Many people follow Islam.
They read a holy book. It is called the Quran. People live in many places. Some live in big groups. They have many ways to live. Can you find these places on a map?
Many people follow Islam.
They look to the Quran for help. They follow the teachings of Muhammad.
There are many different groups. Most people are Sunni. Some people are Shia.
Muslims live in many lands. Most live in Asia or Africa. Indonesia has many Muslims.
Long ago, people made great things. They studied science and art. They also studied medicine.
Today, people follow Islam in many ways. It is a big part of life for many.
The term "Islamic world" describes a large group of people. This group is called the Ummah. It includes all people who follow the beliefs of Islam.
Many people also use the term "Muslim-majority countries." These are lands where most people are Muslim.
Muslims follow the teachings of the prophet Muhammad. They look to their holy book, the Quran, for guidance. Most Muslims belong to the Sunni group. Others belong to the Shia group.
There are also other smaller groups.
Islam has a very long history. It began around 610 CE. During a time called the Islamic Golden Age, people made great leaps in science and art.
They also made progress in medicine and math.
Today, over 1.8 billion people are Muslim. This is more than one-fourth of all people on Earth. Many live in Asia and Africa. Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world.
India has the largest Muslim population outside of Muslim-majority lands.
The terms "Islamic world" or "Muslim world" describe a huge global community. This community is often called the Ummah. It includes everyone who follows the beliefs and laws of Islam.
People also use the term "Muslim-majority countries" to talk about specific lands. These are nations where most people practice Islam. There is no single rule for which countries belong in this group. Some scholars say these terms can be a bit too simple. This is because no country has a population that is all the same. For example, about 10% of people in Egypt are Christian.
Muslims look to the Quran for guidance in their lives. They also follow the mission of the prophet Muhammad.
Most Muslims belong to the Sunni branch, which makes up about 87 to 90 percent of the community. Another large group is the Shia, which is about 10 to 13 percent. There are also smaller groups like the Ibadi in Oman. Some people are called non-denominational if they do not fit into these specific branches. These different ways of thinking have existed for a very long time. They grew from disagreements that happened many centuries ago.
The history of Islam began around 610 CE in Mecca. This was when Muhammad is believed to have received the first revelations of the Quran. In 622 CE, he and his followers moved to Medina. This move is called the Hijra and starts the Islamic calendar.
After Muhammad died in 632, leaders called Caliphs took over. The first four Caliphs are known as the "rightly guided" leaders by many Muslims. During a time called the Islamic Golden Age, the world saw amazing progress. People made great advances in science, medicine, and even technology.
Many powerful empires have shaped this history. Some were called "Gunpowder empires," like the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal states. These empires used new tools like cannons to grow strong.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Mughal Empire ruled much of India. At that time, India was the largest economy in the world. Later, many of these lands came under European colonial rule. This changed how different countries were run. Today, many of these nations are independent and follow different political models.
Islam is currently the fastest-growing major religion in the world. As of 2020, there are more than 1.8 billion Muslims on Earth.
That is more than 25% of all people in the world. Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country. It has about 13% of all Muslims. South Asia has the largest total number of Muslims living together. In Africa, Nigeria has the largest Muslim population. Many different cultures and countries make up this vast and diverse community.
The terms "Islamic world" and "Muslim world" describe a vast global community known as the Ummah. This community includes all people who follow the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam. It also refers to societies where Islam is practiced widely. In modern geopolitics, these terms often describe countries where Islam is the most common religion. However, there are no official rules for which countries must be included in this group. Because of this, many writers prefer the term "Muslim-majority countries."
Islam is a diverse faith with different branches and schools of thought. Most Muslims belong to one of two main denominations: Sunni Islam or Shia Islam. Sunni Islam is the largest group, making up about 87 to 90 percent of the global Muslim community. Shia Muslims make up approximately 10 to 13 percent. There are also smaller groups, such as the Ibadi people found primarily in Oman. Some people are described as non-denominational Muslims if they do not identify with a specific school. These differences often grew from historical disagreements regarding leadership and religious interpretation.
The history of Islam began around 610 CE in Mecca. Muslims believe the prophet Muhammad received the first revelations of the Quran at this time. In 622 CE, Muhammad and his followers moved to Medina. This migration is known as the Hijra, and it marks the first year of the Islamic calendar. After Muhammad died in 632, his successors were called Caliphs. The first four Caliphs are referred to by many as the "rightly guided" or Rashidun. Their conquests helped spread Islam across three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.
During the Islamic Golden Age, the Muslim world saw incredible intellectual growth. Scholars made major advances in science, medicine, philosophy, and technology. Many powerful empires emerged during this time to rule large territories. The Abbasids, Fatimids, and Ottomans were among these influential powers. Some historians use the term "Age of the Islamic Gunpowder Empires" to describe the Safavid, Ottoman, and Mughal states. These empires used new military technology, like cannons and small arms, to expand their reach between the fourteenth and late seventeenth centuries.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Mughal Empire ruled much of the Indian subcontinent. Under the sixth ruler, Muhammad Aurangzeb, the empire followed Sharia and Islamic economics. During this period, India became the largest economy in the world. It was valued at 25 percent of the global GDP. However, a period known as the "Great Divergence" eventually changed this. European colonial powers used their military strength to defeat existing powers like the Mughal Empire. This led to a long period of European colonial domination across much of the Muslim world.
Today, the Muslim-majority states that emerged after decolonization use many different political models. These nations are influenced by both religious and secular trends. Some explore how Islam works with democracy, socialism, or capitalism. The economic scale of these nations is massive. In 2020, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had 57 member states. The combined GDP of these 57 states was US$ 24 trillion. When including five observer states, the total reached US$ 30 trillion. This represents about 22 percent of the entire world's GDP.
Islam is currently the fastest-growing major religion in the world. As of 2020, there were 1.8 billion Muslims, which is more than 25 percent of the global population. The population is spread across many different regions. For example, 91 percent of the population in the Middle East and North Africa is Muslim. In Southeast Asia, the figure is 40 percent, while in Europe, it is 6 percent. Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country, containing about 13 percent of all Muslims. South Asia holds the largest total number of Muslims living in one region.
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