Jordan

In Jordan, a landlocked Middle Eastern kingdom bordered by Israel/Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, Sunnā Islam is the official religion of the monarch and the state; however, legal existence is granted to a dozen Christian denominations. Officially, 96% of the population is Sunnī Muslim, while Christians amount to 4%. Religious affiliation is a compulsory element of the civil status of all Jordanian citizens, but freedom of belief and religious practice are guaranteed by law. Jordan constitutes an interesting example where, under an Islamic order of religious coexistence and pluralism, the state has carved a communal space for the expression of several faiths and the performance of their respective religious duties, while a relatively neutral space is maintained for political participation. Islam is regulated by ...