CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Though the majority of Syrians identify with some form of Sunni Islam, the country is home to a vast diversity of religious and ethnic groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Turkmen, Alawis, Twelver Shi’a Muslims, various Christian denominations including Greek Orthodox Christians and Druze, Yezidis, Baha’is, and Jews.

Detailed explanation-2: -According to CIA World Factbook, 87% of Syrians are Muslim, the majority being Sunni Muslims (74%). A further 13% are Shi’a Muslims, following the Alawite (11%), Ismaili (1%) or Twelver Imami (0.5%) sects.

Detailed explanation-3: -Turkey is a secular country with a majority Muslim population. There are no formal statistics on the population’s religious affiliation. National identification cards automatically list any citizen as ‘Muslim’ at birth unless their parents have registered them to a constitutionally recognised minority religion.

Detailed explanation-4: -Religious Demography. The U.S. government estimates the total population at 82.5 million (midyear 2021). According to the Turkish government, 99 percent of the population is Muslim, approximately 78 percent of which is Hanafi Sunni.

Detailed explanation-5: -The most prevalent form of Islam practiced in Turkey is Sunni Islam-another departure from neighboring countries where most people adhere to Shia Islam. Turkey is also known for its Sufi community, an Islamic mystic tradition associated with the city of Konya and the poet Rumi.