Shiites of Oman in the last century and their relations with the government and other Islamic denominations; report and analysis

The Shiites of Oman are not a single entity; some are Baloch, some are Khoja, some are Bahraini and some are Omani Arabs. In each of the above groups, personality, identity, and collective thinking are particularly evident; this has led to different levels of integration in the host community for them. This means that any attempt to bring the Omani Shiites closer to other religions in the first place requires a focus on the Shiites themselves in order to remove the barriers and challenges that exist between them. Legal and structural constraints and the government’s use of them to counter new movements and activities are another challenge.

In addition, any attempt to organize the Omani Shiites may arouse the sensitivity of the Omani government, which has good relations with the Islamic Republic. Finally, this study uses two methods of library study and interview with a senior expert on Oman issues to examine most aspects of the presence of Shiites in Oman society and their relationship with Ibadiyya, who constitute the majority of Oman society, the Oman government system. It studies and has major commonalities with the Shiites and studies the result that the Ibadiyya of Oman is considered a suitable option and has the necessary capabilities for cultural diplomacy of the Islamic Republic. An important feature of them is the fear and anxiety of the Wahhabi invasion in Oman and, on the contrary, a positive view of Shiism, especially of the Islamic Republic of Iran. From the jurisprudential point of view, Ibadiyya has similarities with Shiite jurisprudence, which believes in Imamate, as well as having dynamic jurisprudence and emphasizing reason and moderation is one of these characteristics.