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Islam: Quick Facts

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News •

From ink to sacred text, Malaysia's Quran makers blend craft and faith • Nov. 10, 2026, 8:13 PM ET (AP)
They fled persecution in Myanmar. In Muslim-majority Malaysia, Rohingya still struggle to belong • Nov. 5, 2026, 10:44 PM ET (AP)
Saudi Arabia says drone intercepted near Islam's holiest city, and other Mideast news • Oct. 30, 2026, 8:10 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As Al-Islām

Did You Know?

  • Islam is the second most practiced religion globally.
  • One year in the Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles and lasts around 355 days.
  • Consumption of alcohol and pork is forbidden in Islamic tradition.

Photos and Videos

Abu Darweesh Mosque
A young Muslim girl wearing a white hijab reads the Qur'an, following the Arabic text with her finger.
Prophet's Mosque
Averroës
Spain: Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
World map showing the global distribution of Islam, with countries shaded in varying tones of green to indicate the estimated percentage of the population practicing Islam. Darkest green represents countries with 95-100 percent Muslim populations, including much of North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Central and South Asia. Lighter greens show lower percentages, while most of Europe, the Americas, Australia, and East Asia are shaded to indicate less than 25 percent Muslim population.
World map using color-coded regions to show the predominant religions in each area during the early 1980s. Christianity, Islam (Sunni and Shi'i), Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese and Japanese religions, Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Sikhism, indigenous religions, Judaism, nonreligious populations, and uninhabited areas are all represented by different colors and symbols, with a legend explaining each. The map highlights religious majorities by region, such as Christianity in th
Muslim pilgrims at Mecca
Why Ramadan is one of the holiest months for Muslims
Find out why Eid al-Fitr is also called the Festival of Breaking Fast
The History of the Dome of the Rock
Observing Ramadan at a German mosque
Learn about the spread of Islam in North Africa while observing Muslims praying at a mosque
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

Medina, Saudi Arabia: Prophet's Mosque
Muhammad
prophet of Islam
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Muḥammad I Askia
Songhai ruler
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Ibn Taymiyyah
Muslim theologian
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Iranian religious leader
Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Mughal emperor
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan
Muslim scholar
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Ibn Ḥazm
Spanish Muslim scholar
Maḥmūd Ghāzān
Maḥmūd Ghāzān
Mongol ruler of Persia
A scholar and reformer
Muḥammad ʿAbduh
Egyptian scholar and jurist
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Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī
Persian scholar
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Kabir
Indian mystic and poet
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Theōdūrus Abū Qurrah
Syrian bishop
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Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th earl of Minto
British official
Shirdi Sai Baba temple
Shirdi Sai Baba
spiritual leader
Aḥmad Grāñ
Aḥmad Grāñ
Somalian Muslim leader
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Aga Khan III
Nizārī imam
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Kijai Hadji Ahmad Dachlan
founder of Muhammadiyah
Nesimi, Seyid Imadeddin
Seyid İmadeddin Nesimi
poet
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Iskandar Muda
sultan of Aceh
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Sayyid Amir Ali
Indian political leader

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