A Theological and Historical Debate
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Introduction
The claim that Islam is both the oldest and fastest-growing religion in the world is frequently asserted in Muslim apologetics. Islamic tradition contends that Adam, the first human being, was a Muslim, thereby extending the roots of Islam back to the very beginning of humanity—approximately 6,000 years ago. In contrast, Christianity, as per Muslim narratives, was founded only 2,000 years ago, yet it currently has more adherents worldwide. This article aims to critically examine and debate the veracity of Islamic claims regarding the age and growth of Islam in comparison to Christianity, employing historical data, demographic trends, and theological perspectives.
1. Islamic Claims: Islam from Adam?
Islamic doctrine asserts that all prophets, from Adam to Muhammad, preached "Islam" (submission to the one God). The Qur’an claims, “He [Allah] has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. It is the religion of your father, Abraham” (Qur’an 22:78), and further, “Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam” (Qur’an 3:19). On this basis, many Muslims maintain that Islam is not merely 1,400 years old (from Muhammad), but as old as humanity itself.
Critical Analysis
This theological assertion, however, is problematic when scrutinized through the lens of historical and textual criticism. No credible archaeological or textual evidence exists to demonstrate that Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, or Jesus practiced Islam in the sense understood today (Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj). Rather, these figures are situated in different cultural, historical, and theological contexts, each with distinct beliefs, rituals, and scriptures. The retrojection of Islam onto all previous prophets is a theological assertion, not a historical fact.
2. Christianity: Historical Growth and Impact
Christianity, according to most historians, began in the first century AD, with Jesus of Nazareth and his disciples, and rapidly spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. Unlike the Islamic narrative, Christianity’s origins and explosive growth are well-documented in both secular and ecclesiastical history.
Statistical Evidence
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Christianity has approximately 2.9 billion adherents (Pew Research Center, 2024), making it the largest religion on earth.
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Islam, with around 1.9 billion adherents, is the second largest.
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Christianity achieved this growth in less than 2,000 years, compared to Islam’s claim of 6,000 years of existence.
3. The Fallacy of the "Fastest-Growing Religion" Claim
Muslims often claim that Islam is the "fastest-growing religion." This statement is misleading for several reasons:
A. Historical Longevity vs. Membership
If Islam has truly existed since Adam (6,000 years), why does it lag behind Christianity, which is demonstrably younger, in total adherents? Logically, a religion with a 4,000-year head start should have more followers, not fewer. The numbers do not support the narrative of continuous, uninterrupted Islamic faith from Adam onward.
B. Growth Rate Misconceptions
Claims about Islam being the fastest-growing religion often conflate natural population growth in Muslim-majority countries with actual religious conversions. Most demographic studies reveal that the primary driver of Muslim population growth is birth rate, not conversion.
A 2015 Pew Research Center report states:
"Muslims are projected to grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population between 2015 and 2060. But much of this is due to higher fertility rates, not mass conversions."
C. Christianity’s Global Spread
Unlike Islam, Christianity’s growth is marked by massive global missionary efforts and conversions, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In terms of cross-cultural adoption and religious transformation, Christianity has had the most dramatic impact in human history.
4. Theological and Philosophical Objections
A. Redefining "Islam"
Muslim apologists redefine "Islam" as "submission to God," then retroactively apply it to all righteous figures. But this is not what is meant by "Islam" today—a faith defined by the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and specific rituals. Historical Judaism, Christianity, and the ancient faiths of the Near East had fundamentally different beliefs and practices.
B. Contradictions in the Islamic Narrative
If Islam was the original and universal faith, why do we see no evidence of Islamic practices before Muhammad—no mosques, no Qur’an, no record of the Shahada, no Ramadan, no Hajj to Mecca among ancient Israelites or Christians? To claim continuity without evidence is to make an untestable assertion.
5. Conclusion: A Call for Intellectual Honesty
This debate reveals a fundamental weakness in the Islamic apologetic narrative:
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Historically, Christianity is younger yet outpaces Islam in both adherents and global influence.
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Demographically, Islam’s growth is primarily due to higher birth rates, not conversions.
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Theologically, the claim that all prophets were "Muslims" is unsupported by evidence and amounts to anachronistic revisionism.
Therefore, if the criterion for a "fastest-growing" religion is based on total adherents over time, Christianity—not Islam—holds that distinction.
I challenge my Muslim counterparts to present verifiable evidence, not mere assertions, if they wish to maintain their claim. Until then, the logical, historical, and statistical case rests solidly with Christianity.
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
References:
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Pew Research Center, “The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050,” 2015; updated data, 2024.
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The Qur’an, Surah 3:19, 22:78.
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The Bible, Acts 2:41-47; Matthew 28:19-20.
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Academic literature on religious demographics and historical origins.
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