Religion in Lahore

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It is estimated that the city of Lahore, Pakistan, has a Muslim majority with 94.7% and Christian minority constitute 5.1% of the population and rest Sikhs and Hindus constitute the remaining 0.2%. There is also a small but longstanding Zoroastrian community. [1]

Contents

Religion in Lahore City 2017 [2]
ReligionPercent
Islam
94.7%
Christianity
5.14%
Hinduism
0.02%
Sikhism
0.02%
Others
0.1%

Before Partition

Religion in Lahore District (1941) [3]
ReligionPercent
Islam
60.62%
Sikhism
18.32%
Hinduism
16.79%
Christianity
3.99%
Others
0.28%
Religion in Lahore City (1941)
ReligionPercent
Islam
64.49%
Hinduism
26.71%
Sikhism
5.07%
Christianity
3.20%

Prior to the partition of India in 1947, a third of Lahore district's population was Hindu and Sikh. Hindus and Sikhs used to reside in 'distinct enclaves'. The city's Hindu and Sikh population left en masse during the partition and shifted to East Punjab and Delhi in India. In the process, Lahore lost its entire Hindu and Sikh population. The emigrants were replaced by Muslim refugees from India. Muslim refugees and locals competed for ownership over abandoned Hindu and Sikh property. [4]

Religious groups in Lahore City (1881−2017) [lower-alpha 1]
Religious
group
1881 [6] [7] :5201891 [8] :681901 [9] :441911 [10] :201921 [11] :231931 [12] :261941 [5] :322017 [13]
Pop. %Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%
Islam Star and Crescent.svg 86,413102,280119,601129,801149,044249,315433,17010,530,816
Hinduism Om.svg 53,64162,07770,19677,267107,783139,125 [lower-alpha 2] 179,422 [lower-alpha 2] 2,670
Sikhism Khanda.svg 4,6277,3067,02312,87712,83323,47734,021
Christianity Christian cross.svg 529 [lower-alpha 3] 4,6975,5588,43611,28716,87521,495571,365
Jainism Jain Prateek Chihna.svg 2273394204674747911,094
Zoroastrianism Faravahar.svg 132166198177150
Judaism Star of David.svg 1413130
Buddhism Dharma Wheel (2).svg 0012817014
Ahmadiyya Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg 13,433
Others3,932900002,4571,701
Total population149,369176,854202,964228,687281,781429,747671,65911,119,985

Religious heritage

According to a Hindu legend, Lahore was once named Lavapura, [14] after Lava, son of Lord Rama, Hindu God from Ramayana as one of etymological theory of Lahore. [15] [16] A vacant temple, the Lava Temple, dedicated to this figure is contained inside the Lahore Fort. [17] [18]

The first Persian text on Sufism was written, by Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Shaykh Abul Hasan 'Ali Hujwiri R.A. in Lahore which became a major source for early Sufi thought and practice. Hazrat e Hujwiri R.A's tomb in Lahore is one of the major Sufi shrines in the subcontinent. [19] Several other leading Sufi saints are buried in Lahore. [20] These Sufi shrines have contributed to making Lahore an important place of pilgrimage. [21] During the Mughal era, several impressive buildings including mosques were constructed, contributing to the city's rich Mughal heritage. [22] [23]

The city is also of significant importance to the Sikhs of Punjab region who call it Lahore-Sharif. [24] [25] Some of Sikhism's holiest sites are situated inside Lahore. [26]

Notes

  1. 1881-1941: Data for the entirety of the town of Lahore, which included Lahore Municipality and Lahore Cantonment. [5] :32
  2. 1 2 1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis
  3. Only includes protestant population. [6] :152

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