Middle Eastern religions

Middle Eastern religions are those religions asserted to have originated in or arisen to prevalence within the geography of the Middle East, and are typically distinguished from both Western religions and Eastern religions. The term includes Abrahamic religions, which have been predominant in the region for the best part of a millennium,, alongside a range of non-Abrahamic faiths, including those from among the Iranian religions.

The three best-known Abrahamic religions originate from the Middle East: Judaism and Christianity emerged in the Levant in the 6th century BCE and the 1st century CE, respectively, while Islam emerged in Arabia in the 7th century CE. Today, Islam is the region's dominant religion, being adhered to by at least 80% of the population in every Middle Eastern country except for Jewish-majority Israel, religiously diverse Lebanon and Christian-majority Cyprus. Muslims constitute 18% of the total Israeli population, ~67% of the Lebanese population (estimates vary) and 25% of the total Cypriot population, or approximately 2% if Northern Cyprus is excluded from this figure.

There are a number of minority religions present in the Middle East, belonging to the Abrahamic tradition or other religious categories, such as the Iranian religions. These include the Baháʼí Faith, Druzism, Bábism, Yazidism, Gnosticism, Rastafari, Mandaeism, Manichaiesm, Yarsanism, Samaritanism, Ishikism, Ali-Illahism, Yazdânism, Sabianism, Shabakism, and Zoroastrianism. While contemporary Middle Eastern religious practices are overwhelmingly monotheistic, most of the region's ancient traditions were polytheistic, including the Semitic religions and various Iranian religions.