Non-denominational Muslim

Islam has a long history. Like with other religions, over time, people started to disagree with each other, and groups of people started to see things in one particular way. In Islam, these groups are called schools of thought, or branches. Sometimes, they are rfered to as denomination. Big schools of thought are Sunnis, Shias, and Ibadis, but there are also smaller ones. Most Muslims feel that they belong to one of these schools of thought. Some believe that they don't, or that they cannot easily be classified as belonging to one particular school of thought. They are called Non-denominational Muslims (Arabic: مسلمون بلا طائفة, romanized: Muslimūn bi-la ṭā’ifa).^[1] The think of themselves as "just Muslims" or "non-denominational Muslims."^[2] Muslims who do not adhere to a sect are also known as non-sectarian Muslims.^[3] Unlike Sunnis, Shias, and Ibadis, non-denominational Muslims are not affiliated with any school of thought (madhhab).^[4][5][6]

Most people in the Middle East identify as either Sunni or Shi'a. But there are still many Muslims who identify as non-denominational.^[7] According to a 2012 study by the Pew Research Center, Muslims who identify as "just Muslim" make up a majority of the Muslims in eight countries: Kazakhstan (74%), Albania (65%), Kyrgyzstan (64%), Kosovo (58%), Indonesia (56%), Mali (55%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (54%), Uzbekistan (54%), and a plurality in four countries: Azerbaijan (45%), Russia (45%), Nigeria (42%), and Cameroon (40%).^[8] They are found primarily in Central Asia.^[8] Kazakhstan has the largest proportion of Muslims who do not identify with a sect, who constitute about 74% of the Muslim population.^[8] According to WorldAtlas, 30% of Moroccans are non-denominational Muslims, while two-thirds belong to the Sunni denomination.^[9] Southeastern Europe also has a large number of Muslims who do not identify with a sect.^[8]