Muslims

Muslims are people who adhere to <a href="/facts/Islam/zDLbL45C">Islam</a>, a <a href="/facts/Monotheism/scRUM2It">monotheistic</a> religion belonging to the <a href="/facts/Abrahamic_religions/y9z2Wf9q">Abrahamic</a> tradition. They consider the <a href="/facts/Quran/39rkStko">Quran</a>, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the <a href="/facts/God_in_Abrahamic_religions/N9Sn37DE">God of Abraham</a> (or <a href="/facts/Allah/7U7KpU9p">Allah</a>) as it was revealed to <a href="/facts/Muhammad/5VcA7XrT">Muhammad</a>, the last <a href="/facts/Islamic_prophet/WPWy6Gdp">Islamic prophet</a>. Alongside the Quran, Muslims also believe in previous <a href="/facts/Islamic_holy_books/55nIK4Vh">revelations</a>, such as the <a href="/facts/Tawrat/PBbxyzy2">Tawrat</a> (<a href="/facts/Torah/BdJr9IFo">Torah</a>), the <a href="/facts/Zabur/182TxBfn">Zabur</a> (<a href="/facts/Psalms/QbfaqRCY">Psalms</a>), and the <a href="/facts/Injeel/u5FF9kn3">Injeel</a> (<a href="/facts/Gospel/oC3s2MdL">Gospel</a>). These earlier revelations are associated with <a href="/facts/Judaism/tjQ5Tgs6">Judaism</a> and <a href="/facts/Christianity/nKyJHlqq">Christianity</a>, which are regarded by Muslims as earlier versions of Islam. The majority of Muslims also follow the teachings and practices attributed to Muhammad (<a href="/facts/Sunnah/fmXN1E1q">sunnah</a>) as recorded in traditional accounts (<a href="/facts/Hadith/8aKKCttq">hadith</a>).
With an estimated population of almost 1.9 billion followers as of 2020 year estimation, Muslims comprise around 25% of the world's total population. In descending order, the percentage of people who identify as Muslims on each continental landmass stands at: 45% of <a href="/facts/Islam_in_Africa/M9qnlqzr">Africa</a>, 25% of <a href="/facts/Islam_in_Asia/B0Twoy7a">Asia</a> and <a href="/facts/Islam_in_Oceania/era1foEh">Oceania</a> collectively, 6% of <a href="/facts/Islam_in_Europe/lH1JPn25">Europe</a>, and 1% of the <a href="/facts/Islam_in_the_Americas/NAFbrb7N">Americas</a>. Additionally, in subdivided geographical regions, the figure stands at: 91% of the <a href="/facts/MENA/nzoEKNlK">Middle East–North Africa</a>, 90% of <a href="/facts/Islam_in_Central_Asia/QUJ12bBd">Central Asia</a>, 65% of the <a href="/facts/Caucasus/sE8P8Ejg">Caucasus</a>, 42% of <a href="/facts/Islam_in_Southeast_Asia/tkHqBsoz">Southeast Asia</a>, 32% of <a href="/facts/Islam_in_South_Asia/JTeu4PvS">South Asia</a>, and 42% of <a href="/facts/Sub-Saharan_Africa/p4u389aa">sub-Saharan Africa</a>.
While there are several <a href="/facts/Islamic_schools_and_branches/jmWNJqPb">Islamic schools and branches</a>, as well as <a href="/facts/Non-denominational_Muslims/XBxzehAa">non-denominational Muslims</a>, the two largest denominations are <a href="/facts/Sunni_Islam/WYo0zeq0">Sunni Islam</a> (75–90% of all Muslims) and <a href="/facts/Shia_Islam/JIQl7ooz">Shia Islam</a> (10–13% of all Muslims). By sheer numbers, South Asia accounts for the largest portion (31%) of the global Muslim population. By country, <a href="/facts/Islam_in_Indonesia/RJyy1px2">Indonesia</a> is the largest in the <a href="/facts/Muslim_world/n9vVGogr">Muslim world</a>, holding around 12% of all Muslims worldwide; with <a href="/facts/Pakistan/cbIsvJy1">Pakistan</a> having the second largest number of Muslims in the world after Indonesia. Outside of the Muslim-majority countries, <a href="/facts/India/1kKHcnxM">India</a> and <a href="/facts/Islam_in_China/jdCJcdnx">China</a> are home to the largest (11%) and second-largest (2%) Muslim populations, respectively. Due to high <a href="/facts/Muslim_population_growth/l0Wm6Q62">Muslim population growth</a>, Islam is the <a href="/facts/Growth_of_religion/xf3ApH5z">fastest-growing religion</a> in the world. Muslims have <a href="/facts/Persecution_of_Muslims/2geADI3y">experienced persecution</a> of varying severity, especially in China, India, some parts of Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Muslims open-in-new

Muslims