Hinduism in Arab States

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Last edited May 15, 2026

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There are Hindu communities, consisted of Indian, Nepalese and Sri Lankan citizens in Arab states of the Persian Gulf.[1] Many came due to the migration of Indians and Nepalese expatriates and employees to the area around the Persian Gulf.

Hindu temples have been built in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Oman.[2]

Demographics

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Hinduism by country in the Middle East
Country Population (2020E) % of Hindus Hindu total
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[3][4] 986,900
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[5][6] 451,347
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[7] 425,950
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[8][9] 335,967
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[10] 297,103
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[11][12][13] 279,488
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[14][15] 165,708
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[16][17] 84,340
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[18] 10,185
Template:Flagu Template:Sort Template:Sort[19][20] 6,830
Total 197,438,267 1.6 3,062,645

Egypt

There were about 2,700 Hindus in Egypt in 2010.[21] That number decreased to about 1535 in 2020.[22] There are no known Hindu temples in Egypt.

Oman

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File:Shiva temple, Muscat.jpg
Motishwar temple in Old Muscat is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Middle East.

Oman has an immigrant Hindu minority. The number of Hindus has declined in the 20th century although it is now stable. Hinduism first came to Muscat in 1507 from Kutch. The original Hindus spoke Kutchi. By the early 19th century there were at least 4,000 Hindus in Oman, all of the intermediate merchant caste. By 1900, their numbers had plummeted to 300. In 1895, the Hindu colony in Muscat came under attack by the Ibadhis. By the time of independence, only a few dozen Hindus remained in Oman. The historical Hindu Quarters of al-Waljat and al-Banyan are no longer occupied by Hindus. The most prominent immigrant Hindus, are Visoomal Damodar Gandhi (Aulad Kara), Khimji Ramdas, Dhanji Morarji, Ratansi Purushottam and Purushottam Toprani. The only Hindu crematorium is located in Sohar, northwest of Muscat.[23]

Temples

Hindu temples once located in Ma'bad al Banyan and Bayt al Pir no longer exist after the area's redevelopment in the mid-1970s.[23] The only active Hindu temples today are the Shiva temple complex in Muscat (locally known as Motishwar Mandir),[24] and the Krishna temple located in Darsait.[25]

Qatar

Hindus make up 15.9% of Qatar. There are an estimated 422,118 Hindus in the country.[26][27] They are from South Asia.[28][29]

United Arab Emirates

Template:Main South Asians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) constitute the largest ethnic group in the country.[30] Over 2 million Indian migrants (mostly from the southern Indian states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Coastal Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) are estimated to be living in the UAE, constituting 28% of the total population of the Emirates as of 2017.[31] A majority of Indians live in the three largest cities of the UAE — Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. From the estimated 2 million migrants, 1 million are from Kerala and 450,000 from Tamil Nadu, thus constituting a majority of the Indian community in the UAE. The population of Indian migrants in the UAE had grown from 170,000 in 1975 to an estimated value of 750,000 in 1999. By 2009, this value had grown to an estimated value of 2 million. A majority of Indians in the UAE (approximately 50%—883,313 in 2011) are from the South Indian state of Kerala, followed by migrants from Tamil Nadu. The majority of Indian migrants to UAE are Muslim (50%), followed by Christian (25%) and Hindu (25%). Estimated Hindu population in UAE is between 6-10%.[32]

Temples

In 1958, permission were given to build the Hindu Temple, Dubai in Bur Dubai in a complex that included Shiva Mandir, Krishna Mandir, and Gurudwara. In January 2024, a new Hindu Temple, Dubai opened in Jebel Ali and the existing Shiva Mandir and Gurudwara were moved to this new location. Krishan Mandir is still housed in the original complex in Bur Dubai.[33]

Majority of Hindus living in UAE practice their religion within their homes.[34] The new temple, BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi, had its foundation stone laying ceremony in April, 2019.[35][36] The inauguration ceremony of the temple took place on 14 February 2024.[37]

Bahrain

Template:Main article Hinduism is followed by 8.33% of the population of Bahrain in 2025.[38] Bahrain also hosts the Shrinathji Temple built 200 years ago and is one of the oldest Hindu temple in the Arab region.[39]

Yemen

Template:Main There are about 200,000 Hindus in Yemen.[40] They are from India and Nepal.[41]

Hindu temples

See also

References

  1. ↑ Diaspora: A significant link between India and Gulf countries, Network, India News. India News Network. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  2. ↑ Hindu temples of Gulf countries: more exist than you imagined. catchnews. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  3. ↑ International Religious Freedom Report: United Arab Emirates. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  4. ↑ Country Profiles.
  5. ↑ International Religious Freedom Report: Saudi Arabia(14 September 2007). Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  6. ↑ Religions in Saudi Arabia | PEW-GRF. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  7. ↑ International Religious Freedom Report: Kuwait. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  8. ↑ International Religious Freedom Report: Qatar. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  9. ↑ CIA World FactBook: Qatar(21 December 2021). Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  10. ↑ Global Religious Futures: Yemen. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  11. ↑ Religious Freedom Nation Profile: Oman.
  12. ↑ Religious Freedom Nation Profile: Oman.
  13. ↑ Religions in Oman | PEW-GRF. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  14. ↑ Global Religious Landscape: Hindus. Pew Research Center(December 18, 2012).Template:Dead link
  15. ↑ Religions in Bahrain | PEW-GRF. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  16. ↑ Religious Freedom Nation Profile: Turkey.
  17. ↑ Religions in Turkey | PEW-GRF. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  18. ↑ Gloabal Religious Futures: Jordan. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  19. ↑ International Religious Freedom Report: Lebanon. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  20. ↑ Religions in Lebanon | PEW-GRF. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  21. ↑ India and Egypt. www.shvoong.com. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  22. ↑ The ARDA website, retrieved 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 J.E. Peterson,Oman's diverse society: Northern Oman Template:Webarchive, Middle East Journal, Vol. 58, Nr. 1, Winter 2004
  24. ↑ Shri Shiva Temple. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
  25. ↑ Shri Krishna Temple. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
  26. ↑ Global Religious Landscape Template:Webarchive. Pew Forum.
  27. ↑ Population By Religion, Gender And Municipality March 2004. Qatar Statistics Authority.
  28. ↑ Population structure. Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics(31 January 2020). Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  29. ↑ Population By Religion, Gender And Municipality March 2020. Qatar Statistics Authority.
  30. ↑ UAE´s population – by nationality. bq magazine(April 12, 2015). Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  31. ↑ India is a top source and destination for world's migrants. Pew Research Center(3 March 2017). Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  32. ↑ Hindu community in UAE supports the global initiative to pray to end pandemic - EasternEye(2020-05-13). Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  33. ↑ Iconic Bur Dubai temple complex to close doors in January 2024. gulfnews.com(2023-12-08). Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  34. ↑ Political Islam in the Gulf Region{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Gulf International Forum(2021-12-31). ISBN 979-8-9859177-0-3
  35. ↑ First Hindu Mandir In Abu Dhabi, UAE, To Be Built By BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha | Indo American News. www.indoamerican-news.com. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  36. ↑ First Hindu Temple's Foundation Ceremony Laying Ceremony in Abu Dhabi. Gulf News(15 May 2019). Retrieved 2019-09-10.
  37. ↑ PM Modi performs Aarti at the BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi(2024-02-14). Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  38. ↑ National Profiles | World Religion. The Association of Religion Data Archives (the ARDA). Retrieved 2026-02-20.
  39. ↑ External affairs minister Jaishankar visits 200-year-old Hindu temple in Bahrain. Wion. Retrieved 2026-02-20.
  40. ↑ Religions in Yemen. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  41. ↑ Religious Beliefs In Yemen(25 April 2017). Retrieved 6 July 2021.

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