Shi’ism, which came to Bahrain from the early era of Islam, is the island’s dominant religion. Between two thirds and three quarters of the Shia population is native in origin, the remainder being of Iranian descent. This division is social as well as cultural. The Iranian Shia, known as Ajam, are well represented in the middle class professions and politically inactive. They see their relative privilege as contingent on the good will of the ruling Sunni al-Khalifas and are reluctant to jeopardize their position. Their native counterparts, known as Baharna, occupy the lowest strata of society and constitute ninety per cent of the labour force. The two communities inhabit separate districts and there is little intermarriage between them. Defining themselves in opposition to the Ajam as well as ruling Sunnis, the Baharna have retained a strong Arab identity. Despite the segregation of the the two communities, antagonism arose in the 1950s and 60s as the schism between conservatives and Arab nationalists came to mark not only a division between Arab and Persian, but between rich and poor across the Arab world.
Soon after their rise to power in the late eighteenth century, the al-Khalifas invited the Dawasir tribes from the mainland to send forces to the Western side of the island to help displace the resident Shia. The 313 Shia villages that then existed are reduced to fifty today, while the encouragement of selective immigration as a counterweight to the Shia population has sincebeen a constant feature of al-Khalifa policy.
Inside the Middle East from Bahrain, CNN's Hala Gorani looks at the poor 'hidden' population of Bahrain.
Comments (4)
1. Written by fatima radwa on 17-07-2007 00:10
this video sure was an eye opener. thank you.
2. Written by A baharnaa on 22-07-2008 15:19
I guess you mentioned a very serious mistake in history.Bahrain has been shia since Ghadeer Khum.They never changed and many times revolted against the islamic empire.The zakaat wars with abubaker were with us since we refused to pay him our zakaat since we made Baia'at to Imam Ali.We share the same origin with all arabs in the gulf.All original arabs in the gulf are called baharnaa (in Qateef,Ihsaa'a,Bahrain,Oman and Qatar).They are shia.The gulf coast was called bahrain that is why they recall this name related to their place of origin.The sunnis are a majority of Ajam(Farsi) who came from Iran.
3. Written by AIM on 25-07-2008 01:51
Article edited in light of A baharnaa's comments.
4. Written by A baharnaa on 27-07-2008 08:41
I would like to thank Mr.Alhaideri for his kind and brotherly correspondence.The Bahrain shiaism legacy is well know among historians.If some people are still proud of a civilisation before islam and can not relinquish any part of its heritage even if it causes problems or cracks among moslems,we have the right to be proud of our history too.At least it is a more ahluiabit-related history. Some prople are waging a cultural war against our legacy that we are trying to resurrect.For some people it is sectarianism and for someothers..it is nationalism.It is all not related to islam and it is all the same.It is prejudice.In the video there are two ministers..both are sunni (with iranian origins) like most sunnis in the gulf.My thanks to brother Al-hidari for his kind correspondence and fi'ammanallah.
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