment have been sources of concern for Muslims in Denmark. (A minority have citizenship). Sources: Total population - Statistics Denmark, 2004 figures; Muslim population - US State Department. FRANCE Total population: 62.3 million , Muslim population: Five to six million (8-9.6%) Background: The French Muslim population is the largest in western Europe. About 70% have their heritage in former north African colonies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. France favours integration and many Muslims are citizens. Nevertheless, the growth of the community has challenged the French ideal of strict separation of religion and public life. There has been criticism that Muslims face high unemployment and often live in poor suburbs. A ban on religious symbols in public schools provoked a major national row as it was widely regarded as being a ban on the Islamic headscarf. Late 2005 saw widespread and prolonged rioting among mainly immigrant communities across France. Sources: Total population - National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies, 2004 figures; Muslim population - French government estimate.

15. GERMANY Total population: 82.5 million , Muslim population: 3 million (3.6%) Background: The majority of the Muslim population is Turkish, with many retaining strong links to Turkey. Others arrived from Bosnia and Kosovo during the Balkan wars. Until recently Muslims were considered "guest workers", who would one day leave the country - a view that is changing. Racist violence is a sensitive issue, with the authorities trying a range of strategies to beat it. Steps are being taken to improve integration. Sources: Total population - Federal Statistical Office, 2004 figures; Muslim population - Federal Ministry of the Interior estimate. ITALY Total population: 58.4 million Muslim population: 825,000 (1.4%) Background: The Muslim population is diverse, the largest group coming from Morocco. Others are from elsewhere in North Africa, south Asia, Albania, and the Middle East. Most arrived from the 1980s onwards, many of them as students. Italy is working to formalise relations between the state and the Muslim community. Up to 160,000 Muslims are Italian born. Most Muslims have the right to reside and work in Italy, but are not citizens. Sources: Total population - Italian National Statistical Institute; Muslim population - UK Foreign Office.

16. MACEDONIA Total population: 2.1 million , Muslim population: 630,000 (30%) Background: Macedonia's largest religion is Macedonian Orthodox, but almost one third of the population describe themselves as Muslim. Macedonia was spared the inter-ethnic violence that affected much of the Balkans following the break-up of Yugoslavia. But in early 2001 rebels staged an uprising demanding greater rights for the ethnic Albanian minority - a group which includes most Muslims. With EU and Nato support a deal was reached offering hem greater rights, although some have been unhappy with the pace of change. The US State Department suggests that religious freedom is generally respected and that "societal discrimination is more likely to be based upon ethnic bias" than religion. Sources: Total population - UK Foreign Office; Muslim population - UK Foreign Office. NETHERLANDS Total population: 16.3 million Muslim population: 945,000 or 5.8% Background: The integration of Muslims remains a concern for the Dutch government, particularly after a film-maker critical of Islam was murdered in 2004 by a radical Islamist. Further tensions surround the view held by some that there is a high level of crime among Muslim youths and a problem with unemployment. In the 1950s Muslims arrived from the former colonies of Suriname and Indonesia. One of the most important groups is the substantial Somali minority. Others are from Turkey and Morocco. The Netherlands favours multiculturalism, essentially the accommodation of different groups on equal terms. Sources: Total population - Statistics Netherlands, 2005 figures; Muslim population - Statistics Netherlands, 2004 figures.

17. SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO (WITH KOSOVO) Total population: 10.8 million (including Kosovo); 8.1 million (excluding Kosovo) Muslim population: Serbia and Montenegro - 405,000 (5%); Kosovo - about 1.8 million (90%) Background (excluding Kosovo): Within Serbia and Montenegro the predominant religion is Serbian Orthodoxy. Islam is the second largest faith, with Muslims accounting for about 5% of the population, rising to about 20% in Montenegro. The Muslim community is considered one of seven "traditional" religious communities. Religion and ethnicity remain closely linked across the country and discrimination and tensions continue to be reported. Kosovo background: The late 1990s saw devastating conflict after the Kosovo Liberation Army, supported by the majority ethnic Albanians - most of whom are Muslim - came out in open rebellion against Serbian rule. Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic began "ethnic cleansing" against the Kosovo Albanian population. Thousands died and hundreds of thousands fled. Nato intervened between March and June 1999 with a 78 day bombing campaign to push back Serb forces and Kosovo remains under UN control. The ethnic Albanian community has expressed frustration at the length of time being taken to decide Kosovo's future status. Attacks against Kosovo's remaining minority Serb population have caused concern. Sources: Total population - UK Foreign Office; Muslim population - US State Department.

18. SPAIN Total population: 43.1 million Muslim population: 1 million (2.3%) Background: Almost eight centuries of Moorish rule over Spain came to an end in 1492, providing the country with a strong Islamic legacy, particularly in its architecture. The modern Muslim population started to arrive in significant numbers in the 1970s. Many were Moroccans coming to work in tourism and subsequent growth came when their families joined them. The state recognises Islam, affording it a number of privileges including the teaching of Islam in schools and religious holidays. There have been some reports of tension towards Muslim immigrants. Spain was shaken in 2004 when terror attacks by suspected radical Islamists killed 191 people on Madrid commuter trains. Sources: Total population - Spanish National Institute of Statistics, 2005 figures; Muslim population - US State Department. SWEDEN Total population: 9 million Muslim population: 300,000 (3%) Background: The Muslim population is broad - with significant groups from Turkey, Bosnia, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Syria. The size of the Muslim population is such that representative bodies receive state funding. Sweden favours multiculturalism and immigrants can become citizens after five years. Sweden prides itself on its tolerance, but there has been criticism that Muslims are too often blamed for society's problems. Sources: Total population - Statistics Sweden, 2005 figures; Muslim population - US State Department.

19. SWITZERLAND Total population: 7.4 million Muslim population: 310,800 (4.2%) Background: Official figures suggest the Muslim population has doubled in recent years, but some sources say there are also about 150,000 Muslims in the country illegally. The first Muslims arrived as workers in the 1960s, mostly from Turkey, the former Yugoslavia and Albania. They were joined by their families in the 1970s and, in recent years, by asylum seekers. (Comparatively few have citizenship.) Sources: Total population - Swiss Federal Statistical Office, 2003 figures; Muslim population - Swiss Federal Statistical Office, 2000 figures. TURKEY Total population: 68.7 million Muslim population: 68 million (99%) Background: Although Turkey is a secular state, Islam is an important part of Turkish life. Its application to join the EU divided existing members, some of which questioned whether a poor, Muslim country could fit in. Turkey accused its EU opponents of favouring a "Christian club". Membership talks were formally launched in October 2005, with negotiations expected to take 10 years. Most Turks are Sunni Muslim, but a significant number are of the Alevi branch of Shias. Sources: Total population - Turkish State Institute of Statistics, 2003 figures; Muslim population - US State Department.

20. UNITED KINGDOM Total population: 58.8 million Muslim population: 1.6 million (2.8%) Background: The UK has a long history of contact with Muslims, with links forged from the Middle Ages onwards. In the 19th Century Yemeni men came to work on ships, forming one of the country's first Muslim communities. In the 1960s, significant numbers of Muslims arrived as people in the former colonies took up offers of work. Some of the first were East African Asians, while many came from south Asia. Permanent communities formed and at least 50% of the current population was born in the UK. Significant communities with links to Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and the Balkans also exist. The 2001 Census showed one third of the Muslim population was under 16 - the highest proportion for any group. It also highlighted high levels of unemployment, low levels of qualifications and low home ownership. The UK favours multiculturalism, an idea shared by other countries which, in general terms, accepts all cultures as having equal value and has influence over how government engages with minorities. Sources: Total population - Office for National Statistics, 2001 figures; Muslim population - Office for National Statistics, 2001 figures.

21. Claims to be the fastest growing religion From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There are several different religions claimed to be the “fastest growing religion”. Such claims vary due to different definitions of “fastest growing”, and whether the claim is worldwide or regional. Islam Data for Islam reveal that the growing number of Muslims is due primarily to the higher than average birth-rates and consequent population growths of Muslim countries and communities. In 2006, countries with a Muslim majority had an average population growth rate of 1.8% per year (when weighted by percentage Muslim and population size). This compares with a world population growth rate of 1.12% per year. According to the "Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life", Islam is already the fastest-growing religion in Europe . Driven by immigration and high birthrates, the number of Muslims on the continent has tripled in the last 30 years. Most demographers forecast a similar or even higher rate of growth in the coming decades According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , the World Christian Database as of 2007 estimated the six fastest growing religions of the world to be Islam (1.84%), the Bahá'í Faith (1.7%), Sikhism (1.62%), Jainism (1.57%), Hinduism (1.52%), and Christianity (1.32%),

22. Fast-growing Islam winning converts in Western world April 14, 1997 Gayle Young CAIRO (CNN) Fastest-growing religion The second-largest religion in the world after Christianity, Islam is also the fastest-growing religion . In the United States, for example, nearly 80 percent of the more than 1,200 mosques have been built in the past 12 years. Some scholars see an emerging Muslim renaissance as Islam takes root in many traditionally Christian communities. Islam has drawn converts from all walks of life, most notably African-Americans. Former NAACP President Benjamin Chavis, who joined the Nation of Islam recently, personifies the trend. 50,000 French Accepted Islam In 50 Years: Intelligence By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2003-10/08/article04.shtml PARIS, October 8 (IslamOnline.net) – Some 50,000 French have accepted Islam since the 1950s , a French intelligence report revealed, saying that most of the converters were heathens "who embraced Islam to fill their spiritual vacuum."The report, parts of which published by the daily Le Figaro Tuesday, October 8, said converting to Islam "has become a phenomenon (in France) that needs to be followed up closely."

23. Thousands Of British Elite Embrace Islam: Study http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-02/26/article03.shtml LONDON, February 26 (IslamOnline.net) – Jonathan Birt, the son of Lord Birt and Emma Clark, the granddaughter of former liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, are only two of 14,000 mostly-elite white Britons having reverted to Islam. In the first authoritative study of the phenomenon, carried by the Sunday Times on February 22, some of the country’s top landowners, celebrities and the offspring of senior Establishment figures have embraced the Muslim faith after being disillusioned with western values. The new study by Yahya (formerly Jonathan) Birt, son of Lord Birt, former director-general of the BBC, provides the first reliable data on the sensitive subject of the movement of Christians into Islam. He uses a breakdown of the latest census figures to conclude that there are now 14,200 white reverts in Britain.

24. Islam spreading in Christian South Africa Sun 14 November, 2004 09:22 By Gordon Bell http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=620805§ion=news http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=qw1100423885802B264 CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Black South Africans, drawn to the Islam practised by African immigrants, are converting in growing numbers and slowly changing the face of religious affiliation in the overwhelmingly Christian country. " The numbers have gone up dramatically if you look at the census figures ... there is massive growth especially in the (black) townships," said Dr Shamil Jeppie, an expert on Islamic history in Africa at the University of Cape Town.

25. Mohammed's religion finds a place in Haiti June 13, 2002 Posted: 6:47 PM EDT (2247 GMT) http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/06/13/haiti.islam.reut/index.html PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) -- Tucked away on a corner of the Haitian capital's dusty, congested Delmas Road, a modest white building bears a curious sign, painstakingly stenciled in green Western and Arabic script.Officials with the major Islamic groups estimate there are between 4,000 and 5,000 Muslims in Haiti , a nation of about 8 million people.But followers of Islam have recently stepped into the public eye. Muslim men distinctive in their kufi headwear and finely groomed beards, and women in traditional scarves, are now seen on the streets of several cities.

26. Islam ' fastest growing faith in Australia By Ridwaan Jadwat, Special to Arab News http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=19768 RIYADH, 25 October ' On Monday, Oct. 7, I had the honor to represent Australia and hundreds of thousands of Australian Muslims at the washing of the Holy Kaaba ceremony in Makkah. It was the fourth time that I have been granted the privilege of entering the inner sanctum of the Kaaba and performing prayers inside Islam's holiest site. It remains a vivid and deeply moving experience. In the past 25 years, the Australian Muslim community has significantly expanded. According to the 2001 census, the Muslim community constituted 281,578 people, an increase of 40 percent since the 1996 census and an overall rise of 91 percent in the last decade. And these figures may be very conservative. Some recent estimates suggest Australian Muslims now number between 350,000-450,000 .

27. Where the Moors Held Sway, Allah Is Praised Again By CRAIG S. SMITH Published: October 21, 2003 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/21/international/europe/21GRAN.html GRANADA, Spain — Muslims are back in this ancient Moorish stronghold, the last bastion of Islam in Spain before the 15th-century emir Boabdil kissed King Ferdinand's hand and relinquished the city with a legendary sigh. But the town's 1,000 or so converts are very significant, Mr. Ruiz said, because they give Islam a voice that cannot be ignored. Granada's Islamic Council, for example, has been lobbying to stop annual celebrations of the fall of Granada into Christian hands.

28. Muslim in America: With some 6 million U.S. followers, Islam is one of the nation's fastest-growing faiths by Marc Ramirez Seattle Times staff reporter Instances like these represent the emerging, sometimes rocky relationship between greater American society and Islam, a religion whose 1 billion-plus adherents make it the world's second most popular after Christianity. With an estimated 6 million U.S. followers, Islam is also one of America's fastest-growing faiths . Nevertheless, it remains misunderstood, often associated with terrorism, ethnic stereotypes and images of veiled, subservient women.

29. Islam blooms in genocide's wake Rwandans jump to faith they view as tolerant By Laurie Goering Tribune foreign correspondent August 5, 2002 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0208050150aug05.story?null KIGALI, Rwanda -- Almost a decade after a horrific genocide left 800,000 Rwandans dead and shook the faith of this predominantly Christian nation, Islam, once seen as a fringe religion, has surged in popularity. Women in bright tangerine, scarlet and blue headscarves stroll the bustling streets of the capital beside men in long white tunics and embroidered caps. Mosques and Islamic schools are overflowing with students. Today about 14 percent of Rwandans consider themselves Muslim , up from about 7 percent before the genocide.

30. Islam 'will be dominant UK religion' By ROBERT SMITH http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Articles.asp?Article=76212&Sn=BNEW ISLAM will be the most widely practised religion in the UK by 2020 , according to British and Muslim magazine editor Sarah Joseph. She says mosque attendance is expected to outstrip church attendance over the next 16 years. Estimates suggest that anywhere between 10,000 and 50,000 people a year convert to Islam in the UK, which is currently home to approximately 1.8 million Muslims.

31. Faith: Islam's third run for Europe By Uwe Siemon-Netto UPI Religion Correspondent From the Life & Mind Desk Published 12/11/2002 12:11 PM http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021210-101508-1152r WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- For the third time in 13 centuries, Islam is set to gain a major foothold in Europe . This time it comes peacefully with Turkey's attempt to join the ever-expanding European Union. It meets little resistance from Christianity, which has never been in a more feeble state on the continent whose civilization it shaped.