Religion

The majority of Somalis identify as Muslims, and Islam is the official state religion of Somalia. Most adhere to the Shafi'i school of Islamic law and the Sunni branch of Islam. Islam plays a significant role in the formation of the Somali national identity, giving all Somalis a shared identity regardless of their tribe or cultural heritage.

All Somalis prioritize their religious beliefs in their daily lives. Compared to certain other Muslim African communities, Somalis tend to be more pious. The concept of a "non-practising Muslim," for instance, is extremely uncommon in Somalia, where everyone is required to practice Islam to some extent. However, Somalis are fairly tolerant within the Islamic faith despite being very religious. In fact, it's typical to hear Somalis identify as "liberal" or "moderate" Muslims.

In Somalia, which has a majority of Muslims and over 10 million residents, Christianity is a minority faith with only about 1,000 adherents. Although a small number of ethnic Somalis practiced early Christian Orthodoxy prior to the advent of Islam, the majority of contemporary Christian adherents are from the Bantu ethnic minority or are descended from Italian colonizers and are members of the Evangelical and Wesleyan Church of the Nazarene. The Diocese of Mogadi is the sole Catholic diocese in the nation.