ABSTRACT
The estimates of the number of Muslims in 2002 vary from 1.2 billion to 1.5 billion. According to a conservative estimate, one sixth to one seventh of the world’s people is Muslims (Waslien, 1992). According to the Center for American Muslim Research and Information, New York, one fourth to one fifth of the world is Muslim. A figure of 1.3 billion quoted by Chaudry (2002) seems to be the best estimate. In 1976, 57 countries were reported to have a Muslim majority, accounting for about 800 million people in 1980 (Noss, 1980), which rose to over 1 billion in 2002.
