DID Press: Research and census data indicate that a notable number of young people in the United Kingdom have turned to Islam in response to Israel’s war against Gaza and a broader sense of global injustice. New converts tend to view the world as increasingly unfair and, compared to other religious groups, show stronger adherence to rituals and worship.
The Telegraph reported that many people in England, particularly young adults, have increased their interest in Islam amid the ongoing Gaza conflict and their search for meaning and justice.
According to a study by the Institute for Faith Impact in Life (IIFL), global conflicts and perceptions of injustice are the main motivations for new Muslim converts. Interviews with 2,774 individuals who experienced religious change revealed that 20 percent of new Muslims cited global conflicts and 18 percent cited mental health challenges as reasons for their conversion.
The study also found that new Muslims are two and a half times more likely than new Christians to engage in rituals and worship and tend to be more skeptical of media coverage. The report’s author noted that the high proportion of young people who perceive the world as unjust and distrust the media suggests that contemporary interest in Islam is increasingly shaped by ethical and justice-oriented considerations.
Meanwhile, data from the UK Office for National Statistics shows a significant decline in Christian affiliation. In the 2021 census, only 46.2 percent of the population of England and Wales identified as Christian, down from 59.3 percent in 2011, with many former Christians identifying as nonreligious.
The Telegraph concludes that the growing attention to Islam may be linked to media coverage of conflicts affecting Muslim communities, a trend that has become particularly apparent following the recent Gaza war.