Religion in the United Arab Emirates

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Religion in the United Arab Emirates (2005 census)[1]

  Islam (70%)
  Christianity (14%)
  Hinduism (10%)
  Others (including Buddhism and Baha'i faith) (6%)

Islam is both the official and majority religion in the United Arab Emirates followed by approximately 76% of the population.[2] The Al Nahyan and Al Maktoum ruling families adhere to Sunni Islam of Maliki school of jurisprudence. Many followers of the Hanbali school of Sunni Islam are found in Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Ajman.[3] Their followers include the Al Qasimi ruling family. Other religions represented in the country including Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Sikhism are practiced by non-nationals.[4]

Islam[]

Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Islam is the official religion of the United Arab Emirates.
Main article: Islam in the United Arab Emirates
See also: Shia Islam in the United Arab Emirates

The constitution designates Islam as the official religion. There are more Sunni than Shia Muslims in the United Arab Emirates. There are also a smaller number of Ismaili Shias and Ahmadi Muslims.[2] 85% of the Emirati population are Sunni Muslims. The vast majority of the remainder 15% are Shia Muslims, who are concentrated in the Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah. Although no official statistics are available for the breakdown between Sunni and Shia Muslims among noncitizen residents, media estimates suggest less than 20 percent of the noncitizen Muslim population are Shia.[5]

The federal General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) oversee the administration of Sunni mosques, except in Dubai, where they are administered by the Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD). The Awqaf distributes weekly guidance to Sunni imams regarding the themes and content of khutbah with a published script every week which are posted on its website. The Awqaf applied a three-tier system in which junior imams followed the Awqaf khutbah script closely; midlevel imams prepared sermons according to the topic or subject matter selected by Awqaf authorities; and senior imams had the flexibility to choose their own subject for their khutbah. Some Shia religious leaders in Shia majority mosques chose to follow Awqaf-approved weekly addresses, while others write their own khutbah.[6] The government funds and supports Sunni mosques, with the exception of those considered private, and all Sunni imams as considered government employees.[7]

The Jaafari Affairs Council manages the Shia affairs for all of the country, including overseeing mosques and endowments. The council also issues additional instructions on sermons to Shia mosques.[6] The government does not appoint religious leaders for Shia mosques. Shia adherents worship and maintain their own mosques and the government considers Shia mosques to be private. However, Shia mosques are eligible to receive funding from the government upon request. The government allows Shia mosques to broadcast the Shia adhan from their minarets. Shia Muslims have their own council, the Jaafari Affairs Council, to manage Shia affairs, including overseeing mosques and community activities, managing financial affairs, and hiring preachers. The government permits Shia Muslims to observe Ashura in private gatherings, but not in public rallies.[7]

For Muslims, the Sharia is the principal source of legislation. However, the judicial system allows for different types of law, depending on the case. Sharia forms the basis for judicial decisions in most family law matters for Muslims, such as marriage and divorce, and inheritance for Muslims. However, in the case of non-Muslims or noncitizens, the laws of their home country apply, rather than Sharia.[8][9]

Christianity[]

Main article: Christianity in the United Arab Emirates

Catholics and Protestants form significant proportions of the Christian minority. The country has at least 45 churches.[4] The schools in public ownership have no Christian religious education.[10] Many Christians in the United Arab Emirates are of Asian, African, and European origin, along with fellow Middle Eastern countries Lebanon, Syria, and other countries.[11] In April 2020, a Latter-day Saint temple was announced in Dubai.[12]

Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism[]

Main articles: Hinduism in the United Arab Emirates and Sikhism in the United Arab Emirates

Hinduism and Jainism are practiced by a large percentage of the community of Indians and Pakistani Sindhis living in the UAE. To acknowledge the contribution of the Indian business community towards the early development of Dubai as a trade port, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum granted the permission and the land to build a temple complex in Bur Dubai. There is also a Sikh Gurdwara south of Dubai, in Jebel Ali.[citation needed]

Buddhism[]

Main article: Buddhism in the United Arab Emirates

Judaism[]

Main article: History of the Jews in the United Arab Emirates

There is a small Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There is only one known synagogue, in Dubai, which has been open since 2008. The synagogue also welcomes visitors.[13] As of 2019, according to Rabbi Marc Schneier of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, it is estimated that there are about 150 families to 3,000 Jews who live and worship freely in the UAE.[14]

The synagogue in Dubai is supported by the UAE, with the appointment of a Minister for Tolerance in 2016.[15] The Ministry of Tolerance led to the creation of the National Tolerance Programme and official recognition of the Jewish community in the UAE.[16]

Another synagogue is planned to be built in Abu Dhabi, alongside a Mosque and a Church, as part of the Abrahamic Family House.[17]

As of June 2020 community is headed by, the president of the Dubai Jewish Community, Solly Wolf, and Rabbi Levi Duchman. The community has Talmud Torah, Kosher Chicken Shechita and a permanent synagogue located in Dubai.[18][19][20]

Irreligion[]

Main article: Irreligion in the United Arab Emirates

Up to 4% of people reported irreligious beliefs according to a Gallup poll. It is illegal for Muslims,[21] with apostates from Islam facing a maximum sentence of the death penalty under the country's anti-blasphemy law.[22] As such, there have been questions regarding freedom of religion in the United Arab Emirates.

Atheism in the region is mainly present among foreign expatriates and a very small number of local youth.[23][24] According to Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, due to Islam being founded in the Arabian Peninsula over 1,400 years ago, the Persian Gulf region enjoys a long Islamic history and tradition, and it is strongly associated with national identity; thus, any distancing or criticism of religion "equates to distancing oneself from national identity".[25] Al-Qassemi notes that the use of social media via the internet remains the strongest medium of expression for Gulf atheists, while providing anonymity; a pioneering Gulf blogger is the Emirati atheist Ahmed Ben Kerishan, who is known in the Arabic blogosphere for advocating atheist and secular views.[25][26]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "United Arab Emirates International Religious Freedom Report". Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Archived from the original on 2010-11-23. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "The World Factbook". CIA. Archived from the original on 2009-06-17.
  3. ^ Barry Rubin (2009), Guide to Islamist Movements, Volume 2, ME Sharpe, ISBN 978-0765617477, p. 310
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "United Arab Emirates". State.gov. Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  5. ^ "United Arab Emirates 2017 International Religious Freedom Report". US Department of Justice. 2017. p. 2.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "United Arab Emirates 2017 International Religious Freedom Report". US Department of Justice. 2017. p. 8.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "United Arab Emirates 2017 International Religious Freedom Report". US Department of Justice. 2017. p. 9.
  8. ^ "United Arab Emirates 2017 International Religious Freedom Report". US Department of Justice. 2017. p. 5.
  9. ^ "UAE sets out legal overhaul of personal and family law". The National. 7 November 2020.
  10. ^ John Pike (2006-04-17). "United Arab Emirates-Religion". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  11. ^ "Groeiende en vitale kerk in Arabische Golf - Nieuws - Reformatorisch Dagblad". Refdag.nl. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  12. ^ "Dubai to welcome Middle East's first Mormon temple".
  13. ^ Herschlag, Miriam. "For the first time, Dubai's Jewish community steps hesitantly out of the shadows". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  14. ^ "The Jews of Dubai are on the map". ynetnews.com. 5 February 2019.
  15. ^ "Tolerance - The Official Portal of the UAE Government". www.government.ae. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  16. ^ "News". uaecabinet.ae. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  17. ^ "Abu Dhabi: A synagogue,mosque and church, will be in one location".
  18. ^ "A Rose in the Desert: A conversation with Mr. Solly Wolf, president of the Dubai JCC". www.amimagazine.org. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  19. ^ "Kiddush, Torah learning, and gefilte fish in Dubai - Jewish World". Israel National News. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  20. ^ "A robust Jewish life exists in the U.A.E." ynetnews. 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  21. ^ AbOhlheiser. "There Are 13 Countries Where Atheism Is Punishable by Death". The Wire.
  22. ^ "Freedom of Thought Report - Map". freethoughtreport.com.
  23. ^ "Is Gulf youth increasingly drawn to atheism?". The National. 19 August 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  24. ^ "Email from an Arab atheist". Al-Bab. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b Al-Qassemi, Sultan Sooud. "Gulf atheism in the age of social media". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  26. ^ Al-Qassemi, Sultan Sooud (20 December 2011). "Pioneer Bloggers in the Gulf Arab States". Jadaliyya. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
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