Iran Religion

Iran Country Studies index

Iran - Religion

Shia Islam
Sunni Muslims
Bahais
Christians
Jews
Zoroastrians

Religion

The overwhelming majority of Iranians--at least 90 percent of the total population--are Muslims who adhere to Shia Islam. In contrast, the majority of Muslims throughout the world follow Sunni Islam. Of the several Shia sects, the Twelve Imam or Twelver (ithna- ashari), is dominant in Iran; most Shias in Bahrain, Iraq, and Lebanon also follow this sect. All the Shia sects originated among early Muslim dissenters in the first three centuries following the death of the Prophet Muhammad in A.D. 632.

The principal belief of Twelvers, but not of other Shias, is that the spiritual and temporal leadership of the Muslim community passed from Muhammad to Ali and then sequentially to eleven of Ali's direct male descendants, a tenet rejected by Sunnis. Over the centuries various other theological differences have developed between Twelver Shias and Sunnis.

 
You can read more regarding this subject on the following websites:

Religion in Iran - Wikipedia
Politik und Religion im Iran | ZEIT ONLINE
Iran ist vielf�ltig: Klima, Sprachen, Religion und
Iran Religion pr�sentiert von persiano�!�
Religion, Macht, Herrschaft: Deshalb hassen sich


Iran Country Studies index
Country Studies main page
About
Contact