Islam in Lebanon

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Islam in Lebanon
الإسلام في لبنان
Total population
2,535,000-2,975,000[1]
Languages
Vernacular:
Lebanese Arabic
Religion
Islam

Islam in Lebanon is followed by 59.5% of the country's total population: Shia's make up 27%: Twelvers are the predominant Shia group, followed by Alawites and Ismailis. Sunnis make up also 27%: Sunnis are mainly of the Shafi'i madhhab with pockets of Hanafi and Hanbali. Several large Sufi orders are active in the country, including the Naqshbandi tariqa, and Qadiriyya.

Although not traditionally considered as Muslims, the Druze make up 5.6% of the total population, which under the Lebanese political division (Parliament of Lebanon Seat Allocation) the Druze community is designated as one of the five Lebanese Muslim communities (Sunni, Shia, Druze, Alawi, and Ismaili).[2][3]

Demographics

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See also: Demographics of Lebanon
Lebanese Muslims[4][5][6][7][8][9]
Year Percent
1932
  
 49%
1985
  
 75%
2010
  
 59%
2012
  
 59.5%

The number of Muslims in Lebanon has been disputed for many years. There has been no official census in Lebanon since 1932. According to the CIA World Factbook,[10] the Muslim population is estimated at around 59.5%[11] within the Lebanese territory and of the 8.6[12]–14[13] million Lebanese diaspora is believed by some to be about 20%[citation needed] of the total population.

The last census in Lebanon in 1932 put the numbers of Muslims (Shia 20%, Sunni 22%, Druze 7%) at 49% of the population (388,400 of 791,700).[14] A study done by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1985 put the numbers of Muslims (Shia 41%, Sunni 27%, Druze 7%) at 75% of the population (1,667,000 of 2,228,000).[14]

Current political and religious issues

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Distribution of Lebanon's religious groups according to 2009 municipal election data.
File:Lebanon religious groups.jpg
An estimate of the area distribution of Lebanon's main religious groups.

Branches

Lebanese Muslims are divided into many branches like Shiites, Sunnites, Druze, Alawites, and Ismailis.

Shia Islam

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Main articles: Shia Islam, Twelver Shia, Alawites, Isma'ilism, and Shia Islam in Lebanon

The Lebanese Shia Muslims are around 27%[11]–29%[15][16] of the total population. Twelvers are the predominant Shia group, followed by Alawites and Ismailis. The Speaker of Parliament is always a Shi'a Muslim, as it is the only high post that Shi'as are eligible for.[17][18][19][20] The Shiites are largely concentrated in northern and western Beqaa, Southern Lebanon, in south Beirut (southern parts of Greater Beirut), Tripoli and Akkar region.[21][22]

Sunni Islam

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Main articles: Sunni Islam and Sunni Islam in Lebanon

The Lebanese Sunni Muslims constitute also about 27%[21]–29% [11] of the total population. Sunni notables traditionally held power in the Lebanese state together, and they are still the only ones eligible for the post of Prime Minister[23] Sunnis are mostly concentrated in west Beirut, Tripoli, Sidon, Central and Western Beqaa, and Akkar in the north.[21]

Druze

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Main articles: Druze and Druze in Lebanon

The Lebanese Druze constitute 5%[11] of the population and can be found primarily in Mount Lebanon and the Shouf District. which under the Lebanese political division (Parliament of Lebanon Seat Allocation) the Druze community is designated as one of the five Lebanese Muslim communities (Sunni, Shia, Druze, Alawi, and Ismaili).[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lebanon Country Study Guide Volume 1 Strategic Information and Developments
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 [1]
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Bassil promises to ease citizenship for expatriates
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lebanon Ithna'ashari Shias Overview World Directory of Minorities. June 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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