NonMuslim

Non-Muslim is a generic term used to refer to people who are not adherents of Islam. It describes a religious or cultural identity by contrast with Muslims and includes a wide range of beliefs and affiliations, such as Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Sikhs, adherents of traditional or indigenous religions, atheists, agnostics, and others who do not identify as Muslim.

In sociopolitical and legal contexts, non-Muslim is common as a descriptive category used to distinguish groups or to address issues related to religious freedom, minority rights, or personal-status laws. The label is broad and can be imprecise, because it conjoins many distinct communities that differ in creed, practice, history, and language. It does not imply a shared belief system or cultural uniformity among those categorized as non-Muslim, and some scholars prefer more specific labels for particular communities.

Demographics show Muslims constitute about 24–25% of the world’s population, with non-Muslims making up the remaining majority and including Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Sikhs, and the unaffiliated. The term is used in global and regional studies to discuss interfaith relations, minority rights, and social dynamics.

Usage varies by region. In some countries, governments or institutions use non-Muslim as an official designation for religious minorities or for categorizing census data; in others, the term is less common or avoided to prevent reducing diverse groups to a single category. The label is sometimes criticized for implying a binary distinction between Muslims and everyone else and for masking internal diversity within non-Muslim communities.