Freedom of religion

===Islam===
{{Further|Human rights in Islamic countries|Human rights in the Middle East|Application of sharia law by country|Islamism|Political aspects of Islam}}
{{See also|Marrakesh Declaration|Criticism of hadith}}
[[Conversion to Islam]] is simple, but Muslims are forbidden to convert from Islam to another religion. Certain [[Muslim-majority countries]] are known for their restrictions on religious freedom, highly favoring Muslim citizens over non-Muslim citizens. Other countries{{who|date=February 2012}} having the same restrictive laws tend to be more liberal when imposing them. Even other Muslim-majority countries are secular and thus do not regulate religious belief.<ref>{{cite web |last=United States |first=Department of State|title=2010 International Religious Freedom Report|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010_5/index.htm|work=International Religious Freedom Report|publisher=US Department of State|access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=February 2012|reason=this may be supportable, but I don't see clear support in the source cited}}

In [[Iran]], the constitution recognizes four religions whose status is formally protected: Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.<ref name="fdih1">
{{cite web |date=1 August 2003|title=Discrimination against religious minorities in Iran|author=International Federation for Human Rights|publisher=fdih.org|access-date=20 October 2006|url=http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/ir0108a.pdf}}</ref>
The constitution, however, also set the groundwork for the institutionalized [[persecution of Baháʼís]],<ref name="ihrdc">
{{cite web |author=Iran Human Rights Documentation Center|publisher=Iran Human Rights Documentation Center| title= A Faith Denied: The Persecution of the Baha'is of Iran|year=2007|access-date=3 March 2007|url=http://www.iranhrdc.org/english/pdfs/Reports/bahai_report.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127005930/http://www.iranhrdc.org/english/pdfs/Reports/bahai_report.pdf|archive-date=2007-11-27}}</ref>
who have been subjected to arrests, beatings, executions, confiscation and destruction of property, and the denial of civil rights and liberties, and the denial of access to higher education.<ref name="fdih1" /> There is no freedom of conscience in Iran, as converting from Islam to any other religion is forbidden.

In Egypt, a 16 December 2006 judgment of the [[Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt]] created a clear demarcation between recognized religions{{snd}} Islam, Christianity and Judaism{{snd}} and all other religious beliefs;<ref name="middle_east_times">{{cite web |url=http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20061220-033209-2100r|archive-url=https://swap.stanford.edu/20090402124811/http%3A//www%2Emetimes%2Ecom/|archive-date=2009-04-02|title=Egypt's Bahais denied citizenship rights|first=Joseph|last=Mayton|work=Middle East Times|date=19 December 2006|access-date=23 January 2007}}</ref><ref name="washingtontimes">{{cite web |title=Court denies Bahai couple document IDs|first=Sharon|last=Otterman|work=The Washington Times|date=17 December 2006|access-date=23 January 2007|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20061217-122113-6320r.htm}}</ref> no other religious affiliation is officially admissible.<ref name="ahram">{{cite web |title=Rendered faithless and stateless |first=Gamal |last=Nkrumah |url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/825/eg5.htm |publisher=Al-Ahram weekly |date=21 December 2006 |access-date=23 January 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070123145617/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/825/eg5.htm |archive-date=23 January 2007}}</ref> The ruling leaves members of other religious communities, including Baháʼís, without the ability to obtain the necessary government documents to have rights in their country, essentially denying them of all rights of citizenship.<ref name="ahram" /> They cannot obtain ID cards, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage or divorce certificates, and passports; they also cannot be employed, educated, treated in public hospitals or vote, among other things.<ref name="ahram" /> See [[Egyptian identification card controversy]].