Religious segregation

Road sign on a highway into Mecca: One direction is "Muslims only" while another direction is "obligatory for non-Muslims". Religious police are stationed beyond the turnoff on the main road to prevent non-Muslims from proceeding into Mecca.[1]

Religious segregation is the idea that people should be separated based on their religion. Certain laws of a country may only apply to one religious group. As an example, Sharia only applies to Muslims. The term religious apartheid has also been used. Apartheid was the term used to refer to racial segregation in South Africa. Other examples for religious segregation are that in Iran, certain students have been expelled from university because they were not Muslims, but Baha'i.[2][3][4] According to the Times Higher Education, Bahá'í are required to give up their faith in order to teach in Iranian universities.[5] Bahá'í is not among the recognized "recognized religious minorities" in the Constitution of Iran.[6] The Bahá'í faith is considered apostate in Iran[7] because it believes in a prophet (Bahá'u'lláh) more recent than Muhammad. This goes against Islamic teachings, which teach the belief that Muhammad is the last and final messenger sent to mankind.

Saudi Arabia sees the cities of Mecca and Medina as holy. Only Muslims may enter or travel through these cities. A Non-Muslim who enters one of them may be fined.[1] People who are not Muslims will be deported from Mecca.[8]

Religious Segregation Media

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Sandra Mackey's account of her attempt to enter Mecca in Mackey, Sandra (1987). The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom. W.W. Norton & Company. pp. 63–64. ISBN 0393324176.
  2. "Baha'i children in Egypt not being admitted to schools because of their faith". Muslim Network for Bahá'í Rights. Archived from the original on 2019-03-01. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  3. "School's Out for the Bahá'ís". Mideast Youth. Archived from the original on 2018-12-21. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  4. "Confidential Iran memo exposes policy to deny Bahá'í students university education". Bahá'í World News Service. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  5. "Segregation in Iran". Times Higher Education. TSL Education Ltd. 9 June 2006. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  6. "Discrimination against religious minorities in IRAN" (PDF). FIDH. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  7. "Islam and apostasy". The Religion Report (interview with Ibn Warraq). ABC Radio National (Australia). Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  8. Cuddihy, Kathy (2001). An A To Z of Places and Things Saudi. Stacey International. p. 148. ISBN 1900988402.

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