The first article of the constitution of the Republic of Yemen states that Yemen is an Islamic state . The constitution also says that the state religion of Yemen is Islam (Article 2), and Islamic Sharia serves as a source of legislation (Article 3). Non-Muslims are forbidden to preach their faith; Yemeni Muslims are forbidden to switch to another religion [1] . Christian immigrants were given the opportunity of free worship only in private homes [2] .
Most of the inhabitants of Yemen are Muslims. Representatives of other religions also live in the country - Christians , Hindus , Baha'is , Jews , etc.
Content
Islam
The vast majority of the inhabitants of Yemen (99%) are Muslims [3] . At the same time, slightly more than half of the Yemeni Muslims are Shafiite Sunnis . Shafiites prevail in the south of the country and near the coastal strip. There, near the coastal strip, a small community of Hanithic Hanifites settles . In the extreme east of the country there is a small number of Malikite Sunnis.
A large Shiite community is represented in Yemen (8–10 million believers; 35–40% of Muslims [4] ). Shiites prevail in the north of the country, where they made up the majority in the Yemen Arab Republic . The largest group of Shiites are Zeidites ; there are especially many of them in the mountainous part of the country . Zeidites make up the vast majority of residents of Sa'ad and San governorates. In Aden, there are Shia-twenties . The country also has a small group of Ismailis .
In eastern Yemen, there are representatives of Ibadism , a Kharijite Muslim movement that differs from both Sunnis and Shiites. The number of supporters of some near-Muslim groups is growing in the country, primarily Ahmadis .
Hinduism
The second largest (after Islam) religion in the country is represented by Hindus . In 2010, 155 thousand followers of Hinduism lived in Yemen; Hindus made up 0.6% of the population of Yemen [3] . All of them are immigrants from South Asia, primarily from India and Pakistan. A Hindu temple is functioning in Aden [5] .
Christianity
In Yemen there is approx. 40 thousand Christians. Some of them are Europeans and Americans living in the country. Also, it is assumed that in Yemen there are communities of crypto Christians who are forced to hide their faith [6] . According to some reports, 2.5 thousand local residents and another 15-25 thousand immigrants from Ethiopia and Eritrea are crypto-Christians [7] .
By the number of followers, Protestants (30 thousand) are the largest Christian movement in Yemen. Protestants are represented by several faiths, primarily Pentecostals (7.1 thousand in 2000 [8] ). In Aden, the temple of the Anglican church is opened.
The number of Catholics is estimated at 6 thousand people. Among immigrants from Ethiopia and Eritrea there are supporters of ancient eastern churches - Ethiopian and Eritrean .
In Yemen, cases of persecution of Christians are regularly recorded.
Judaism
It is believed that Jews began to settle in Yemen before the fall of the First Temple [9] [10] . There is ancient evidence of the presence of the Jewish community dating back to the 3rd century BC. e. until the III century AD e. [11] [12]
In 1948, 55 thousand Jews lived in Yemen, and 8 thousand Jews in the British colony of Aden . Most of them, Israel evacuated by air in 1949-1950.
According to estimates, in 2010, up to 1.3 thousand Jews remained in the country [3] . They live mainly in the north of the country, in the city of Sana'a and are artisans and small traders; There are two synagogues in Yemen. The emigration of Jews from Yemen continues; So, in 2011, approx. 150 Jews.
Others
According to the World Christian Database in 2005, the Bahá'í community numbered 1.3 thousand people in the country [13] . Also, Zoroastrians (1.3 thousand), Jains , Buddhists and Sikhs (about a hundred followers each religion) live in Yemen.
The number of agnostics is estimated at 22 thousand people, another 4.8 thousand inhabitants of Yemen are atheists [3] .
Literature
- Gusterin P. Yemen Republic and its cities. - M .: International Relations, 2006.
Notes
- ↑ J. Gordon Melton . Yemen // Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices / J. Gordon Melton , Martin Baumann. - Oxford, England: ABC CLIO, 2002 .-- P. 1438-1440. - 1510 p. - ISBN 1-57607-223-1 .
- ↑ Bernard J. Power. Yemen // The Encyclopedia of Christianity / Erwin Fahlbusch, Geoffrey William Bromiley. - Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008 .-- Vol. 5 volume - P. 824-825. - 866 p. - ISBN 9780802824172 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 J. Gordon Melton . Yemen // Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices / J. Gordon Melton , Martin Baumann. - Oxford, England: ABC CLIO, 2010 .-- S. 3151. - 3200 p. - ISBN 1-57607-223-1 .
- ↑ Mapping the Global Muslim Population . Pew Research Center (October 7, 2009). Date of treatment July 2, 2015.
- ↑ Yemen . International Religious Freedom Report . Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs (2008). Date of treatment July 2, 2015.
- ↑ David B. Barrett, George Thomas Kurian, Todd M. Johnson. Yemen // World Christian Encyclopedia: A Comparative Survey of Churches and Religions in The Modern World / David B. Barrett (Editor), George T. Kurian (Editor), Todd M. Johnson (Editor). - New York : Oxford University Press , 2001 .-- T. 1. - P. 810-811. - 876 p. - ISBN 0-19-510318-1 .
- ↑ Anna Kovaleva. In Yemen, about 2.5 thousand local Christians are forced to pray secretly so as not to become victims of persecution . About 2.5 thousand Christians live in Yemen, forced to secretly practice their faith. Another 15 thousand to 25 thousand are immigrants, refugees from Somalia and Eritrea, where the persecution of Christians is even more severe. . Sedmitsa.RU / Church Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" (January 31, 2013) . Date of treatment July 2, 2015.
- ↑ Yemen // New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, The / Stanley M. Burgess, Eduard M. Van Der Maas. - Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan; Exp Rev edition, 2002 .-- S. 281. - 1328 p. - ISBN 0310224810 .
- ↑ electronic Jewish encyclopedia
- ↑ mishmar.info Archival copy of October 19, 2012 on the Wayback Machine of the Jews of Yemen. From the Queen of Savva to the present day.
- ↑ לוי נחום, ספר התעודה ליהודה, עמ '21; וכן ב- "תרביץ", שנה מ"ב, ף חוברת ג-ד, תשל"ג. (Hebrew)
- ↑ Jewry The Jews of Yemen: Studies in Their History and Culture Book by Yosef Tobi; Brill, 1999. 304 pgs .
- ↑ Most Baha'i Nations (2005 ) . The Association of Religion Data Archives. Date of treatment March 7, 2014.
See also
- Christianity in Yemen
- Protestantism in Yemen
- Catholicism in Yemen
- Yemeni Jews