Fully 100% of Muslims in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Tunisia say they believe there is only one God and that Muhammad is His Prophet. This profession of faith, known as the shahadah, is the first and most basic of the Five Pillars of Islam. Bearing witness to this belief is the traditional means by which an individual becomes a Muslim.

To gauge the degree to which the shahadah is central to Muslim identity, an August survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life asked, “Do you believe in one God, Allah, and His Prophet Muhammad?” In the majority of countries surveyed, overwhelming percentages confirm that they subscribe to this belief.

In the Middle East and North Africa, the profession of faith is an almost universal creed among self-identified Muslims, with no fewer than 98% in all seven of the countries surveyed saying they believe in God and His Prophet Muhammad. Similarly high percentages in Southeast Asia and South Asia share in this core profession of faith. Read More