Top 8 Countries with the Largest Muslim Populations Worldwide

Islam is the state religion of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. According to the 2022 census, around 91% of the population, or approximately 150 million people out of 165 million, are Muslims. As a result, Islam has become an integral part of the country's identity. In the late 7th century, Arab Muslims established both commercial and religious connections in the region prior to conquests, primarily through coastal trade. During the pre-Mughal period, evidence of widespread Islamic adoption in present-day Bangladesh is limited, and Islam was mainly associated with the urban elite. Under the Mughal Empire, much of what is now East Bengal was still covered in dense but fertile forests. The Mughals encouraged farmers to cultivate the land, and as the region was largely led by Muslims, Islam became the dominant religion in the area. In the early 13th century, Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji conquered the west and parts of the north, establishing the first Islamic kingdom in Bengal. Indian Muslim missionaries were highly successful in converting large numbers of people in the region.

The Muslim population of Bengal solidified their identity in the 1940s when they united with Muslims from other parts of the subcontinent. They envisioned a society based on Islamic principles. However, by the early 1970s, the Bengal region was increasingly influenced by secular, socialist, nationalist, and democratic ideals. While Islam remained a core aspect of the faith and culture, it no longer served as the sole foundation of the national identity. Thus, Bangladesh was established as a secular state under its constitution, which enshrines principles of secularism, socialism, and democracy. Islam still plays a significant role in the lives and culture of the people, and it remains the official religion, deeply influencing the country's daily life.

Islam is one of the largest religions in Nigeria and also the country with the largest Muslim population in Africa. In 2018, it was estimated that 5% of the population followed Islam. The majority of Muslims live in the northern half of the country, with a significant Muslim minority in the south. Traders from North Africa and the Senegal Basin introduced Islam to Nigeria in the 11th century, making it the first monotheistic faith of the Abrahamic religions in the region.

The origins of Islam in Nigeria are closely tied to the spread of the religion in West Africa. Trade played a key role in bringing Islam to the region. Historically, northern Nigeria was under the rule of several Islamic empires and states, including the Kanem-Bornu Empire, the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire, and the Hausa Kingdoms. Islam began to play an important role in the society of Nigeria. One of the five pillars of Islam, which includes the annual pilgrimage and daily prayers, is regarded as an essential duty for Muslims. The support for incorporating Islamic law, regulating family matters, and the religion's views on personal conduct have been widely accepted in Nigerian society. Nigerian Muslims also fully agree that Islam plays a significant role in the country's politics.

Since 1980, Islam has been the dominant religion and the state religion of Egypt, with approximately 90.3% of the population identifying as Muslim. However, due to the lack of a national census on religion and the underreporting of non-Muslim minorities, the exact percentage of Muslims in Egypt remains uncertain. Christianity, the second-largest religion, is estimated to make up between 5% and 15% of the population.

The process of Islamization began after the Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century, when the Rashidun Caliphate took control of the country from the Christian Byzantine Empire. The Arab rulers often avoided sharing power with the local Christian population in urban areas, leading to the establishment of new settlements. Over time, Christian communities were marginalized under various Islamic regimes. Egypt and other conquered territories in the Middle East underwent a gradual, large-scale conversion from Christianity to Islam, with Islam becoming the dominant religion by the 10th to 12th centuries. During the 19th and 20th centuries, successive governments attempted to limit the influence of Islamic scholars in public life. Religious institutions were placed under increasing state control.

Islam in Egypt is mainly practiced through oral traditions. Religious leaders are often not formally trained and tend to memorize the entire Quran, reciting relevant verses during religious events. They also tell religious stories during village festivals and ceremonies marking individual conversions. Due to widespread gender segregation, men and women often practice their faith in different ways. A particularly unique religious tradition for women is the Zar, a ritual believed to help women who are thought to be possessed by spirits. The Zar leader organizes weekly gatherings, using music and dance to induce a trance-like state in possessed women. Wealthy women may even pay to host private Zar ceremonies at their homes, which are more elaborate than public events and can last for several days. However, despite its past popularity, this practice is now rare and is often criticized as heretical.

The 2011 official census conducted by the government of Iran revealed that nearly 99.98% of the population practices Islam. Islam has been the state religion ever since the Arab conquest in 640 AD. Over several centuries, Islam became a powerful religious and political force in the country. The Iranian Revolution, also referred to as the Islamic Revolution, was a transformation that shifted Iran from a Westernized secular monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to an Islamic Republic. Led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the revolution is considered the third great revolution in history, following the French and Russian revolutions, and marked the rise of orthodox Islam as a political power.

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran officially designates Islam as the state religion. Followers are free to practice their faith according to Islamic law. Religious minorities, including Jews and Christians, are recognized, but citizens must declare allegiance to one of four state-approved religions: Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, or Christianity, in order to enjoy full civil rights. This official classification system excludes other minority religions, particularly the Bahá'í faith, whose members face state-sanctioned persecution for being unrecognized and non-legally existing. The government designates them as “unprotected infidels” and subjects them to discrimination. Similarly, atheism is officially prohibited.

Islam is the predominant religion in Turkey, with approximately 99.8% of the population identifying as Muslim. The majority follow the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. The remaining 0.2% of the population practice Christianity and other officially recognized religions, such as Judaism. During the 7th century conquests, the Arab armies established the Islamic Caliphate, which reached its zenith in the mid-8th century under the Abbasid Empire and the capital’s relocation to Baghdad.

Despite being a secular state, Turkey has mandated religious studies in primary and secondary schools since 1982, with the curriculum primarily focused on Islam. The extent to which other religions are taught varies by school. This policy has sparked debate and criticism both domestically and internationally. However, since the 1980s, the high school religious studies curriculum, through philosophy, has included more comprehensive coverage of other religions. The role of religion in the state has become a divisive issue, as religious factions have challenged the secularization process advocated by Kemalism, leading to a significant revival of Islamic practices.

Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, with 86.7% of the population identifying as Muslim, which equates to approximately 231 million people based on a 2018 survey. Islam was introduced in the late 13th century through Arab traders, followed by missionary activities. The spread of Islam was further supported by the acceptance of local rulers and the conversion of the elite. The influence of Muslim merchants marrying local women played a significant role, with the ruling class gradually embracing the faith. Over time, Islam replaced earlier religions such as animism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, becoming the dominant religion by the end of the 16th century. The process of Islamization was not about eradicating previous cultures but rather integrating local customs and non-Islamic elements into Islamic practices, making them part of a unique cultural and religious tradition.

Islam in Indonesia manifests in a distinct way that reflects Southeast Asian culture. Muslim women in Indonesia enjoy considerable social, educational, and employment freedoms. It is common and widely accepted for women to be active and independent in society. They have high employment rates, social integration, and political rights, including voting. Additionally, many Indonesian Muslims hold progressive views on gender relations. Gender segregation is usually only observed in religious settings, such as mosques or during prayer times. It is normal for boys and girls to study together in public and Islamic schools. However, there is an increasing influence of traditional and orthodox views on gender segregation in public spaces, aiming to limit interactions between the sexes, with some women wearing headscarves refusing to shake hands or converse with men.

In the early medieval period, Islam began to spread widely across the region. Missionaries played a crucial role in converting large populations of Buddhists and Hindus in Pakistan to Islam. These events set the stage for the rise of several successive Islamic empires. Conversion efforts also affected religious minorities in the region. Baba Deen Mohammad Shaikh, a former Hindu missionary from Matli, claimed to have converted over 110,000 people. However, the Pakistan Human Rights Council has reported an increasing number of forced conversions.

Pakistan is now known as the "global hub of Islamic politics." The national identity is built on the notion that the Muslims here form a separate nation with a unique way of life, distinct from the rest of the subcontinent. With 97% of the population practicing Islam, Pakistan has the second-largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia and was the first modern state founded in the name of Islam. The minority Muslim population in Pakistan includes those who follow the Qur'an and non-sectarian Muslims, who are regarded by the Pakistani constitution as non-Muslims, comprising 1% of the population. Islam in Pakistan is seen as a comprehensive framework that has shaped the religious and cultural development of the region for over 150 years, from the British colonial era to the present day. Traditional scholars and their organizations continue to have a significant presence. Pakistan not only inherited various aspects of Islam but has remained a place of profound Islamic significance.

Islam is the second-largest religion in India, with 14.2% of the population, which equates to approximately 172.2 million people identifying as Muslim. India also has the third-largest Muslim population in the world. Following the religion's emergence on the Arabian Peninsula, it began to spread throughout the subcontinent. Islam was introduced to the Indian subcontinent as early as the 7th century when Arabs conquered Sindh, followed by Punjab and northern India in the 12th century. Since then, Islam has become an integral part of the cultural and religious heritage in India. The majority of Indian Muslims belong to South Asian ethnic groups, although there are also some from the Middle East and Central Asia.

Trade relations between the Arabs and the Indian subcontinent have existed since ancient times. Even before the advent of Islam, Arab traders regularly visited the Konkan and Malabar coasts, linking them to Southeast Asian ports. These newly converted Arabs were the first to establish contact with India. Historians Elliot and Dowson wrote in their historical accounts that the first Muslim travelers were spotted on the shores of India in the late 7th century. With the birth of Islam, the Arabs became a significant cultural force worldwide, spreading the new faith wherever they went.