Sunni Muslims are the second largest religious group. Despite these constitutional provisions, some religious minorities suffer discrimination and political oppression. If by "important" you mean those that have a sizeable following, then in theory Shia Islam dwarfs all others. Religious intellectualism in Iran reached its apogee during the Persian Constitutional Revolution. Shi'ism was promoted by great brutality, and thousands were killed. Conversion from Islam to other religions is forbidden. The other religious minorities recognized by the State are Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians. Approximately 10% are Sunnis with the small remainder being a mix of Zoroastrians, Christians, Jews and Baha’i. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com, The 10 Least Populated Countries in Africa, 10 Countries Where Women Far Outnumber Men, The Most Famous Serial Killers In America And Their Twisted Crimes. Around 89% belong to Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 9% belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. Sunnis dogmatic beliefs are seen as the reason for the emergence of extremist sects in Islam. The largest Non-Muslim religious group in Iran are its Christians. Mithraism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are only the most famous religions. In April 2000, 13 Iranian Jews were tried for spying for Israel. The world‘s Muslim population is made up of approximately 80% Sunni Muslims and close to 20% Shia Muslims. Before Islam, the people of Iran also had religions such as Zoroaster, Manichaeism, etc., and after the advent of Islam, they became Muslims. Although Shia Muslims are the largest religious group in Iran, they are a minority group in the Muslim faith. Aryans, or ancient Iranians, worshiped natural elements such as the sun, sunlight and thunder, but they eventually shifted their attention mostly to a single god, whilst acknowledging others. the followers of other religions. The religious minority groups in Iran include Christians, Baha’is, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Mandaeans. Scythians were highly civilized and religious who believed in one heavenly power, but had various idols as well. With the close proximity of these countries, but the differing views on things, mainly religion, creates some conflicts and hostility. After the conquest, Islam became the predominant religion. Shiraz, located in the southwest of Iran and Northwest of Kerman, is capital … They do not have any representation in government. Jews in Iran are recognized by the state as a minority religious group. Shi'i. Sunnis heavily rely on the Prophet Mohamed’s actions and teachings. The Kurds and Turkmen are predominantly Sunni Muslims, but Iran’s Arabs are both Sunni and Shiʿi. [citation needed] In the history of Shia Islam the first Shia state was Idrisid dynasty (780–974) in Maghreb, a region of north west Africa. They also believed in a series of bad beings struggling with good on… This is a religion that is considered one of the oldest monotheistic in the world and had many elements like fre that were central. Groups such as the Baha’i have been victims of oppression in Iran due to their faith. All other types of Islam combine to make up 6% of the total population in the country. A secular and diverse Iran. While the Jews and Christians typically live in peace in Iran, the Baha’is are having major conflicts and many are being persecuted. Iran has many significant populations of religious minorities who live alongside its majority Muslim population. The three major religions are referring to the religions in the Middle East countries, such as Iran, Iraq, etc. by Jonathan Z. Smith, The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran: Rural Revolt and Local Zoroastrianism by Patricia Crone (review), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iranian_religions&oldid=1020459582, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, The early Islamic period saw the development of, Roshanniya Movement, a set of monotheistic teachings of, This page was last edited on 29 April 2021, at 06:11. The beliefs, activities, and cultural events of the ancient Iranians in ancient Iran are complex matters. Historically, Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion in Iran, particularly during the Achaemenid, Parthian and Sassanid empires. Iran is an Islamic state where close to 98% of the population identifies as being Muslim. The Twelvers are the largest group of Shia Muslims. The Iranian government does not officially recognise the existence of non-religious Iranians. Their sentences were eventually reduced. Judaism is among the oldest religion in Iran. On paper, something like 90% of the country is Shia. The constitution allows for religious freedom as long as it is within the provisions of the law. A narrower definition of “Iranian religions before Islam” includes the Indo-Iranian tradition, Zoroastrianism (including the movement of Mazdak), and the pre-Zoroastrian religion of western Iran; in what follows this article will concentrate on these traditions. Christianity is the fastest growing religion in Iran currently. Most Iranians are Muslims. Iranian Jews are allowed to practice their religion, but they have faced periodic prosecution and harassment. Baha’i followers have suffered discrimination in access to higher education and employment in Iran. Christians in Iran date back to the early years of Christianity in the First Century AD. Shia Islam has three main divisions which are Zaidis, Ismailis and Ithna Asharis (Twelvers or Imamis). Iranian religions are religions which originated in Greater Iran. Iran has numerous churches. The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism as official religions. Iran sentences New Age-style Shiite Islam founder to death: 08/27/2017 Iran’s clerics concerned by spread of Christianity among youth: 08/22/2017 Rash of sentences ‘shows government’s fear of growth of Christianity in Iran’ 07/12/2017 Lengthy sentences for Iranian pastor and two converts: 07/05/2017 Our results reveal dramatic changes in Iranian religiosity, with an increase in secularisation and a diversity of faiths and beliefs. Sunni Muslims put much emphasis on the Sunnah, in contrast to Shia Muslims. Currently a few Iranians still practice Zoroastrianism. In that period, Sunni Muslims were forced to convert to Shia Muslims in a nationwide campaign. Iran is a Muslim nation that is guided by Islamic law, and its leaders must adhere to Islamic teachings. Compared with Iran’s 99.5% census figure, we found that only 40% identified as Muslim. The Sunnis are said to be indigenous Iranians who escaped conversion to Shia Muslims during the time of Safavid dynasty. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/religions-that-originated-in-greater-iran.html Long before Christianity or Islam there was another monotheistic religion that dominated ancient Persia. Zoroastrianism was the predominant religion in Iran before the Islamic conquest in 640 AD. All this gave religions in Iran a chance for growing and spreading. The remaining 2% are non-Muslim religious minorities, including Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians, Mandeans, Hindus, and Yarsanis . The nation’s constitution is largely based on Islamic law. The process involved philosophers, sociologists, political scientists and cultural theorists. The process leading to victory for Shi'ism in Iran begins when it becomes the state religion of an effective state, the Safavid dynasty. Small communities of Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians are also found throughout the country. Zoroastrianism was the original state religion of Iran and was one that swayed life for the majority of the people in the nation/ empire. Shia Muslims make up the largest religious group in Iran, comprising an estimated 93% share of the population. Religion in Iran Sunni and Shi'i are the two largest branches of Islam, with the overwhelming majority of Iranians practicing Shi'i Islam. Shia Islam is one of the two main branches of Islam, alongside Sunni. Add these and more to your travel plan The Iranian ancient prophet, Zoroaster, reformed Iranian religious beliefs to a form of Henotheism. The ancient Iranians made references to a combination of several Aryans and non-Aryan tribes. They view Shia Muslims as heretics. The Gathas, hymns of Zoroaster's The Iranian ancient prophet, Zoroaster, reformed Iranian religious beliefs to a form of Henotheism. The Gathas, hymns of Zoroaster's Avesta, brought monotheistic ideas to Persia, while through the Yashts and Yasna, mentions are made to Polytheism and earlier creeds. However, only a few are recognized and protected by the government, creating a dangerous environment for those whose religions are not guaranteed the same rights. The religious make-up of Iran’s population is marked by a paradox: while many religions and sects are present, the overall picture is one of homogeneity, as over 99% of Iranians are Muslims, and of these somewhere between 75% and 90% adhere to Twelver Shi‘ism, Iran’s official state religion for the last five centuries. Religions during Pre-Islam Iran In Achaemenians’ era, under Persians, all subject nations were free to believe in any religions and there was not any religion recognized officially by kings. Also, many of the dynasties ruling in Iran before Islam didn’t have strict religious rules. The beliefs, activities, and cultural events of the ancient Iranians in ancient Iran are complex matters. They are concentrated in the mountainous region of Larestan in Iran. The religion is recognized by the state. Article 13 of the Iranian Constitution, recognizes them as people of the Book and they are granted the right to exercise religious freedom in Iran. Aryans, or ancient Iranians, worshiped natural elements such as the sun, sunlight and thunder, but they eventually shifted their attention mostly to a single god, whilst acknowledging others. How Many Serial Killers Are On The Loose Today. [2] The constitution of Islam, Iran's state religion and minorities The vast majority of Iranians are Muslims, more precisely Shia Muslim, which is the official religion of the Islamic Republic. Religion of Iran The vast majority of Iranians are Muslims of the Ithnā ʿAsharī, or Twelver, Shiʿi branch, which is the official state religion. Their religious books are banned. They were all released by April 2003. Islam has been the official religion and part of the governments of Iran since the Arab conquest of Iran circa 640 AD. They are an oppressed religious minority group. Iran had a substantial community of Isma'ilis, but they fled to India in the 1840's. The peace among religions in Iran All other non-Muslim religions combined constitute 1% of the country’s population. Thus, after the formation of the Safavid government, "Shiism" has always been the official religion of Iran. Nonetheless, the constitution allows non-Muslim minorities to practice their religion. The majority of people believed in four holy elements: light, water, earth and air. Those tried included one rabbi, community members, and a teenager. The last religion to enter Iran was Islam. Shia Islam was established as the state religion during the Safavid dynasty of 1501. Sunni Muslims are the second largest religious group in Iran. [24] It took another few hundred years for Shia Islam to gather and become a religious and political power in Iran. [3], Religions that originated in Greater Iran, Relating Religion: Essays in the Study of Religion The Religions of Iran Today, Shi’a Muslims make up 89% of the religious population in Iran. Judaism is an officially recognized faith in Iran, and in spite of the hostilities between Iran and Israel over the Palestinian issue, the millennia-old Jewish community in Iran enjoys the right to practice their religion freely as well as a dedicated seat in parliament to a representative member of their faith. The group is not recognized by Iranian Government. Aryans believed in a series of good beings that had presented the treasures of nature to human beings the most important of which were light and rain. 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