Qatar

Gulf emirate independent from Britain in 1971.

☾ The Coming of Islam

Early Islam in eastern Arabia

Islam reached the Qatar peninsula in the 7th century, as eastern Arabia entered the new faith during the Prophet's ﷺ lifetime and the era of the early caliphates.

☾ Religious Composition

A Sunni-majority Gulf state

Qatari nationals are predominantly Sunni Muslim, and the state follows a religious tradition shaped by the reformist Ḥanbalī current associated with the wider Gulf; there is a Shiʿi minority, and the large expatriate workforce adds substantial Christian, Hindu and other communities.

Demographic shares are approximate; a large share of residents are non-citizen expatriates.

At a glance