Introduction

Currently, there are 57 known Islamic countries in the world that are also directly members of the OIC. Some of them are considered as powerful Islamic Countries that they can even more powerful that they can compete with any European or Western power. All these Islamic countries are called Islamic due to the majority of their Muslim population, while ideologically only Pakistan is there, which came into being in the name of Islam.

All these countries are slightly different from each other in their regional traditions. All these countries have a population of more than two billion and they are 25% of the total population of the world. But the contribution of these countries in the world economy is only 8%. America’s economy alone is bigger than all of them.

Military Strength

The military strength of any country is estimated on the basis of some aspects, including the number of its military personnel, the number of its tanks, fighter planes, ships, and other weapons. Every country allocates a budget for its military to further improve its military strength. The stats of all these Islamic countries are quite surprising in this aspect.

Military Ranking of Powerful Islamic Countries

Below is a list of the top ten most powerful Islamic countries:

1. Pakistan

Pakistan, with a population of around 240 million, 5th most populous country in the world, has become the center of the largest Muslim population in the world. According to the data of 2024, Pakistan had the 7th(1st in Muslim World) most powerful army in the world in start of 2024 but now it stepped down to 12th according to 2025 ranking. We rank Pakistan as the 1st in the Islamic world due to various aspects.

Pakistan has the sixth largest army in the world. It is the first and so far the only Nuclear Power country in the Islamic world. This is the particular reason why we have ranked Pakistan at number one. The number of weapons of Pakistani military is given below.

Pakistan can easily compete with its rivals, with India and Israel at the top. Both Israel and Pakistan were founded on religious ideology and both are nuclear powers.

2. Türkiye

In the list of the top 10 most powerful militaries in the Islamic world, Türkiye ranks 2nd, as it has one of the most advanced militaries in the world. Globally, Türkiye ranks as the 9th most powerful military, according to the 2025 military ranking by Global Firepower. We placed Pakistan 1st instead of Türkiye because it has a significant advantage over all Muslim countries, as it possesses nuclear warheads. The number of weapons that Turkiye has is given below:

Türkiye also has enough potential to compete with its enemies and inflict significant damage due to its immense military power.

3. Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country, with a population of more than 280 million. Globally, its military ranks 13th in 2025. It has one of the largest militaries in the world. The number of weapons possessed by the Indonesian military is given below:

4. Iran

Iran has one of the most powerful militaries in the Islamic world especially in the Middle East. It is considered the most active enemy of Israel, as it has attacked Israel several times. Recently, Iran also launched missiles at Israel during the Gaza War. Iran is trying to become a nuclear power but is facing American sanctions in this regard. The military strength of Iran is given below:

5. Egypt

Egypt has the 19th most powerful military in the world and ranks 5th among the most powerful Islamic countries. It has the strongest military in Africa, with more than 1 million military personnel. Here is the military strength of Egypt:

6. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, ranked 6th on our list of top 10 Islamic militaries, while globally it ranks 24 out of 145. It has one of the most well-equipped armed forces in the Muslim world. As the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula, it plays a crucial role in regional security and geopolitics.

Saudi Arabia’s armed forces are actively engaged in regional conflicts and counterterrorism efforts, reflecting its strategic importance in the Islamic and global military landscape.

7. Algeria

Algeria, ranked 7th on our list of top 10 most powerful Islamic countries by military. It possesses one of the most powerful and well-structured armed forces in Africa. As the largest country on the continent, Algeria maintains a strong military presence. The Algerian military plays a key role in regional stability, counterterrorism operations, and border security.

8. Nigeria

Nigeria, ranked 8th on our list while it stands at 31st globally. It plays a crucial role in regional security. It has a significant Muslim population. Its strategic importance in Africa, combined with its participation in international peacekeeping missions, highlights Nigeria as a key military power in the Islamic world.

9. Bangladesh

Bangladesh is placed at 9th on our list. It has a rapidly modernizing and disciplined armed force that plays a vital role in South Asian security. Despite its relatively small size, Bangladesh has made significant strides in military development, focusing on modernization, defense self-sufficiency, and regional cooperation.

10. Malaysia

Malaysia, ranked 10th on our list of top 10 most powerful Islamic countries, whereas it ranks 42 globally. It maintains a well-trained and technologically advanced armed force, playing a crucial role in Southeast Asian security.

*Note: All the statistics in this report have been gathered from Global Firepower

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