A recent study suggests a correlation between global conflicts and a rise in Britons converting to Islam. The research, conducted by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL), indicates that the conflict in Gaza may be a significant factor driving this trend.
The study’s findings appear to support claims circulating in the media regarding an increase in Islam conversions following the recent Israeli-Gaza conflict. The report highlights the potential importance of media coverage linking British interest in Islam to conflicts affecting Muslim communities.
Researchers stated that global conflicts seem to be attracting Britons to embrace Islam. “This pattern may support media reports published in late 2023 and 2024, which indicate a notable increase in conversions to Islam following the recent Israeli war on Gaza,” the report notes.
The study further suggests that individuals converting to Islam often do so in search of purpose. The research surveyed 2,774 individuals who had changed their religious beliefs, either by adopting a new faith or abandoning religion altogether. The study concluded that motivations and outcomes varied significantly depending on the religion adopted.
According to the study, 20% of recent converts to Islam cited global conflict as a reason for their conversion, while 18% attributed their conversion to mental health reasons.
This data arrives amidst a broader shift in religious demographics within the UK. Recent census data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that, for the first time in British history, Christians now constitute less than half of the population in England and Wales.
The census results indicated that 46.2% of the population (27.5 million people) identified as “Christian” in 2021, a decrease of 13.1% from 59.3% (33.3 million people) in a similar survey conducted in 2011. The decline in Christianity coupled with the reported increase in Islam conversions highlights a significant shift in the UK’s religious landscape.
