Shia In Bahrain: Exploring The Religious Dynamics

Bahrain is a small island country in West Asia, situated in the Persian Gulf. It has a population of around 1.5 million people and is officially known as the Kingdom of Bahrain. The country is ruled by a Sunni-led constitutional monarchy, with the Al Khalifa royal family at its head. However, the majority of Bahrain's citizens are Shia Muslims, estimated to be around 55-60% of the population. This religious divide has led to political tensions and protests, with Shia Muslims often feeling marginalised and underrepresented in the government. While Bahrain has a history of intercommunal peace, recent years have seen an increase in civil unrest, with Shia refugees facing displacement, religious segregation, and suppression of free speech.

Shia Muslims are the majority in Bahrain, but the country is ruled by a Sunni royal family

The Al Khalifa family arrived in Bahrain in 1783 and established a Sunni-dominated monarchy. While the country gained independence from British rule in 1971, the Al Khalifa family retained their position as the ruling monarchy. Bahrain has a bicameral parliamentary system, with the upper house, the Council of Representatives, playing an advisory role to the king. Despite Shia Muslims accounting for an estimated 55-60% of the country's citizen population, they are consistently underrepresented in the Council of Representatives, which always has a Sunni majority.

This underrepresentation is due in part to the gerrymandering of electoral constituencies, which favour Sunni areas. In addition, the Al Khalifa family has been accused of manipulating the citizen naturalisation process to increase the number of Sunni citizens, granting nationality to police recruits from Jordan, Pakistan and other countries. As a result, the Shia community in Bahrain often feels disenfranchised and marginalised, with limited representation in the country's political institutions.

The tensions between the Shia majority and the Sunni-led government came to a head in 2011, when Shia-led protests erupted across the country. These protests were met with a violent crackdown by the government, resulting in mass arrests, torture and the detention of men, women and children. Shia mosques and cemeteries were also destroyed during this period. The protests and their suppression led to a wave of Shia refugees fleeing the country, facing displacement and religious segregation.

Despite the country's history of intercommunal tensions, the current atmosphere in Bahrain is relatively peaceful. However, the Shia community continues to face discrimination and barriers in accessing basic necessities, healthcare and fair trials. While the Al Khalifa family has made efforts to bring religious groups together, there is still a stark divide between the Shia majority and the Sunni-led government, with the Shia community seeking greater political representation and reform.

Shia Muslims in Bahrain have faced suppression of free speech, displacement, and religious segregation

Shia Muslims in Bahrain have historically faced suppression of free speech and religious segregation. The country has a Shia majority, estimated at 55-60% of the Muslim population, but it is governed by the Sunni royal family, the Al Khalifas, who arrived in Bahrain in 1783. The Shia community's aspirations for greater political representation and democratic reforms have often been met with resistance and repression from the ruling regime.

The Al Khalifa family's rule has been characterised as a "system of political apartheid based on racial, sectarian, and tribal discrimination." Shia Muslims face restrictions in accessing high-ranking official positions, and the government has been accused of promoting immigration of Sunnis and granting them citizenship to dilute the Shia majority. This marginalisation of Shia Muslims has led to economic disparities, with the Shia community facing worse economic circumstances overall.

The Shia community in Bahrain has also experienced displacement and segregation in various forms. Shia refugees often live in ghettos or slums, which are sometimes masked by new infrastructure funded by donations from Arab nations seeking to quell civil unrest. The naturalisation process has been tinkered with since 2012 to disrupt demographics and weaken the Shia influence in political institutions.

Shia Muslims in Bahrain have been subjected to detention, torture, and the destruction of their mosques and cemeteries. The government's response to Shia protests has been harsh, with widespread arrests, including of women and children, and reports of torture. Shia religious leaders and scholars have also been targeted, with some being arrested, exiled, or placed under house arrest.

The Bahraini government's treatment of Shia Muslims has drawn criticism from international human rights organisations and foreign governments. Human Rights Watch has described Bahrain's human rights record as "dismal," noting that torture is a regular part of the legal process. The US and UK governments have also expressed concern over the discrimination and human rights abuses faced by the Shia community in Bahrain.

The situation for Shia Muslims in Bahrain remains challenging, and while the most egregious human rights violations may have subsided, the underlying issues of disenfranchisement and sectarian tensions persist. Efforts to address these issues and promote reconciliation between the Shia and Sunni communities are ongoing.

Shia Muslims are barred from obtaining basic necessities like food, water, and shelter

Shia Muslims in Bahrain, who make up the majority of the country's Muslim population, have faced discrimination and marginalization at the hands of the ruling Sunni royal family, the Al Khalifa. While Bahrain has witnessed a great deal of sectarian tension over the years, with the Sunni-dominated monarchy often at odds with the Shia majority population, the situation has improved slightly in recent years.

Shia Muslims in Bahrain have long been barred from obtaining basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter. They face higher unemployment rates, limited social mobility, and lower socioeconomic status compared to their Sunni counterparts. The government has been accused of discriminating against Shia citizens, giving preferential treatment to Sunnis in areas such as education, military and security services, and government positions.

The Shia community in Bahrain has also faced restrictions on their religious freedoms. While the constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to perform religious rites, Shia Muslims have faced harassment, intimidation, and detention for their religious practices. The government has been known to restrict the rights of Shia Muslims to worship and profess their beliefs, with Shia religious figures expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of inclusion of Shia doctrine in Islamic studies in public schools.

The situation has led to civil unrest and protests, with Shia activists calling for political reform and an end to discrimination. While there have been some efforts towards reconciliation and improving Shia rights, the institutions that facilitated the abuses of power remain largely intact, and more work needs to be done to address the oppression and poverty faced by Shia Muslims in Bahrain.

The Bahraini government has been accused of violating the human rights of Shia Muslims and other groups

The Bahraini government has been accused of harassing and targeting Shia clerics and prosecuting them on charges of illegal gathering and "inciting hatred" of the government. There have also been reports of torture and ill-treatment of Shia prisoners, including forced confessions, electric shocks, beatings, and attempted rape. The government has also been accused of destroying Shia mosques and cemetery sites, and preventing Shia Muslims from reaching the main Shia mosque in Bahrain.

In addition to the persecution of Shia Muslims, the Bahraini government has also been criticized for its treatment of stateless people, known as Bedoon, who are descendants of Iranians and face discrimination and denial of basic rights. The government has also been accused of racism against ethnic Iranians and Shia Bahrainis, as well as restrictions on freedom of expression and association, and curbing activists and former opposition members from public participation.

Shia Muslims in Bahrain are largely sympathetic towards Iran, which lies across the Gulf

Shia Muslims in Bahrain have historically been sympathetic towards Iran, which lies across the Gulf. This is evidenced by the celebration of the victory of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, which resulted in protests against the Sunni Al Khalifa government. The Al Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain since arriving from Najd in 1783.

The Shia population in Bahrain has faced economic and political marginalisation under the Sunni ruling family. According to The Guardian, when the Al Khalifa family began to govern Bahrain, Shia landowners were reduced to peasants. Today, high-ranking official positions are predominantly held by Sunnis, and the Shia majority faces worse economic circumstances overall.

A 2023 survey by the Washington Institute sheds light on the divergent attitudes of Bahrain's Sunni and Shia citizens towards Iran. While only 2% of Bahraini Sunnis express a positive view of Iran's regional policies, 68% of Shia citizens view them favourably. Additionally, 60% of Shia citizens believe it is important for Bahrain to maintain good relations with Iran, compared to only 5% of Sunnis.

The survey also reveals that there is relatively little sympathy among Bahrain's Shia population for Iran's violent militia allies in the ongoing sectarian proxy wars in the region. For example, Hezbollah is viewed negatively by 95% of Sunnis and 62% of Shia citizens. Similarly, the Houthis of Yemen are disapproved of by 90% of Sunnis and 71% of Shia citizens.

Despite the differing attitudes towards Iran, the survey highlights surprising areas of consensus between Bahrain's Sunni and Shia citizens. Both groups generally support coexistence and cooperation between Arabs and prioritise internal political and economic reform over foreign policy issues. Additionally, both sects express a desire for better relations with the United States and support for Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

Frequently asked questions