What religions were located in the middle east around 1500?

Answer 1

The Middle East is one of the most religiously diverse areas in the world and was this way throughout the 16th century. However, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are considered to be the three biggest religions in the Middle East. As the 16th century progressed, the number of Jews in the Middle East rose due to the Spanish Inquisition driving many Spanish Jews into the welcoming Ottoman Empire. There was also a decrease in the number of Christians within the Middle East as more and more converted to Islam to escape crushing taxes.

ISLAM: Within Islam, the dominant religion of the Middle East: There are different populations of Sunni Muslims of all four major schools (Hanafi, Hanbali, Shafi'i, and Maliki), there are Shiite Muslims from all of the major schools (Ja'afari - Ethna-3asheri, Zaydi, Isma'ili, Alawi, Alevi), there are also Ibadi Muslims.

CHRISTIANITY: There are several forms of Christianity in the Middle East such as the Copts, Maronites, Syriac Christians, Assyrians, Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Syrian Catholics, Melkites, and Armenians. There are smaller communities of Georgian Orthodox, Protestant (usually Anglican), Russian Orthodox, Messianic Jews, and Filipino Catholics.

JUDAISM: There are several forms of Judaism in the Middle East, including Hiloni/Secular, Orthodox, Haredi (of all major schools except Neturei Karta), Hasidic (of all major schools), Masorti, Samaritan, and Karaites.

POST-ISLAMIC RELIGIONS: There are several religious offshoots of Islam in the Middle East that are usually no longer considered Muslims but distinct religions. These include: the Druze and the Baha'i. Some consider the Alawi to be an offshoot of Islam rather than part of Shiite Islam.

OTHER MINORITIES: There are also minority religions like Yezidi, Yarsan, Zoroastrianism, Mandeanism, and Shabakism.