Most of the citizens of the UAE are Sunni (see Glossary) Muslims who adhere to the Maliki legal tradition (see Sunni Islam , ch. 1). Some Sunnis of the Wahhabi sect (followers of a strict interpretation of the Hanbali legal school) live in the Al Buraymi Oasis, and some who follow the Shafii legal school live along the Al Batinah coast. The foreign population includes Sunni and Shia (see Glossary) Muslims, Hindus, and Christians.

Although varying from amirate to amirate, the degree of religious freedom afforded non-Muslims is greater in the UAE than in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. For example, non-Muslims are permitted to worship but not to proselytize. There are several large Christian churches and schools in the UAE, primarily in Dubayy and Abu Dhabi.

Data as of January 1993

NOTE: The information regarding United Arab Emirates on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of United Arab Emirates Religion information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about United Arab Emirates Religion should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.