Brunei Religion

Islam, with a Sunni focus, is state religion in Brunei. Other religions are allowed, but their activities are controlled by the government.

Teaching in religions other than Islam is only allowed to a limited extent and the import of crosses and other religious symbols is limited, as is access to religious literature. The government is also hampering religious gatherings for non-Muslims.

During the 2010s, the Sultan has increased the Muslim influence in the country. In 2012, he decided that all businesses, shops and restaurants should stay closed for two hours during Friday prayers. One year later, compulsory religious instruction for Muslim children was introduced. In 2019, the Sultan introduced Sharia law in criminal law, among other things, adultery and sexual acts between persons of the same sex should be able to impose the death penalty.

Brunei’s largest group of people, the Malays, are Muslims. Permission is required to convert from Islam and in practice it is almost impossible. At the same time, the government is fighting radical Islamism.

Most of the country’s Chinese are Buddhists, while some are Confucian, Daoist or Christian. A few indigenous peoples adhere to their traditional indigenous religions, usually religious and / or ancestral worship.

• Countryaah: Population statistics for 2020 and next 30 years in Brunei, covering demographics, population graphs, and official data for growth rates, population density, and death rates.