Muslims
The word muslim or moslem is the active participle of the same verb from which islām derives, based on the triliteral S-L-M meaning to be whole or intact. For most of the 20th century, English speakers preferred the spelling Moslem, but this has now fallen into disuse. The Associated Press instructed news outlets in the United States to switch to Muslim in 1991, making it the standard thereafter. In the United Kingdom, the Daily Mail was the last major newspaper to use Moslem, switching to Muslim in 2004. Many Muslims opposed the older spelling because the s sound often became a z sound, matching the Arabic triliteral 3-l-m with negative meanings including the word for oppressor. Until at least the mid-1960s, writers used Mohammedans or Mahometans, terms that some argue imply worshiping Muhammad rather than God. In medieval Europe, Muslims were commonly called Saracens. The plural form in Arabic is muslimūn or muslimīn, and its feminine equivalent is muslimāt.
To become a Muslim, one must utter the Shahada declaration of faith before witnesses, stating there is only one God and Muhammad is His messenger. This statement normally recited in Arabic reads: I testify that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. In Sunni Islam, the shahada contains two parts: la ilaha illa'llah and Muhammadun rasul Allah. Shia Islam adds a third part concerning Ali as the wali of God. Quranist Islam limits the testimony to the first phrase alone. The Qur'an describes many prophets within Judaism and Christianity as Muslim, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. These figures submitted to God, preached His message, and upheld values like prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. When asked about beliefs, it is recommended to say in-sha'allah I am Muslim, since only God knows the future state of belief. Among Asharites, this phrasing shows humility and longing for improvement because creatures have no assurance until life ends. Only the Khawārij developed an understanding of Muslim identity based mainly on adherence to liturgical and legal norms.
As of 2020, Muslims made up about 25.6% of the global population, or roughly 2 billion people. Indonesia holds 12.7% of all world Muslims, followed by Pakistan at 11.0%, Bangladesh at 9.2%, Nigeria at 5.3%, and Egypt at 4.9%. About 20% of the world's Muslims live in the Middle East and North Africa. Non-majority India contains 10.9% of the world's Muslims, making its community the largest Muslim-minority population globally. Ethiopia has 28 million Muslims, China has 22 million, Russia has 16 million, and Tanzania has 13 million. In 2010, 49 countries had Muslim majorities where Muslims comprised more than 50% of the population. A Pew Center study found that 79% of the world's Muslim population lives in Muslim-majority countries while 21% reside in minority regions. Muslims have the highest number of adherents under age 15 at 34% of the total population, with only 7% aged 60 or older. The fertility rate for Muslims stands at 3.1 compared to the world average of 2.5.
Over 87, 90% of Muslims are Sunni, making this the dominant division throughout history. Shia Islam comprises 10, 13% of all Muslims, forming the second largest sect. Other movements like Ahmadiyya, Quranism, and Ibadism collectively count for about 1% of the global Muslim population. While most people in the Middle East identify as either Sunni or Shia, a significant number identify as non-denominational. The majority of theological traditions accept that works do not determine if someone is a Muslim; God alone knows belief. Only the Khawārij developed an understanding based mainly on adherence to liturgical and legal norms. In Islamic theology, the Qur'an describes prophets from Judaism and Christianity as Muslim because they submitted to God and upheld His values. These figures include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, and his apostles. Before the Qur'an, God gave the Tawrat to prophets among the Children of Israel, the Zabur to David, and the Injil to Jesus.
Early forms of Muslim culture from the Rashidun Caliphate to early Umayyad period were predominantly Arab, Byzantine, Persian, and Levantine. With rapid expansion of Arab Islamic empires, Muslim culture influenced and assimilated much from Indonesian, Pakistani, Hindustani, Bengali, Nigerian, Egyptian, Persian, Turkic, Caucasian, Malay, Somali, Berber, and Moro cultures. Arab Muslims form the largest ethnic group among Muslims worldwide, followed by Bengalis and Punjabis. The religious practices of Muslims are enumerated in the Five Pillars: declaration of faith, daily prayers, almsgiving, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime. Cultural practices common to Muslims historically reflect this blend of traditions across diverse regions. As Islam spread, it absorbed local customs while maintaining core theological principles. This evolution created distinct global identities that vary significantly between South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
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Common questions
What is the origin and meaning of the word Muslim?
The word Muslim derives from the Arabic triliteral S-L-M, which means to be whole or intact. It functions as an active participle of the same verb from which Islam originates.
When did English speakers stop using the spelling Moslem for Muslims?
Most English speakers preferred the spelling Moslem until the 1990s when the Associated Press instructed news outlets in the United States to switch to Muslim in 1991. The Daily Mail became the last major newspaper in the United Kingdom to use Moslem, switching to Muslim in 2004.
How many Muslims were there globally as of 2020?
As of 2020, Muslims made up about 25.6% of the global population, totaling roughly 2 billion people. Indonesia holds 12.7% of all world Muslims, followed by Pakistan at 11.0% and Bangladesh at 9.2%.
Which countries have the largest Muslim populations outside majority-Muslim regions?
Non-majority India contains 10.9% of the world's Muslims, making its community the largest Muslim-minority population globally. Ethiopia has 28 million Muslims, China has 22 million, Russia has 16 million, and Tanzania has 13 million.
What percentage of Muslims are Sunni versus Shia?
Over 87.9% of Muslims are Sunni, making this the dominant division throughout history. Shia Islam comprises 10.13% of all Muslims, forming the second largest sect while other movements collectively count for about 1%.