Rockybhai3 at 10:25, 25 March 2026

2026-03-25T10:25:40Z

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{{Short description|none}} 
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Hinduism by country}}

{{Infobox religious group
| group = Hindus in Saudi Arabia
| population = 708,000 (2020) <br> {{increase}} '''1.3%''' of total population
| religions = [[Hinduism]]
| related-c = [[Indians in Saudi Arabia]] and [[Hindus]]
| regions = All Over [[Saudi Arabia]]
}}

[[Hinduism]] is the [[religion in Saudi Arabia|3rd largest religion in Saudi Arabia]], followed by nearly 1.3% of total population residing in the nation. As of 2020, there were nearly 708,000 [[Hindus]] residing in [[Saudi Arabia]], among whom most of them were [[Indians in Saudi Arabia|Indians]] and [[Nepalis in Saudi Arabia|Nepalis]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/saudi-arabia/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=United States Department of State |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Religions in Saudi Arabia|url=http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/saudi-arabia#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2020&region_name=All%20Countries&restrictions_year=2016|website=globalreligiousfutures.org|access-date=20 August 2021|archive-date=28 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028143031/http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/saudi-arabia#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2020&region_name=All%20Countries&restrictions_year=2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> There has been a large migration of [[Indians in Saudi Arabia|Indians]] to [[Saudi Arabia]], with the number of Hindus also witnessing a growth.

== Background ==
{{Historical populations
|title = Historical Population
|type =
|footnote =
|align = left
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|pop_name =
|percentages =
|source =<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=27|title=Country Profile: Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070927193648/http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=27|archive-date=September 27, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Saudi Arabia |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2004/35507.htm|website=US State Department|access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/saudi-arabia#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2020&region_name=All%20Countries&restrictions_year=2016|title=Religions in Saudi Arabia|website=globalreligiousfutures.org|access-date=20 August 2021|archive-date=28 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028143031/http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/saudi-arabia#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2020&region_name=All%20Countries&restrictions_year=2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|2000|129,640
|2010|301,636
|2020|708,000}}[[Saudi Arabia]] is an Islamic [[theocracy]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Trakic|first1=Adnan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v-GEDwAAQBAJ&q=Saudi+Arabia+is+an+Islamic+theocracy&pg=PT172|title=Dispute Resolution in Islamic Finance: Alternatives to Litigation?|last2=Benson|first2=John|last3=Ahmed|first3=Pervaiz K.|date=2019-01-22|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-351-18889-0|pages=172|language=en}}</ref> [[Sunni Islam]] is the [[state religion]] and the public practice of any religion other than [[Islam]] is not allowed. All of the [[Hindus]] living in the nation are [[Foreign workers in Saudi Arabia|foreign-based expatriates]] and [[Tourism in Saudi Arabia|tourists]] on working and tourist permits.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dozens of Indians apply for Saudi citizenship|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/dozens-of-indians-apply-for-saudi-citizenship-1.278058|access-date=2021-09-25|website=gulfnews.com|date=21 February 2005 |language=en}}</ref>

Most [[Indians in Saudi Arabia|Indians]] in the earlier waves of emigration to Saudi Arabia were Muslim, but after 2001 the share of Indian Hindus has increased, as has the number of Hindus from the [[Nepalis in Saudi Arabia|Nepali diaspora]]. Though having an adequate population of Hindus, there is no [[Hindu temple]] or any other place of worship for non-Muslims and the [[Freedom of religion in Saudi Arabia|freedom of religion]] of non-Muslims is very much limited.<ref>{{Citation|last=Human Rights Watch|title=World Report 2013: Saudi Arabia|date=2013-01-09|url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/saudi-arabia|language=en|access-date=2021-09-25|author-link=Human Rights Watch}}</ref>

==Limitations==
Like other non-Muslim religions, Hindus are not permitted to worship publicly in Saudi Arabia. There have also been some complaints of destruction of Hindu religious items by Saudi Arabian authorities.<ref>On 24 March 2005, [[Government of Saudi Arabia|Saudi Arabian authorities]] destroyed religious items found in a raid on a makeshift Hindu shrine found in an apartment in [[Riyadh]]. (source: Marshall, Paul. ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20060522223359/http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/news/bn2005/bn-2005-00-16.htm Saudi Arabia's Religious Police Crack Down]''. Freedom House)</ref><ref>[http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Hinduism/2001/06/Hindus-In-The-Middle-East.aspx# Hindus in the Middle East] Gautam Raja (June 2001) Belief Net</ref> Saudi authorities interpret [[Hindu gods|Hindu icons]] as [[Idolatry|idols]], and [[idol worship]] is strongly condemned in [[Islam]]. This is likely the foundation for the stringent position of Saudi authorities when it comes to idol worshiper religious practice.{{cn|date=May 2023}}

Any conversion away from Islam is known as [[Apostasy in Saudi Arabia|apostasy]] and it invites [[Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia|capital punishment]].{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} Proselytizing by non-Muslims, including the distribution of non-Muslim religious materials such as [[Bhagavad Gita]], and [[Ahmedi|Ahmedi Books]] are illegal.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Marsh|first1=Donna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7_brBQAAQBAJ&q=saudi+arabia+hindu+idol+icon&pg=PT79|title=Doing Business in the Middle East: A cultural and practical guide for all business professionals|date=May 11, 2015|publisher=Little, Brown Book Group|isbn=9781472135674|access-date=28 February 2020}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Hinduism|Saudi Arabia}}

* [[Religion in Saudi Arabia]]
* [[Hinduism in Arab states]]

==References==
<references />
{{Demographics of Saudi Arabia}}
{{Asia topic|Hinduism in}}
[[Category:Religion in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Hinduism in the Middle East]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Asia]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Hinduism by country|Saudi Arabia]]

Hinduism in Saudi Arabia - Revision history

Rockybhai3 at 10:25, 25 March 2026