Religion

Islam (Sunni)

Sacred bookThe Quran, interpreted in light of the Sunnah (the body of sayings and example of Muhammad, recorded in the hadith) and of the consensus (ijma) of Islamic scholars on how to apply these teachings.
OriginIn AD 632, after Muhammad died without a clearly designated successor, a group of his closest companions, meeting in Medina, chose Abu Bakr as the first caliph (leader of the community), and most Muslims accepted that choice. This acceptance of leadership chosen by the community, rather than determined by family line, gave rise to the Sunni branch, today the majority in the Islamic world.
FounderMuhammad (AD 570 to 632) is regarded as the prophet who received the revelation of Islam. Sunnis recognize as legitimate his first four successors, known as the rightly guided caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali), who came to power in different ways: Abu Bakr was acclaimed by the companions, Umar was appointed by Abu Bakr, Uthman was chosen by a council of six companions and Ali was acclaimed in Medina. In no case was kinship with the prophet the criterion.
1.7 billion
Followers worldwide
22%
Of world population
Indonesia
Where most live
Where most live
Pakistan 204M followers Türkiye 84.5M followers Sudan 45M followers Morocco 37.9M followers Saudi Arabia 33.8M followers Yemen 27.6M followers Niger 22M followers Somalia 20.2M followers Tunisia 12.3M followers Kyrgyzstan 6.3M followers Kuwait 2.7M followers Lebanon 1.8M followers Comoros 833K followers Maldives 523K followers

Estimate: the religion's percentage in each country multiplied by the country's population.

What it is
Overview

Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. It took shape soon after the death of the prophet Muhammad in the 7th century, when most of the Muslim community accepted that the leaders who followed him should be chosen by the community, and not necessarily be his direct descendants. Sunnis follow the Quran and the tradition of the prophet recorded in the accounts called hadith. Unlike Shia Muslims, they do not believe in infallible imams, that is, leaders descended from Muhammad who would be guided by God without error.

According to the Pew Research Center (2025), there are about 2.0 billion Muslims in the world, 25.6% of the global population, and 85% to 90% of them are Sunni: roughly 1.7 billion people, close to 22% of humanity. The countries with the most Muslims, the great majority of them Sunni, are Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Egypt, Nigeria and Turkey also have large Sunni populations, as does Saudi Arabia, the country where the holy cities of Mecca and Medina are located. It is the predominant branch in most of the Muslim world.

Dialogue between Christians and Sunni Muslims has ancient roots, including references to Jesus himself, who is recognized in the Quran as a prophet, though not as the Son of God. This common ground, together with shared values of prayer, fasting and the fear of God, offers a real basis for respectful conversations about who Jesus is and what he truly offered humanity.

These are peoples of strong daily devotion, which makes faith a subject that is always present and relevant in their lives.

Pillars and practices
1
Shahada
The declaration of faith that sums up Islamic belief: 'There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.' Saying it sincerely is the act that formally makes someone a Muslim.
2
Salat
The five obligatory daily prayers, performed at set times (dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset and night), always physically facing Mecca.
3
Zakat
Obligatory almsgiving, usually calculated at about 2.5% of the wealth held over a year, given to the poor and needy as a purification of one's personal wealth.
4
Sawm
The obligatory fast during the month of Ramadan, from dawn to sunset, abstaining from food, drink and marital relations as a spiritual exercise in self-discipline.
5
Hajj
The pilgrimage to Mecca, required at least once in a lifetime of every Muslim who is physically and financially able, and made during a specific period of the Islamic calendar.
Beliefs and practices
What is believed
The authority of community consensus (ijma)
Sunnis believe that decisions about leadership and the interpretation of Islamic law should be made by the consensus of scholars and the community, and not by a special hereditary line.
The legitimacy of the four rightly guided caliphs
Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali are regarded as Muhammad's legitimate successors, chosen on merit and accepted by the community rather than for kinship, and they stand as a model of just leadership to be remembered with respect.
No centralized clergy
There is no single religious hierarchy with final authority. The interpretation of Islamic law (sharia) is spread among scholars (ulama) and different classical schools of law, with a certain degree of accepted diversity.
The six articles of faith
Belief in one God (Allah), in the angels, in the revealed holy books, in the prophets (including biblical figures such as Abraham and Moses), in the Day of Judgment and in the divine decree over everything that happens.
Jesus as a prophet, not the Son of God
Jesus (Isa) is recognized as a great prophet and messenger, born of a virgin, but not as divine. The Quran (4:157) also denies that he was crucified, so there is no death on the cross for sins, which sets this belief in direct contrast with the Christian faith.
Sharia as a guide for all of life
Islamic law, derived from the Quran and the Sunnah, is seen as guidance for every aspect of the believer's personal, family, social and economic life.
Dates and practices
Ramadan
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, devoted to daily fasting from dawn to sunset, more intense prayer and reading of the Quran.
Eid al-Fitr
The festival that marks the end of Ramadan, celebrated with congregational prayer, festive meals and gifts to the poor.
Eid al-Adha
The festival of sacrifice, which recalls Abraham's willingness to obey God, celebrated with the ritual sacrifice of an animal and coinciding with the period of the Hajj.
How they live
The five daily prayers
A Sunni Muslim's day is structured around the prayer times, traditionally announced by the call to prayer (adhan) and performed facing Mecca, alone or in a group.
Halal food
Specific dietary rules are followed: avoiding pork and alcohol, and requiring that meat be slaughtered according to the halal method permitted by Islamic law.
Modest dress
Men and women follow principles of modesty in dress, which vary widely by culture and region, including the wearing of the veil (hijab) by many women.
The role of the mosque and Friday congregational prayer
The Friday midday prayer (jumu'ah), held together at the mosque with a sermon, is the main weekly moment of communal worship.
Religious education for children
From an early age, children learn to recite the Quran, often by heart, and are taught the foundations of Islamic faith and practice at home and in religious schools.
Brief history
AD 610
According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad receives the first revelations that would form the Quran, in Mecca.
AD 622
The Hijra: Muhammad migrates from Mecca to Medina, the event that marks the start of the Islamic calendar.
AD 632
Muhammad dies without a formally designated successor, which starts the dispute over the leadership of the Islamic community.
AD 632
Abu Bakr is chosen as the first caliph by a group of Muhammad's companions meeting in Medina, and is accepted by the majority who would come to be called Sunni.
AD 634 to 661
The other rightly guided caliphs (Umar, Uthman and Ali) succeed one another, a period of rapid territorial expansion of Islamic rule across the Middle East and North Africa.
AD 661
The period of the rightly guided caliphs ends with the assassination of Ali, which hardens the division between the Sunni majority and the group that supported Ali's line.
AD 661 to 750
The Umayyad Caliphate turns Islamic leadership into a hereditary dynasty, which Sunnis accept as the legitimate political authority of its time.
8th to 9th centuries AD
The main Sunni schools of law (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali) take shape and systematize the interpretation of sharia still followed by Sunnis around the world.
How to engage in dialogue
Countries where it is the majority religion 54
Indonesia Pakistan Bangladesh Egypt Iran Türkiye Sudan Iraq Algeria Afghanistan Yemen Uzbekistan Morocco Saudi Arabia Malaysia Ivory Coast Niger Syria Mali Burkina Faso Chad Kazakhstan Somalia Senegal Guinea Tunisia Jordan Tajikistan Azerbaijan United Arab Emirates Sierra Leone Turkmenistan Libya Kyrgyzstan Lebanon Palestine Oman Mauritania Kuwait Eritrea Bosnia and Herzegovina Qatar Gambia Albania Guinea-Bissau Kosovo Bahrain Djibouti Comoros Western Sahara Maldives Brunei Mayotte Cocos Islands
Unreached peoples of this religion 1.871 in total
Shaikh +5

Shaikh

103.9M people
8 unreached locations

Turk +35

Turk

66.8M people
38 unreached locations

Hausa +13

Hausa

59.1M people
16 unreached locations

Persian +36

Persian

48.4M people
36 unreached locations

Sunda

Sunda

37.3M people
1 unreached location

What to pray for
Intercession
For the Sunnis of Indonesia and Pakistan, the largest communities of this branch, for hearts open to knowing who Jesus truly is.
For Turkey and Sudan, for freedom for Christians and Muslims to talk with one another without fear.
For Saudi Arabia, land of the holy cities of Islam, for seeds of the gospel quietly planted.
For Morocco, Yemen, Niger and Somalia, for peace amid political and religious instability.
For Sunni Muslims who already recognize Jesus as a prophet, that they may also come to know him as Savior.
For families who face rejection when they consider following Christ, for courage and supportive communities.
Pray for respectful dialogue between Christians and Sunnis, overcoming centuries of mutual mistrust.

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