The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall policy of promoting human rights. The only advantage given to a particular religion by the Constitution is the requirement that the President be a Muslim. There is no state religion, although the majority of the population is Sunni Muslim. Recognized religious groups receive free utilities and are exempt from real estate taxes and personal property taxes on official vehicles. There is a strict de facto separation of church and state.
Religious groups tend to avoid any involvement in internal political affairs.
The Government, in turn, generally refrains from becoming involved in strictly religious issues. However, the Government banned Jehovah's Witnesses as a politically-motivated Zionist organization in 1964. While there is no official state religion, Sunni Muslims represent about 74 percent of the population. Other orders, including Druze, Alawi, Ismailis, Shi'a, and Yazidis, constitute an estimated 16 percent of the population. A variety of Christian denominations make up the remaining 10 percent of the population.