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| Islam by country | |
|---|---|
| Name | Islam by country |
| Classification | Abrahamic |
| Scripture | Qur'an |
| Followers | Muslims |
Islam by country
Islam is a major world religion present across every continent, with adherents forming majorities in many states and significant minorities in others. The distribution of Islam reflects historical empires, trade networks, colonization, migration, and contemporary geopolitics involving actors such as the Ottoman Empire, Mughal Empire, Safavid dynasty, Umayyad Caliphate, and British Raj. National patterns link to institutions like the Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, European Union, United Nations, and regional phenomena such as the Trans-Saharan trade, Indian Ocean trade, and diasporas from Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Morocco, and Algeria.
The global geography of Islam spans states from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran to the Federative Republic of Brazil and the United States of America, with high concentrations in the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Historical conversions occurred during periods like the Islamic Golden Age and through institutions including the Sufism orders such as the Qadiriyya and Naqshbandi. Colonial-era boundaries drawn by treaties such as the Sykes–Picot Agreement and events like the Partition of India reshaped demographic distributions and created transnational communities linked to cities such as Istanbul, Cairo, Karachi, Jakarta, and Dhaka.
Population data vary by source but show Muslim majorities in countries including Indonesia (largest Muslim population), Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria (by region), Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, and Morocco. Significant minorities exist in India, China (notably Xinjiang), Ethiopia, Kenya, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Urban centers such as London, Paris, New York City, Johannesburg, and Milan host diverse Muslim communities linked to migration from places like Somalia, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Census and survey projects by organisations such as Pew Research Center and national statistical agencies reveal trends in fertility, age structure, and concentration in provinces (e.g., Aceh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Riau Islands).
Some constitutions declare Islam as the state religion, for example in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan Muslim League N=linked Pakistan, Bangladesh (constitutional provisions), Jordan, and Morocco (Alaouite monarchy). Others maintain secular constitutions with significant Muslim populations, such as Turkey (historically under the Kemalist reforms), Azerbaijan, and Senegal. Legal systems may incorporate Sharia to varying extents in family courts in countries like Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia (notably Aceh), and Sudan; by contrast, nations such as France and Laïcité-influenced institutions limit religious law in public courts. International agreements, human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and domestic judiciaries (e.g., Supreme Court of Pakistan, Constitutional Court of Turkey) shape implementation.
Sunni Islam predominates in many states, with major schools such as Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali present in places like Turkiye, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Arabian Peninsula. Shia populations are concentrated in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon (linked to communities like Hezbollah and Amal Movement), and parts of Pakistan and Azerbaijan. Other groups include the Ahmadiyya communities in Pakistan and Indonesia, the Ibadi communities in Oman, and Sufi tariqas such as the Chishti in South Asia and the Tijaniyyah in West Africa. Sectarian dynamics intersect with political actors such as Hezbollah, Algerian National Liberation Front, and post-conflict governance in Syria and Iraq.
Islam spread via conquests by the Rashidun Caliphate and Umayyad Caliphate, trade routes linking Mecca and Medina to East Africa and Southeast Asia, and missionary activity by figures like Ibn Battuta and Al-Ghazali. Regional polities—Mali Empire, Songhai Empire, Delhi Sultanate, Ottoman Empire, Safavid Persia, and the Malay Sultanates—shaped local practices, architecture (e.g., Al-Azhar Mosque, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Jameh Mosque of Isfahan), and jurisprudence. Colonial encounters with France, Britain, Portugal, and Spain altered governance and produced reform movements such as Wahhabism in the Arabian Peninsula and modernist currents in Egypt led by figures like Muhammad Abduh.
Muslim communities influence arts, law, scholarship, and public life in countries from Spain (Andalusian legacy) to Indonesia (Islamic education networks) and Nigeria (Hausa and Fulani cultures). Institutions like Al-Azhar University, Darul Uloom Deoband, Aligarh Muslim University, and modern media outlets shape religious education and debate. Celebrations such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha and practices around Hajj link national diasporas to sites in Mecca and Medina, while cultural production from authors like Naguib Mahfouz and filmmakers in Iranian cinema reflect Muslim-majority societies' diversity.
Contemporary trends include demographic growth in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, migration-driven increases in Europe and North America, and conversions affecting communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Transnational labor flows involving Gulf Cooperation Council states, remittances to countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, refugee movements from Syria and Afghanistan, and policy responses in the European Union influence distribution. Research institutions such as Pew Research Center and national censuses document projections showing increases in absolute numbers of Muslims worldwide, with variability driven by fertility, urbanization, and religious switching in countries including United Kingdom, Germany, and France.