History of the Middle East balance of power in the Muslim world as Egypt once again emerged as a major power. Religion always played a prevalent role in Middle Eastern culture, affecting learning, architecture, and the ebb and flow of cultures. When Muhammad introduced Islam, it jump-started Middle Eastern culture, inspiring achievements in architecture, the revival of old advances in science and technology, and the formation of a distinct way of life. Islam primarily consisted of the five pillars of belief, including confession of faith, the five prayers a day, to fast during the holy month of Ramadan, to pay the tax for charity (the
Islam in the Republic of Macedonia in 2002. According to the 2002 Census, 46.5% of the children aged 0–4 were Muslim. In 2010, 39.3% of the population were Muslim. Islam is predicted to be become the largest religion in the country by 2050, with over half of the country's population adhering to the faith. Islam in the Republic of Macedonia Muslims in the Republic of Macedonia represent one-third of the nation's total population, making Islam the second most widely professed religion in the country. Muslims in the Republic of Macedonia follow Sunni Islam of the Hanafi madhhab. Some northwestern and western regions of the country have