Ajam of Kuwait

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Kuwaiti Ajam
العيم
Regions with significant populations
Kuwait City
Languages
Kuwaiti Arabic, Persian,[1] Lori and Balochi
Religion
Predominantly Shi'a Islam, minority Sunni Islam, Bahá'í
Related ethnic groups
Iranian peoples

The Ajam of Kuwait or Kuwaiti Ajam (Kuwaiti Arabic: العيم ‎) are an ethnic group in Kuwait composed of Kuwaitis of Iranian origin, who have migrated and settled in Kuwait and were consequently naturalized. Many Ajam still retain cultural ties to Iran, through language, food or religion (Iranian marja' or belief in Wilayat al-Faqih).

Shia Kuwaiti citizens are mostly Ajam.[2][3] There is also a distinct group of Sunni Kuwaitis of Persian descent. It is estimated that 30% of Kuwaiti citizens are Ajam.[4][5] The Persian sub-dialects of Larestani, Khonji, Bastaki and Gerashi have influenced the vocabulary of Kuwaiti Arabic.[6]

The native Ajam community are of diverse ethnic origins, the predominant being Lurs-Persian. There are also many Kuwaitis of Iranian Balochi origin.[7] Balochi families first immigrated to Kuwait in the 19th and 20th centuries from Iran's Baluchistan province, and different parts of Fars, Khuzestan and the Gulf coast.[7]

Kuwaiti Ajam are not recent immigrants, but have lived in Kuwait for several generations. They mostly come from the Iranian provinces of Fars, Bushehr, Lorestan, Khuzestan and Baluchistan.[8] A dialect of Persian known as "Eimi" is spoken by Kuwaitis of Persian origin.[9][10]

Today, Kuwait has the highest percentage of citizens of Iranian origin among the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.[11] The Kuwaiti Ajam community has produced a vast number of well-known individuals, notable in many fields, including business and commerce, thus contributing significantly to the general economic development of the country. Nowadays, they live predominantly in Al Rumaithiya, Al Dasma, Al Mansouriah and Sharq.

The Ajam community in Kuwait are notable for many monuments in Kuwait, such as the Marafi Hussainia in Kuwait City, which was built as a worship place for Shi'a Muslims. The building was founded by descendants of an Iranian merchant better known as Marafi Behbahani; he was one of the first Iranian immigrants to settle in Kuwait, in the late 18th century.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://pubcouncil.kuniv.edu.kw/ajh/home.aspx?id=8&Root=yes&authid=1145
  2. ↑ Ethnic Conflict and International Politics in the Middle East. 1999. p. 164. "Unlike the Shi'a of Saudi Arabia or Bahrain, the Kuwaiti Shi'a mostly are of Persian descent." 
  3. ↑ "Islam in the World Today: A Handbook of Politics, Religion, Culture, and Society". Werner Ende, Udo Steinbach. 2002. p. 533. "In contrast, more than one-third of Kuwaiti citizens are Shi'ites and are almost exclusively 'Ajam." 
  4. ↑ Taqi, Hanan (2010). Two ethnicities, three generations: Phonological variation and change in Kuwait (PhD). Newcastle University. p. 96. 
  5. ↑ "The Report: Kuwait 2008". Oxford Business Group. 2008. p. 25. 
  6. ↑ "Lang & Linguistic In Bahrain Mon". Al-Tajir. 2013. p. 11. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "The Shia Migration from Southwestern Iran to Kuwait: Push-Pull Factors during the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries". Georgia State University. 2012. pp. 71–72. 
  8. ↑ http://www.itf.org.ir/english/showitem.aspx?cid=1126&h=10&f=11&pid=1391
  9. ↑ "SociolinguistEssex XII - 2007". Essex University. 2007. p. 5. 
  10. ↑ "SociolinguistEssex X - 2005". Essex University. 2005. p. 10. 
  11. ↑ http://www.frontiersusa.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9463&printer_friendly=1
Iran Iranian citizens abroad and their descendants
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