Emirati People - Religion

Religion

Islam is largest and the official state religion of the UAE, and although the government follows a policy of tolerating existence of other religions, it favors Islam and conversion from other religions to Islam.

The government also imposes restrictions on marriage and social mobility for its inhabitants. In UAE for instance, Muslim women are forbidden by law from marrying men of "the book" (referring to the people of Christian and Jewish faith), while Arab men are allowed under Islamic law to marry women of "the book". In UAE, a union between a Muslim woman and a man of "the book" is punishable by law, since it is considered a form of "fornication". Even though the government allows construction of churches and other religious facilities, any display of the Christian cross on the churches is forbidden. There are also no synagogues in UAE.

It is illegal in the UAE to spread the ideas of any religion apart from Islam, through any form of media, as it is a form of proselytizing. There are approximately 31 churches throughout the country and one Hindu temple in the region of Bur Dubai. Emiratis are largely Muslims, approximately 85% of whom are Sunni and the remaining 15% are Shi'a .

The UAE authority maintains a rather strict control over access to foreign resources and ideologies, including the Internet. The country's two main Internet providers Etisalat and DU block access to certain content. One particular instance of censorship includes information on the Baha'i Faith, Judaism, atheism and criticism of Islam. The "Cyber Crime Law" provides penalties for using the Internet to preach against Islam, inciting someone to commit sin, and using the Internet to promote a breach of public decency.