Irreligion in the Middle East
Though self-described atheists are very rare in the Middle East, and they are persecuted in many countries, including Saudi Arabia where they are classified as terrorists,[1] there are some atheist organizations in the Middle East and Arab world.
Persecution of atheists in the Middle East
Like other non-Muslims, atheists suffer persecution in the Middle East.[2] 64 percent of Muslims in Egypt are reported to approve of the death penalty for those who leave Islam.[2]
Prevalence
Though still uncommon, atheism is widely considered to be growing in the Middle East. Youth in the Gulf countries have increasingly been expressing atheism on the Internet in recent years.[3]
There are several atheist Facebook groups that have formed in the last few years especially since the Arab spring.[4]
See also
- Persecution of atheists in Islamic countries
- Irreligion in Egypt
- Irreligion in Saudi Arabia
- Irreligion in Yemen
References
- ↑ Adam Withnall (2014-04-01). "Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents - Middle East - World". The Independent. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
- 1 2 Fisher, Max (2013-05-01). "Majorities of Muslims in Egypt and Pakistan support the death penalty for leaving Islam". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
- ↑ "Is Gulf youth increasingly drawn to atheism? | The National". Thenational.ae. 2012-08-19. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
- ↑ "Arab Atheists, Though Few, Inch Out Of The Shadows". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
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