Islam in Asia began in the 7th century during the lifetime of Muhammad. In 2020, the total number of Muslims in Asia was about 1.3 billion, making it the largest religion in Asia. Asia constitutes in absolute terms the world's largest Muslim population, and about 62% of the world's Muslims live in Asia, while Indonesia having the most Muslims of the world in a country, and several others with Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia having large Muslim populations in the world. Asia is home to the largest Muslim population, with West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia being particularly important regions. A number of adherents of Islam have lived in Asia especially in West Asia and South Asia since the beginning of Islamic history.

History The spread of Islam outside of the Arabian Peninsula and into other parts of the continent can be linked to the extensive trade routes connecting West Asia to China.

The Barmakid family was an early supporter of the Abbasid Revolution against the Umayyads and of As-Saffah. This gave Khalid ibn Barmak considerable influence, and his son Yaḥyā ibn Khālid (d. 806) was the vizier of the caliph al-Mahdi (ruled 775–785) and tutor of Hārūn ar-Rashīd (ruled 786–809). Yaḥyā's sons al-Faḍl and Ja'far (767–803) both occupied high offices under Harun. Many Barmakids were patrons of the sciences, which greatly helped the propagation of Indian science and scholarship from the neighboring Academy of Gundishapur into the Arabic world. They patronized scholars such as Gebir and Jabril ibn Bukhtishu. They are also credited with the establishment of the first paper mill in Baghdad. The power of the Barmakids in those times is reflected in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights; the vizier Ja'far appears in several stories, as well as a tale that gave rise to the expression “Barmecide feast”.

Many of the early governors of the Caliphate were Barmakids. Khalid ibn Barmak built Mansura, Sindh and later Baghdad. His son was the governor of what is now Azerbaijan.

Demographics

Central Asia

+CountryTotal PopulationMuslim PercentageMuslim Population18,744,54870.2%13,158,672 6,019,48090.6%MAPPING THE GLOBAL MUSLIM POPULATION . A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Muslim Population. Pew Research Center. October 20095,194,8118,734,95198.0%8,560,2515,851,46696.1%5,459,41732,653,90096.5%31,511,013Central Asia72,004,34590.6%66,884,164

East Asia

+CountryTotal PopulationMuslim PercentageMuslim Population1,447,620,3501.8%26,057,1667,450,0004.2%320,000660,0001.5%10,000126,420,0000.19%230,00025,610,6720.02%5,00051,635,2560.38%196,4543,231,2005.0%121,56023,577,4880.3%70,732East Asia1,633,202,4163.13%26,889,352

South Asia

+CountryTotal PopulationMuslim PercentageMuslim Population49,552,56699.7%49,403,908165,000,00090.4%149,100,000727,1450.2%Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project: Bhutan . Pew Research Center. 2010.7,0001,338,270,00015.6%213,000,000378,114100%378,11429,218,8674.4%1,285,630231,085,59096.50%200,400,00021,444,0009.7%2,080,068South Asia1,817,333,30332.43%620,083,325

Southeast Asia

+CountryTotal PopulationMuslim PercentageMuslim Population460,34582.7%380,70516,204,4862%312,5401,291,3580.3%4,000266,500,00086.7%231,070,0007,126,706 0.1%8,00032,730,00063.5%20,623,14055,123,8144.15%2,300,000112,018,2936.4%6,981,7105,888,92615.6%918,67268,414,135 5.0%3,420,70696,160,1630.1%196,000Southeast Asia679,726,70040.8%277,346,378

West Asia

+CountryTotal PopulationMuslim PercentageMuslim Population2,975,0000.03%1,00010,027,87496.9% 9,727,0381,496,30081.2%1,214,995854,80025.4%217,1193,723,46410.7%463,06281,871,50099%81,052,78539,339,75398.0%38,552,9578,930,68017.7%1,580,73010,261,30094.0%9,645,6224,226,92085.0%3,592,8826,093,50954.0%3,200,0004,651,70699.0%4,605,188 4,816,50393.0%,4,479,3472,561,64377.5%1,985,27333,413,660100.0%33,413,66018,284,40787.0%15,907,43480,810,52599.8%80,648,9039,582,34080.0%7,665,87228,915,28499.1%28,915,284West Asia352,837,16879.45%326,869,151

References

External links

Islam in Asia at the Open Directory Project