Islam

Percentage of Muslims by country

Islam is an Abrahamic and monotheistic religion based on the teachings of Muhammad and the writings contained in the Quran. It is the major religion of up to 49 countries in the northern part of the African continent, West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia, with the majority of Muslims located in Asia. It shares many features with Judaism and Christianity such as the prophets Abraham and Moses. There are about 1.9 billion Muslims in the world, making it the world's second largest religion after Christianity.

History

Muhammad

Muhammad founded Islam in 620 when he told a small group of followers that he had seen visions and that God (Allah) had spoken to him. He was driven out of Mecca in 622 and fled to Medina, where he formed a mass movement. He and his army returned to Mecca in 630 and took control of western-central Arabia, but Muhammad died in 632.

Rashidun Caliphate

Muhammad's first two successors, Abu Bakr and Umar, directed their armies against the Persian and Byzantine empires, who had already been weakened by massive wars. Islam quickly spread, with Muslims conquering Damascus (Syria), Ctesiphon (Iraq), Cairo, and Alexandria (Egypt) by 642. Their use of camels allowed them to easily travel across deserts and ambush larger armies. Muslim rulers tolerated previous religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, although many of their followers converted. Muslim rule usually increased quality of life as taxes were lowered and landlords fled. The second, third, and fourth caliphs (Umar, Uthman, and Ali) were all murdered, and Mu'awiya took power in 661 following a civil war and founded the Umayyad Caliphate.

Umayyad Caliphate

The Umayyads took power in 661 and held power for a century while developing strong literature, art, and agriculture. They conquered Kabul in what is now Afghanistan in 664. Their armies quickly crossed North Africa and invaded the Iberian Peninsula, which they fully controlled by 711.

Abbasid Caliphate

In 750, Abu al-Abbas led a revolution against the Umayyads and established the Abbasid Caliphate.

Divisions

Sunni and Shia

The Sunni-Shia divide stems from a 7th-century dispute over leadership succession following the death of Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE. Shia Muslims assert that leadership rightfully belonged to Ali ibn Abi Talib (Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law) and his descendants, whom they revere as divinely appointed and infallible Imams. Central to Shia practice is the annual commemoration of the martyrdom of Ali’s son Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala (680 CE).

Sunni Muslims acknowledge Ali as the fourth and final Rashidun (‘Rightly Guided’) caliph but accept the legitimacy of earlier caliphs, including Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman. While Sunnis recognize Mu’awiya I (founder of the Umayyad Caliphate) as a historical ruler, they do not endorse him religiously, viewing conflicts such as the First Fitna (656–661 CE) between Ali and Mu’awiya as political rather than theological disputes. Modern Shias maintain devotion to the Imams as core to their identity, whereas Sunnis regard Ali as a respected early leader and Mu’awiya neutrally within the broader context of Islamic history.

Wahhabism

Wahhabism is a reactionary form of Islam created by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in the 18th century in central Arabia. It seeks to return to the conditions of the seventh century and is supported by the Saudi monarchy.