Shia Islam in the Netherlands
Islam in the Netherlands / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shia form a minority within the Muslim community of the Netherlands with Twelver adherents forming a majority.[1] Most of the Twelver or Ithnā 'Asharīs in the Netherlands are political refugees.[1] They come from different nations, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. They come from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, in addition to a small group from Pakistan and Lebanon, while the Turkish Ithnā 'Asharīs are guest workers.[1] The majority of them came to the Netherlands in the 1990s as political refugees. The number of Twelver Shia alone who possess Dutch nationality as of 1 January 2005 was 108,728,[1] being Iraqis, Afghanis, and Iranians excluding the figure of other Shiite sects and also of those who do not possess Dutch nationality.[1] These groups came mainly because of political unrest in the region, such as the Iranian revolution, and the war between Iraq and Iran.[1]
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