Shia Islam in the United Arab Emirates

Shia Islam is practiced by a minority of Muslims in the United Arab Emirates. It is also practiced among expatriate Muslim communities living in the country, most notably Iranians,[1][2] as well as some Arabs, Pakistanis, Indians, and other nationalities.[3] Non-Twelver Shia branches such as Ismailis and the Dawoodi Bohras are also present in the UAE and account for less than 5% of the total population.[4] Despite this, there has been a pattern of several thousands of Shia citizens forcibly made to quit their jobs and/or being deported over the last ten years.

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The Iranian Mosque in Bur Dubai.

Background

The UAE is a Muslim-majority country. Part Seven of the UAE Constitution declares Islam as the official state religion. In Dubai, the government appoints all imams, whether Sunni or Shia, as well as regulating religious sermon content preached in mosques. Shia mosques are designated by the government as private, but are able to apply for government funding upon request. Most Shias are concentrated in the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah./>

Society

Shia citizens in the UAE, a section of which are of Iranian origin, have historically been an important segment of the business community, as well as enjoying representation in the UAE's political establishment.[5][6]

In recent years, a sizable number of Shia Muslim expatriates have been deported from the UAE.[7][8][9] Some Lebanese and Iraqi Shia families in particular have complained of deportation for allegedly harbouring sympathy for Hezbollah[10][11] but the majority were given no reason at all for their deportation. According to some organizations, the number of such deportees is over 6,000.[12]

Mosques

There are numerous Shia mosques in the country. Amongst the well-known are the Iranian Mosque in Bur Dubai and the Iranian Mosque in Satwa.[13] In 2003, the Aga Khan announced the opening of the first Ismaili center in the Middle East in Dubai. The land it was built on was gifted by then Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.[14]

See also

References
  1. Cavendish, Marshall (2006). Peoples of Western Asia. Marshall Cavendish Corporation. p. 535. ISBN 9780761476771. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  2. O'Regan, David (2004). International Auditing: Practical Resource Guide. John Wiley & Sons. p. 287. ISBN 9780471476955. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  3. "Sunnis and Shia: Islam's ancient schism". BBC. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  4. "United Arab Emirates". The World Factbook (CIA). 24 June 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  5. Marschall, Christin (2003). Iran's Persian Gulf Policy: From Khomeini to Khatami. Routledge. p. 42. ISBN 9781134429912. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  6. Nasr, Vali (2007). The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 109. ISBN 9780393066401. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  7. "Shiites deported from Gulf lament injustice". Daily Star. 4 July 2013.
  8. "Concern over deportations from Gulf Arab states". rte.ie. 5 July 2013.
  9. "UAE urged to allow appeal on deportations". Financial Times. July 2013.
  10. "UAE deportations raise questions in Lebanon". Global Post. July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  11. "Lebanese Shiites Ousted from Gulf over Hizbullah Ties". naharnet.com. July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  12. Ana Maria Luca (5 June 2013). "Hezbollah and the Gulf". Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  13. Thomas, Gavin (2003). Frommer's Dubai and Abu Dhabi Day by Day. John Wiley & Sons. p. 43. ISBN 9780470684597. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  14. "Aga Khan announces first Ismaili Centre in Middle East". December 13, 2003. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
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