WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Islam is the most widely followed religion in the Middle East. About 20% of the world’s Muslims live in the Middle East, and about 85 percent of people in the Middle East are Muslim. Islam is a monotheistic religion, teaching belief in one God (Allah) and is based on the Quran.

Detailed explanation-2: -Arabian polytheism, the dominant form of religion in pre-Islamic Arabia, was based on veneration of deities and spirits. Worship was directed to various gods and goddesses, including Hubal and the goddesses al-Lāt, al-’Uzzā, and Manāt, at local shrines and temples such as the Kaaba in Mecca.

Detailed explanation-3: -What we mean by the “Islamic world” thus takes on new meaning: Muslims were the undisputed rulers of the Middle East from the seventh century onward, but they presided over a mixed society in which they were often dramatically outnumbered by non-Muslims.

Detailed explanation-4: -Religious Identity Among Muslims in the Survey Self-identified Sunnis make up a high percentage of Muslims in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa. Across these three regions, the median percentage of Sunnis is two-thirds or more.