[21] These claims are also supported by Archaeologgical finds as Archaeologists uncovered Parthian (247 BC – 224 AD) related artefacts were also found in Shahkhoura,[22] a Christian church in Samaheej (mid-4th and mid-8th centuries).

[41] Its population included Christians, particularly tribal partially-Christianized Arabs,[42][43][44] who were of diverse origins and spoke different old Arabian vernaculars,[42] a Persian clergy (Magians) who used Syriac as a language of liturgy and writing more generally,[41][42] a mobile Persian-speaking population,[42][45][46][note 1] who were possibly predominately Zoroastrian,[45] traders and administrators with strong ties to Persia, with whom which they maintained close contact with,[42] a small amount of Jews,[47][41] pagan Arabs,[41] and a sedentary, non-tribal community of Aramaic-speaking agriculturalists,[45][42][46] The major tribes of pre-Islamic Bahrain included Abd al-Qais, Tamīm, and Bakr ibn Wāil.

[citation needed] In 1521 a force led by António Correia captured Bahrain, defeating the Jabrid King, Muqrin ibn Zamil.

[49] Later, local rules continued under Lahsa Eyalet (1560–1670),[citation needed] and continued after the fall of the Safavid Empire with Bani Khalid Emirate (1669–)...[citation needed] The Safavid dynasty, which established Shia Islam as the state religion in Persia (modern-day Iran) in the 16th century, had a further influence on the Shia communities of Bahrain.

[citation needed] However, the region experienced ongoing political and sectarian tensions between the Safavids and their rivals, such as the Ottomans and various Sunni Arab tribes.

[citation needed] During the later part of Safavid rule, some Baharna families left Bahrain and sought refuge in Khuzestan, particularly when political instability and conflicts with neighbouring Sunni tribes increased.

[citation needed] The uncertainty and insecurity in Bahrain led some Baharna to migrate to Khuzestan, where they found refuge among local Arab tribes, such as the Muhammarah.

[citation needed] After the fall of the Safavid dynasty, Bahrain went through a period of anarchy, dismay, and self-rule in villages which made the country vulnerable to foreign invasions.

These attacks continued throughout the early 18th century until the Utubs launched a full-scale invasion of the island and established a government loyal to the Imam of Oman.

Persian rule continued for 46 more years, with brief interruptions, until 1783, when the Al Khalifa family, who were Sunni Arabs from the Najd region (modern-day Saudi Arabia), took control of Bahrain after defeating Nader Shah.

[51] The rule of Bani Khalid Emirate ended officially in 1796...[citation needed] This shift in power led to increased sectarian tensions, as the predominantly Sunni Al Khalifa rulers imposed their authority over the Shia Baharna population.

[52][additional citation(s) needed] Throughout the 19th century, Bahrain continued to experience internal conflicts, especially between the ruling Al Khalifa family and the Baharna population.

Al-Tajir (1987) recounts the events leading to the uprising, noting that a delegation of Baharnah, accompanied by prominent Sunni figures, sought an audience with the ruler.

During this meeting, the Baharnah presented eight demands, which included ending their ill-treatment, abolishing additional taxes imposed exclusively on them, and putting a stop to forced labor ("sukhra").

[13]: 11-12 These groups and individuals, particularly those within the ruling family, harbored deep resentment toward the new administration and the policies introduced by Major Daly, the British Political Agent in 1923, and later upheld by Sir Charles Belgrave.

[13]: 12 The introduction of modern education and the discovery of oil in 1932 catalyzed nationalist movements in the 1930s and 1950s, with the Baharnah Shia actively participating alongside other key groups in Bahrain’s society.

[13]: 12 According to Al-Salman (forthcoming), a group of prominent Baharnah figures were at the forefront of Bahrain’s national movement in the 1930s, advocating for political and judicial reforms.

Following the discovery and commercial production of oil in 1932, eight notable Baharnah leaders collaborated with other segments of society to push for meaningful reforms, laying the groundwork for modern democracy in Bahrain.

[13]: 12 The journey of return for some Baharnah to their homeland of Bahrain began in 1951, following the intensification of Persian harassment campaigns against the ethnic Arabs of Muhammarah.