Religion in Saudi Arabia

Islam is the state religion of Saudi Arabia.^[1] As the "home of Islam" where the prophet of Islam lived and carried out his mission,^[2] the kingdom attracts millions of Muslim Hajj pilgrims annually, and thousands of clerics and students who come from across the Muslim world to study.^[3] Approximately 100% of its citizens are Muslim^[4] and most of its large population of foreign workers are as well.^[5] Hanbali is the official version of Sunni Islam and it is used in the legal and education systems.^[6]^[1] The Basic Law of Saudi Arabia states that it is the duty of every citizen to defend Islam.^[1]

Religion in Saudi Arabia has had a reach beyond its borders as since the 1970s the Saudi government has spent tens of billions of dollars of its petroleum export revenue throughout the Islamic world and elsewhere promoting Islam and specifically the strict revivalist Salafi school based on the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. However in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, eliminated many of Wahhabi restrictions (bans on amusement parks, cinemas, driving of motor vehicles by women, etc.),^[7] though not government controls on religious expression.^[8]

The government places restrictions on religious freedom.^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13] Foreigners attempting to acquire Saudi Arabian nationality must either already be Muslim or convert to Islam.^[14] Proselytizing/promotion of any non-Islamic religion is forbidden per a 2022 law.^[1]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d US State Dept 2022 report
^ Cite error: The named reference Bradley Exposed p145 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference NYROB only was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference factbook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference hrw-2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Robert Murray Thomas Religion in Schools: Controversies Around the World Greenwood Publishing Group 2006 ISBN 978-0-275-99061-9 page 180
^ Cite error: The named reference Boghani-1-10-2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Ali, Ali; Khaled Abou El Fadl, Khaled (17 April 2019). "How MBS's "Reforms" Are Impacting Saudi Scholars: Interview with Khaled Abou El Fadl". Maydan. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ Open Doors website, 2023 notes on Saudi Arabia, retrieved 2023-08-08
^ Human Rights Watch, 2019 article
^ Human Rights Watch, 2018 article
^ Human Rights Watch, World Report 2013 Archived 2017-05-19 at the Wayback Machine. Saudi Arabia.] Freedom of Expression, Belief, and Assembly.
^ Amnesty International, Annual Report 2013, Saudi Arabia Archived 2015-01-30 at the Wayback Machine, Discrimination - Shi’a minority
^ Cite error: The named reference MoI-SACS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[US2022-1] US State Dept 2022 report

[Bradley_Exposed_p145-2] Cite error: The named reference Bradley Exposed p145 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[NYROB_only-3] Cite error: The named reference NYROB only was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[factbook-4] Cite error: The named reference factbook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[hrw-2014-5] Cite error: The named reference hrw-2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[ReferenceA-6] Robert Murray Thomas Religion in Schools: Controversies Around the World Greenwood Publishing Group 2006 ISBN 978-0-275-99061-9 page 180

[Boghani-1-10-2019-7] Cite error: The named reference Boghani-1-10-2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[KAEF-Reforms-4-2019-8] Ali, Ali; Khaled Abou El Fadl, Khaled (17 April 2019). "How MBS's "Reforms" Are Impacting Saudi Scholars: Interview with Khaled Abou El Fadl". Maydan. Retrieved 30 November 2024.

[9] Open Doors website, 2023 notes on Saudi Arabia, retrieved 2023-08-08

[10] Human Rights Watch, 2019 article

[11] Human Rights Watch, 2018 article

[12] Human Rights Watch, World Report 2013 Archived 2017-05-19 at the Wayback Machine. Saudi Arabia.] Freedom of Expression, Belief, and Assembly.

[13] Amnesty International, Annual Report 2013, Saudi Arabia Archived 2015-01-30 at the Wayback Machine, Discrimination - Shi’a minority

[MoI-SACS-14] Cite error: The named reference MoI-SACS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]