Islam in the Modern World: Diversity and Debate

Islam is the world's second-largest religion, with roughly 1. 9 to 2 billion followers, and the majority live in Asia and Africa rather than the Arab world; the countries with the largest Muslim populations include Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Since the 19th century, Muslims have debated how to respond to colonialism and modernity.

Reformers such as Muhammad Abduh argued that Islam was compatible with reason and science; others emphasized a return to early sources; and the 20th century saw secular nationalism, Islamist political movements, and Iran's 1979 revolution. A small minority of extremist groups have used violence in Islam's name, and their actions have been condemned by most Muslim scholars and organizations. Muslim communities also live as minorities in Europe and the Americas, debating identity, education and religious practice in plural societies.

Studying modern Islam requires avoiding stereotypes and recognizing a huge diversity of cultures, sects and views.