Muslims

Muslims, literally those who submit to God's will, are the community of more than 1.3 billion practitioners of one of the world's major and fastest growing religions, Islam. Although Islam began in the Middle East in the Arabian Peninsula, the largest populations of Muslims today live in Central, South, and Southeast Asia in countries such as India (with more than 100 million Muslims) and Indonesia (with more than 160 million Muslims). Islam also is expanding in Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Despite their diversity, Muslims share a belief in one God who sent messages to humankind through His prophets, the last of whom was Muhammad. Anthropologists have contributed to the study of Muslim communities around the world through research on topics such as economic strategies, sectarian and ethnic divisions, and gender relations.

Historical Background

The prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca, a prosperous Arabian town, in570 AD. At 40 years of age, while meditating in a cave near Mecca,Muhammad received revelations from God and began reciting [Page 1652]these to the people of Mecca. The words comprise the Quran, Islam's holy book and the last, final, perfect revelation from God, according to Muslims. The Quran mentions many people also found in both the Old Testament and New Testament, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John the Baptist, Mary, and Jesus. Following persecution by some Meccans,Muhammad and his followers migrated to Medina, where they formed a community of faith, the umma. The Hijra, or emigration to Medina, in622 marks the first year in the lunar Islamic calendar. The Muslim community returned to Mecca in triumph in 630, gaining many more adherents. During the early years after Muhammad's death in632, Islam spread rapidly through North Africa and north and eastward in Asia to many groups in addition to the Arabs.

The orthodox majority of Muslims, comprising 90% of the total, are known as Sunnis (from the word sunna,Arabic for “customary conduct,” referring to the practices Muhammad observed). The Shia, whose origin comes from disputes over appropriate leadership after Muhammad, comprise a minority of approximately 10 to 15%; however, they control the state in Iran and are the majority in Iraq. Shiism has been divided into numerous sects since the eighth century. Most are known as Imamis or Twelvers because they accept 12 imams or leaders, from the 1st, Ali, to the 12th, who is believed to have hidden himself away only to return later to restore justice prior to the end of the world. Others include the Ismailis (Seveners) and the Zaydis, both of whom recognize imams who are not accepted by the Imamis.

Source: © Earl & Nazima Kowall/CORBIS.