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38-578: The origins of the name suggest a possible conversion to Islam at a later period, with scholars proposing Jewish or Nabatean ancestry based on oral traditions . Early 20th-century accounts depict their nomadic lifestyle, traditions, and conflicts with the dominant Liyathnah tribe based nearby in Wadi Musa . In the 1980s, the Jordanian government forcibly relocated the Bedul from Petra, establishing

76-586: A hadith that says that all people are Muslims at birth, but only come to "leave" the faith due to the environment they are raised in. The belief in the innate condition of Islam in all people is referred to as " fitra ." Converting to Islam requires one to declare the shahādah , the Muslim profession of faith ("there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah", Classical Arabic : أَشْهَدُ أَن لا إِلٰهَ إلَّا الله و أَشْهَدُ أَنَ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُول الله) In Islam, circumcision (khitan)

114-548: A June 2000 article in the British Muslims Monthly Survey, the majority of new Muslim converts in Britain were women. According to The Huffington Post , "Though exact numbers are difficult to tally, observers estimate that as many as 20,000 Americans convert to Islam annually." According to Pew Research , the number of U.S. converts to Islam is roughly equal to the number of U.S. Muslims who leave

152-477: A provision that says ‘he who has embraced Islam and then abandons it will receive punishment in hell after Judgment Day'." According to a study published in 2011 by Pew Research , what little information is available suggests that religious conversion has no net impact on the global Muslim population as the number of people who convert to Islam is roughly similar to those who leave Islam . According to another study published on 2015 by Pew research center, Islam

190-416: A social perception among surrounding tribes that the Bedul's adherence to Islam is not as strong, which can lead to condescension towards them for their religious practices. Conversion to Islam Conversion to Islam is adopting Islam as a religion or faith. People who have converted to the religion often refer to themselves as "reverts." Conversion requires a formal statement of the shahādah ,

228-450: Is considered a sunnah custom that is not mentioned in the Quran but is mentioned in hadith . The majority of clerical opinions holds that circumcision is not required upon entering the Muslim faith. Dawah ( Arabic : دعوة , lit.   'invitation', Arabic: [ˈdæʕwæh] ) is the act of inviting or calling people to embrace Islam. In Islamic theology ,

266-556: Is expected to experience a modest gain of 3.22 million adherents through religious conversion between 2010 and 2050, although this modest impact will make Islam, compared with other religions, the second largest religion in terms of net gains through religious conversion after religiously unaffiliated , which is expected to have the largest net gains through religious conversion . According to The New York Times , an estimated 25% of American Muslims are converts. In Britain, around 6,000 people convert to Islam per year and, according to

304-415: Is no substantial net gain or loss of Muslims due to religious conversion. It also stated that "the number of people who embrace Islam and the number of those who leave Islam are roughly equal. Thus, this report excludes religious conversion as a direct factor from the projection of Muslim population growth." People switching their religions will likely have no effect on the growth of the Muslim population, as

342-477: Is not the site of their conversion to Judaism , but rather to Islam. Ben Zvi mentions a visit by Eliahu Eilat during Passover in 1935, noting that the majority of the tribe was absent from Petra during this time and only returned later. They reportedly numbered seventy individuals at that time. While they lack clear recollections of their Jewish ancestry, they maintain the purity of their lineage and abstain from intermarriage with Arab tribes. A. Musil credits

380-540: The 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel and a large amount of content on the social media platform TikTok in support of Palestine also led to a high amount of conversion to Islam among Generation Z in the Western World. According to Lorenzo Vidino , the high conversion rate to Islam among Generation Z is done out of spite for the establishment, Western values, and capitalism, with many converts picking and choosing from different extreme beliefs that when taken as

418-513: The children of Israel surrounded Petra, Moses declared war on the inhabitants because they refused to accept his religion. All were killed in battle except for twelve who hid themselves in a cave on the top of the mountain, now called Umm al-Biyarah. Moses ordered them to come down. They answered in Arabic: " Inna abdalna, ya Nabi Allah! " ("We have changed, O Prophet of God!"). "What have you changed?" asked Moses. "Our religion, for we accept yours",

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456-900: The Badul or Al-Badan to the Howeitat bin-Gad , also known as the Alawin , who reside in Al-Hamsi. Ben Zvi proposes that both the Liyathnah and Bedul tribes are descendants of Edomites who converted to Judaism during the Hasmonean period, and later fought in the First Jewish–Roman War alongside the Jews. Later, refugees from Jewish communities in Arabia , destroyed by Muhammad, arrived in

494-630: The Bdoul were not devout in their religious practices. They struggled with reciting the opening verse of the Quran and did not pray regularly, unlike the Liyathnah in Wadi Musa who demonstrated more religious observance. Ben-Zvi mentioned that the Bedul make an annual pilgrimage to the Tomb of Aaron . Over time, there may have been changes in religious practices among the Bedul, but there still remains

532-620: The Bedu tribes in Petra and Wadi Rum whose cultural heritage and traditions were recognized by UNESCO , listed on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2005, officially inscribed in 2008. The name "Badul" means "the changing ones", "changer", or "those who converted", which may indicate their conversion to Islam. It is possible that they are of Jewish or Nabatean ancestry. Frederick Gerard Peake argued that

570-510: The Bedul assert Nabatean ancestry creators to resist expulsion and establish themselves as the rightful inheritors of the land. The ethnohistoric study confirms the Bedul's presence in the Petra Valley since at least the early 19th century. While oral history and archaeological evidence suggest continuity prior to that, lack of direct testimony makes specific claims for earlier periods difficult. Abdullah I of Jordan met with sheikhs of

608-490: The Bedul in 1923, led by Hweimel Salem 'Eid. They opted for government trusteeship of Petra's territory in exchange for maintaining traditional rights, thereby avoiding taxation. In his 1942, Claude Scudamore Jarvis described the Bedul practice of wearing minimal clothing, often just a small strap made of animal skins, and their reputation for being wary and agile. Over time, he notes, they became more accustomed to interacting with others, entertaining tourists with dances. In

646-505: The Bedul persisted in traditional activities like goat herding and cereal farming . In the late 1980s, their farming methods remained traditional, relying on manual labor without mechanization. Dairy production, especially the processing of goat milk into yogurt ( laban ) and subsequently into a dried form , plays a significant role. Traditional Bedul dwellings included black goat hair tents, masonry structures in rock shelters , and occupation of Nabataean tombs, with recent focus on

684-522: The Petra area and assimilated with these people. However, their fundamental origins trace back to pre-Arab populations in the region, including Jews, Judaized Edomites, and Nabateans. Claude Scudamore Jarvis noted in 1942 that while their origins remain uncertain, the Bedul are believed to be descendants of Jewish communities that inhabited the region before the Arab conquest . Although the tribe later converted to Islam, he questions their actual adherence to

722-521: The United States. According to The New York Times, an estimated 25% of American Muslims are converts, these converts are mostly African American. According to The Huffington Post, "observers estimate that as many as 20,000 Americans convert to Islam annually.", most of them are women and African-Americans . Experts say that conversions to Islam have doubled in the past 25 years in France, among

760-554: The credo of Islam, whereby the prospective convert must state that "there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." Proselytism of the faith is referred to as " dawah ," and missionary efforts have been promoted since the dawn of the religion in the 7th century. Statistics relating to the amount of converts to Islam are scarce and often unreliable. Converts to Islam may be referred to as "converts," "reverts," or "new Muslims." Many people who have converted to Islam prefer to call themselves "reverts," in reference to

798-604: The latter due to tourist visibility. However, their habitation patterns, including dwelling in Petra's tombs, have likely been diverse and extensive for centuries. The 1980s relocation of the Bedul to Umm Sayhoun improved access to education and healthcare while constraining their traditional livelihoods, leading to a shift towards reliance on tourism for income due to limited participation in traditional agricultural and pastoral activities. However, in years with abundant rainfall, Bedoul from Umm Sayhoun are increasingly reverting to tent living in spring. In 1930, Canaan observed that

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836-516: The message of the Qur'an by providing information on why and how the Qur'an preaches monotheism . Muhammad saw Islam as the true religion and mission of all earlier prophets. He believed that their call had been limited to their own people but that his was universal. His mission as the final prophet was to repeat to the whole world this call and invitation (Dawah) to Islam. Muhammad wrote to various non-Muslim rulers, inviting them to convert. Counting

874-484: The mid-20th century, Ben Zvi described the Bedul as the most impoverished among all Bedouin tribes in Transjordan , sustaining themselves by guiding tourists through the remnants of Petra. According to Tawfiq Canaan , writing in 1930, the Bedul seldom ventured beyond their territory. During the winter months, they dwell in the caves of Petra for up to three months. As spring arrives, they move their encampment near

912-474: The name "Badul", which he translates to "the changing ones", suggests their conversion to Islam . He wrote that local Arabs still point to Umm al-Biyarah, a place situated south of Qasr al-Bint, in close proximity to Petra , as the site of conversion. Tawfiq Canaan recounts the following origin tale about the Bedul as narrated by the Liyathnah , the predominant tribe in the Petra region: "When Moses and

950-437: The natural increase in the Muslim population – i.e., the number of births minus the number of deaths – was 152 million over this period", and it added small net gains through religious conversion into Islam (420,000). According to a 2017 Pew Research Center survey, by 2060 Muslims will remain the second world's largest religion ; and if current trends continue, the number of Muslims will reach 2.9 billion (or 31.1%). It

988-457: The nearby Umm Sayhoun as a permanent settlement for them. While this relocation improved access to education and healthcare, it also impeded on traditional agriculture. This led to a greater reliance on tourism for income, although Goat farming and cereal farming are still practiced. The tribe runs Petra's tourist shops and donkey tours, offers travel guide services and desert camping, and engages in archaeological work. The Bedul are part of

1026-478: The number of converts to a religion is difficult, because some national censuses ask people about their religion, but they do not ask if they have converted to their present faith, and, in some countries, legal and social consequences make conversion difficult, such as the death sentence for leaving Islam in some Muslim countries. Statistical data on conversion to and from Islam are scarce. An expert on Islamic law, M. Cherif Bassiouni, states "The Quran contains

1064-550: The number of people who convert to Islam is roughly similar to those who leave Islam . Another study found that the number of people who will leave Islam is 9,400,000 and the number of converts to Islam is 12,620,000 so the net gain to Islam through conversion should be 3 million between 2010 and 2050, mostly from Sub Saharan Africa (2.9 million). According to a 2017 Pew Research Center survey, between 2010 and 2015 "an estimated 213 million babies were born to Muslim mothers and roughly 61 million Muslims died, meaning that

1102-476: The purpose of da‘wah is to invite people, Muslims and non-Muslims, to understand the worship of God as expressed in the Qur'an and the sunnah of Muhammad and to inform them about Muhammad. Dawah as the "Call towards God" is the means by which Muhammad began spreading the message of the Quran to mankind. After Muhammad, his followers and the Muslim community assumed responsibility for it. They convey

1140-405: The religion, unlike other religions, in which the number of those leaving is greater than the number of converts. 77% of new converts to Islam are from Christianity, whereas 19% were from non-religion . According to Guinness, approximately 12.5 million more people converted to Islam than people converted to Christianity between 1990 and 2000. Despite this, Islam remains, on the global level,

1178-458: The religion. According to Bedul tradition cited by Ohannessian-Charpin, their ancestral tale recounts the flight of five (or seven) forebears from pursuing Muslims, seeking refuge in Petra. Eventually, compelled by circumstances, they surrendered and adopted Islam, hence earning their name from the Arabic phrase " baddalu dinuhum " ("they exchanged their religion"). Ohannessian-Charpin suggests that

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1216-515: The same study, ex-Muslims were more likely to be Christians compared to ex-Hindus or ex-Jews. According to the religious forecast for 2050 by Pew Research Center, between 2010 and 2050 modest net gains through religious conversion are expected for Muslims (3 million) and most of the net gains through religious conversion for Muslims found in the Sub Saharan Africa (2.9 million). The Israel–Hamas war launched in 2023 after

1254-487: The second religion with the second largest number of net converts into the religion, with about 420,000 more people converting to Islam than leaving Islam between 2015 and 2020. This number being surpassed by the number of people (7,570,000) switching from "religious" to "unaffiliated". In 2010, the Pew Forum found "that statistical data for Muslim conversions is scarce and as per their little available information, there

1292-449: The six million Muslims in France, about 100,000 are converts. On the other hand, according to Pew Research , the number of American converts to Islam is roughly equal to the number of American Muslims who leave Islam and this is unlike other religions in the United States where the number of those who leave these religions is greater than the number of those who convert to it, and most people who leave Islam become unaffiliated. According to

1330-572: The town had a population of 1,352, most of them members of the Bedul. In 1996, their population was reported to be 1000 people, belonging to five distinct lineages. The Bedul belong to one of the Bedouin tribes whose cultural heritage and traditional skills were proclaimed by UNESCO on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2005 and inscribed in 2008. The Bedul tribe has been engaged Despite increasing international interest and tourism in Petra ,

1368-480: The wadis, while in the summer, they ascend to the lofty rock peaks or nearby hills. In 1985, the Jordanian government forcibly relocated the Bedul to Umm Sayhoun ( Arabic : أم صيحون ), a new town north of Petra. While this move provided better access to education and healthcare, it also limited traditional livelihoods. The dense settlement strained resources and led many to rely more on tourism for income. In 2004,

1406-572: Was reported in 2013 that around 5,000 British people convert to Islam every year, with most of them being women. According to an earlier 2001 census, surveys found that there was an increase of 60,000 conversions to Islam in the United Kingdom. Many converts to Islam said that they suffered from hostility from their families. According to a report by CNN, "Islam has drawn converts from all walks of life, most notably African-Americans". Studies estimated about 30,000 converting to Islam annually in

1444-724: Was the answer. Since that time, they are known as al-Badul — the people who became changed, or altered. Canaan interpreted this as evidence of Nabatean ancestry. Peake posited that the Jews from Maqna, El-Adhruh and Jarba, who made peace with Muhammad in Tabuk in AH 9, migrated to the Sela region where they eventually converted to Islam, becoming known as the "Badul", i.e. "the changing ones". Ben Zvi supports this theory as more plausible, noting that El-Adhruh and Jarba now lie in ruins between Shoubak and Ma'in . Ben Zvi asserts that Umm al-Biyara

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