Editing Basra (section)

===Religion===
{{See also|Christianity in Iraq|Shia Islam in Iraq {{!}} Iraqi Shi'ites}}
[[File:Basra Armenian Church (30855638080).jpg|left|thumb|The Armenian Church in Basra]]
Basra is a major [[Shia]] city, with the old [[Akhbari]] Shiism progressively being overwhelmed by the [[Usuli]] Shiism.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/basra |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=iranicaonline.org |language=en-US}}</ref> It is known as the "Cradle of Islamic Culture".<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Basra, cradle of Islamic culture. An analysis of the urban area that was the early home of Islamic Studies |url=https://pluriel.fuce.eu/article/basra-cradle-of-islamic-culture-an-analysis-of-the-urban-area-that-was-the-early-home-of-islamic-studies/?lang=en |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Pluriel |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Sunni Muslim]] population is small and dropping in their percentage as more Iraqi Shias move into Basra for various job or welfare opportunities.<ref name=":4" /> The satellite town of [[Az Zubayr]] in the direction of Kuwait was a Sunni majority town, but the burgeoning population of Basra has spilled over into Zubair, turning it into an extension of Basra with a slight Shia majority as well.<ref name=":4" />

[[Assyrian Church of the East|Assyrians]] were recorded in the Ottoman census as early as 1911, and a small number of them live in Basra.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=SyriacPress |date=2024-01-26 |title=Christians in Basra, Iraq, extend invitation to those who emigrated: 'Come home to peace and security' |url=https://syriacpress.com/blog/2024/01/26/christians-in-basra-iraq-extend-invitation-to-those-who-emigrated-come-home-to-peace-and-security/ |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=SyriacPress |language=en-US}}</ref> However, a significant number of the modern community are refugees fleeing persecution from ISIS in the [[Nineveh Plains]], Mosul, and [[Assyrian homeland|northern Iraq]].<ref name=":4" /> But ever since the victory of [[War in Iraq (2013–2017)|Iraq against the ISIS in 2017]], many Christians have returned to their homeland in the Nineveh plains.<ref name=":4" /> In 2018 there are about a few thousand Christians in Basra.<ref name=":4" /> The Armenian Church in Basra, dates from 1736 but has been rebuilt three times.<ref name=":4" /> The portrait of the [[Virgin Mary]] in the church was brought from India in 1882.<ref name=":4" />

One of the largest communities of pre-Islamic [[Mandaeans]] live in the city, whose headquarters was in the area formerly called Suk esh-Sheikh.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=2009-09-23 |title=Ethnic Mandaeans Killed In Iraqi Jewelry Store Robberies |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/Ethnic_Mandaeans_Killed_In_Iraqi_Jewelry_Store_Robberies/1829230.html |access-date=2024-09-29 |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |language=en}}</ref> Basra is home to second highest concentration of the Mandaean community, after Baghdad.<ref name=":6" /> As of recent estimates 350 Mandaean families are found in the city.<ref name=":6" /> Dair al-Yahya is one of the most important Mandaean temples, located in Basra.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://bhaktikalpa.com/Mandaean.aspx |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=bhaktikalpa.com}}</ref> The temple is dedicated to [[John the Baptist]], the chief prophet in [[Mandaeism]], who also reverred by the Jews, Christians and Muslims.<ref name=":7" />

The city was also home to one of the [[History of the Jews in Iraq|oldest Jewish communities]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Basra |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/basra |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org}}</ref> During the 1930s, the Jews constituted 9.8% of the total population.<ref name=":8" /> However, most of them fled after a series of persecution, which began in 1941 and lasted till 1951.<ref name=":8" /> Between [[Ba'athist Iraq|1968 and 2003]], fewer than 300 Jews remained in the city.<ref name=":8" /> After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, most of them emigrated to abroad.<ref name=":8" /> The Tweig Synagogue in Basra, is currently abandoned.<ref name=":8" />