There are many
Hindus in Arab states, many due to the migration of
Indians to the
oil-rich states around the
Persian Gulf.
Hindu temples have been built in
Bahrain, the
United Arab Emirates,
Qatar,
Kuwait,
Yemen and
Oman.
The estimated figures for the
Hindu population in several Arab countries is as follows:
The number of Hindus in other Arab countries, including the countries of the
Levant and
North Africa, is thought to be negligible, though
Libya has an Indian community of about 10,000 individuals, many of whom are likely to be Hindu. It is not known whether any Hindu temples exist in these countries.
(See
Hinduism by country for the sources of these figures, which may need to be adjusted.)
Historical background
Historically, links between
Arabia and the western coast of India have been strong and persistent. Arab sailors were using the southwest
monsoon winds to trade with western Indian ports before the first century CE. An Arab army conquered
Sindh in 711. Arab traders settled in
Kerala in the 8th century, becoming the...
Read More