Understanding Islam and our Muslim neighbors helps us see beyond what the media presents so we can have compassion toward Muslims who live under this oppressive ideology. That’s why we encourage every Christian to learn about this religion and how Muslims practice it so we can be more effective as we build bridges with the Muslims in our lives. 

Part of understanding the world of Islam is to keep an eye on its impact and growth in the world. We’ve assembled some of the most important statistics so we can have a general overview through basic statistics and numbers.

Worldwide Muslim population and growth

• There are almost 2 billion Muslims in the world today. 
• One in four people around the world is a Muslim. (https://timesprayer.com/en/muslim-population/ )
• By 2050, it will be almost one in three people. (Source)
• Islam is currently growing twice as fast as any other religion through high birth rates. (Source)
• Every day, over 79,000 Muslim babies are born. (Source)

American Muslim population and growth

• There are almost 3.5 million Muslims in the US today (Source), some say this number is very conservative and there are over 5 million. In the next thirty years, the Muslim population in the USA will more than double. (Source) 
• In America, the number of mosques has grown by 31% in the last ten years. Many churches were transformed to become mosques. (Source) (Source)
• Over 30% of the Muslim population in the US is between the ages of 19-29. (Source)

Missions to reach Muslims

• In Islamic countries, there are two Christian missionaries for every one million Muslims. (Source)

• For every dollar spent on Christian missions, less than a penny is given to reach unreached people groups, which includes the 465 million Muslims in the Arab world. (Source)

• Every day 40,000 Muslims die without Jesus.  (Source)

• According to the Open Doors World Watch List, in 2023, nine out of the top ten countries with extreme persecution towards Christians are Islamic countries. (Source)

What do I do with these numbers? 

Realizing how many Muslims in the world are living under the lies of Islam can invoke many different emotions— fear, concern, and compassion. We shared a lot of statistics, and we urge you to pray over them and ask God what He wants you to do.

These statistics give us also the grave realization of how underfunded Christian mission to the Muslim world is when God has provided so many resources for the church in the West to use to fulfill the Great Commission to the ends of the earth.

Our fellow believers will not understand the direness of the situation concerning the mission to the Muslim population and the growth of Islam unless they take the time to learn about it. Now that you know, share these numbers with your fellow believers, like your Bible study, and take time to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of the Muslims around you.

YOU can make a difference in these numbers when you share the love of Christ with the Muslims in your own neighborhood and city, and when you decide to use your resources to missions to Muslims around the world. We have various ways through which you can come alongside front-line ministry to Muslims. We also offer an extensive library of resources written for Christians to guide you in loving your Muslim neighbor.

• Practical evangelism blogs
• The Guide to Loving Your Muslim Neighbor
• Read this before you share the Gospel with a Muslim

Prayer

Dear Lord, please open my heart to be impacted by these numbers. I want to be part of the redemption story you are writing among Muslims, and I want to see my Muslim friend through your eyes and be filled with fire to share Your gospel. Amen.