How the young Muslim generation are changing the world

Industry players have started adjusting to fulfil the population’s demands, which communications consulting company Ogilvy Indonesia estimates would contribute up to US$2.6 trillion (Bt91 trillion) to the world’s lifestyle and halal food industry by 2020.
Shelina Janmohamed, author of “Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World”, said it was particularly important to pay attention to the young Muslim generation, or Gen M.
“If we look at the way the global population is going to grow, there will be more Muslims and they will also become the younger part of (the world). 
“They are located in the countries where the economies are rising fast,” she said recently.
The British Muslim author said one in three Muslims were under 15 years of age and two in three Muslims were under 30. 
In 2010, 14 per cent of the global Muslim population was under 30. 
“This generation is very young, cool, tech-savvy, confident, proud of their identity as a Muslim, creative, dynamic and energetic,” she said.
The young generation, which “believes that being faithful and modern go hand in hand”, had specific characteristics. 
For instance, the youth who “feel they can make the world a better place and that their faith is helping (them) in making the world better” will try to find their place in the world. 
One of the ways is through “consumption of products and services that they feel will help them to live the better, modern Muslim faithful life.”
Examples are Islamic finance, halal food, media and recreation, Muslim travel, halal pharmaceuticals, Muslim fashion and halal cosmetics, the vice president of Muslim market-centred Ogilvy Noor noted.
This generation possesses different traits from older generations. 
Gen M might be interested in arts, culture and entrepreneurship and have a different view on social issues, such as the age of marriage and gender relationships in a household. 
“This generation will always consider whether what they are doing is an expression of being a Muslim, irrespective of what the media, the older generation, the traditionalists might tell them.”
In her book, she wanted to present to the world insights of the younger Muslim generation’s life, while addressing the existence of the “scrutiny of Muslims, whether it’s in the news, in the media or in the politics because of the rise of the discussion of terrorism”.