The term Muslim world (also
known as the Ummah or Islamosphere has several meanings. In a religious sense,
the Islamic Ummah refers to those who adhere to the teachings of Islam, referred
to as Muslims. In a cultural sense, the Muslim Ummah refers to Islamic
civilization, inclusive of non-Muslims living in that civilization. In a modern
geopolitical sense, the term Islamic Nation usually refers collectively to
Muslim-majority countries, states, districts, or towns.As of 2010, over 1.6
billion or about 23.4% of the world population are Muslims.Of these, around 62%
live in Asia-Pacific, 20% in the Middle East-North Africa, 15% in Sub-Saharan
Africa, around 3% in Europe,Muslim history involves the history of the Islamic
faith as a religion and as a social institution. The history of Islam began in
Arabia with the Islamic prophet Muhammad's first recitations of the Quran in the
7th century.During much of the 20th century, the Islamic identity and the
dominance of Islam on political issues have arguably increased during the early
21st century. The fast-growing interests of the Western world in Islamic
regions, international conflicts and globalization have changed the influence of
Islam on the world in contemporary history.The Islamic Golden Age, also
sometimes known as the Islamic Renaissance,is traditionally dated from the 8th
to 13th centuries C.E.The Islamic Golden Age was under the Abbassid Dynasty,
which ruled from mid 8th until mid 13th century.Islamic culture became a
blending of Arab, Persian, Egyptian, and European traditions. The result was an
era of stunning intellectual and cultural achievements.