Religion in Jordan
Encyclopedia
The Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan
is a majority Muslim country, with 90% of the population following Sunni Islam
while a small minority of around 2% follow Shia Islam and Sufism
. Jordan also has a indigenous Christian
minority, making up around 8% of the population, mainly Catholic
, Church of the East
, Oriental Orthodox or Greek Orthodox. Jews are not permitted to be Jordanian citizens. The small number of Jews living East of the Jordan River in 1922 when the Kingdom was created were expelled, as were the many Jews of Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem when Jordan occupied these areas in 1948. There are small Druze
and Baha'i communities.
, Madaba
, Salt
, and Kerak
have larger Christian communities than the national average, and the towns of Fuhais
, Al Hisn
and Ajloun
have either majority Christian or much greater than national average. As well as several villages have mixed Chritian/Muslim populations, like Kufranja and Raimoun in the north.
Christians made up 30% of the Jordanian population in 1950. However, Jordanian Christians emigration
to Europe
, Canada
and the United States
has significantly decreased the Christian percentage of the country's population.
Christians fleeing from persecution in Iraq have faced in attempting to gain citizenship or refugee status in Jordan.
Hashemite
Hashemite is the Latinate version of the , transliteration: Hāšimī, and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim, or "clan of Hashim", a clan within the larger Quraish tribe...
Kingdom of Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
is a majority Muslim country, with 90% of the population following Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
while a small minority of around 2% follow Shia Islam and Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
. Jordan also has a indigenous Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
minority, making up around 8% of the population, mainly Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, Church of the East
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
, Oriental Orthodox or Greek Orthodox. Jews are not permitted to be Jordanian citizens. The small number of Jews living East of the Jordan River in 1922 when the Kingdom was created were expelled, as were the many Jews of Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem when Jordan occupied these areas in 1948. There are small Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
and Baha'i communities.
Distribution
The percentages vary slightly in different cities and regions, for instance the south of Jordan and cities like Zarka have the highest percentage of Muslims, while AmmanAmman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Madaba
Madaba
Madaba , is the capital city of Madaba Governorate of Jordan, which has a population of about 60,000. Madaba is the fifth most populous town in Jordan. It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of The Holy Land...
, Salt
Salt, Jordan
Salt is an ancient agricultural town and administrative centre in west-central Jordan. It is on the old main highway leading from Amman to Jerusalem. Situated in the Balqa highland, about 790–1100 metres above sea level, the town is built in the crook of three hills, close to the Jordan River...
, and Kerak
Kerak
Kerak Castle is a large crusader castle located in Kerak in Jordan. It is one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant.Construction of the castle began in the 1140s, under Pagan, the butler of Fulk of Jerusalem. The Crusaders called it Crac des Moabites or "Karak in Moab", as it is frequently...
have larger Christian communities than the national average, and the towns of Fuhais
Fuhais
Fuheis is a town in the Jordanian governorate of Balqa, just 20 kilometers northwest of Amman.A town of 20,000 residents, Fuheis is the only remaining overtly Christian dominated settlement in Jordan...
, Al Hisn
Al Hisn
Al Husun is a town in northern Jordan, located north of Amman, and about south of Irbid. It has a population of 33,000. The region has fertile soil which along with the moderate climate allows the growing of high quality crops. Al Husn was known for its wine; now its main products are wheat...
and Ajloun
Ajloun
Ajloun also written Ajlun is the capital town of the Ajloun Governorate . A hilly town in the north of Jordan, located 76 kilometers north west of Amman. It is noted for its impressive ruins the 12th century castle which known nowadays as Ajlun Castle...
have either majority Christian or much greater than national average. As well as several villages have mixed Chritian/Muslim populations, like Kufranja and Raimoun in the north.
Christians made up 30% of the Jordanian population in 1950. However, Jordanian Christians emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
has significantly decreased the Christian percentage of the country's population.
Social life
In general, Muslims and Christians live together with no major problems regarding differences and discrimination. While some families may privately have a point of view against a certain religious group, it does not often take a public shape. There has been some recent controversy regarding the difficulties that ethnic AssyrianAssyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
Christians fleeing from persecution in Iraq have faced in attempting to gain citizenship or refugee status in Jordan.
See also
- Demographics of JordanDemographics of JordanThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Jordan, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
- Islam in JordanIslam in JordanMore than 90 percent of population in Jordan adhered to Sunni Islam in the late 1980s. Although observance was not always orthodox, devotion to and identification with the faith was high. Islam was the established religion, and as such its institutions received government support. The 1952...
- Christianity in JordanChristianity in JordanChristians have resided in the territory constituting the modern state of Jordan since shortly after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, early in the 1st century AD. Jordanian Christians now number at about 400,000 people, or 6% of the population of approximately 6,500,000, which is lower than the...
- Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research CenterJordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research CenterThe Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center is a non-governmental organization for promoting peaceful religious coexistence based out of Amman, Jordan. It focuses on fostering interfaith dialogue on a grassroots level and creating interreligious harmony...
- FuhaisFuhaisFuheis is a town in the Jordanian governorate of Balqa, just 20 kilometers northwest of Amman.A town of 20,000 residents, Fuheis is the only remaining overtly Christian dominated settlement in Jordan...
- Al HisnAl HisnAl Husun is a town in northern Jordan, located north of Amman, and about south of Irbid. It has a population of 33,000. The region has fertile soil which along with the moderate climate allows the growing of high quality crops. Al Husn was known for its wine; now its main products are wheat...