General Information » Culture & Lifestyle » Religion

Islam is the official religion of Kuwait. Muslims make up approximately 85% of Kuwait’s total population, with Christians, Hindus, Parsi and other religions accounting for the remaining 15%.

Most Muslims today belong to one of two major sects, Sunni or Shi’a, which share most rituals but are divided on principals. The majority of Kuwaitis are Sunnis. Kuwait has almost 1000 mosques, from the simple to the elaborate, with the Grand Mosque, located in Kuwait City, covering an internal area of 20,000 square metres.

Muslims are required to carry out formal prayer five times a day (facing Mecca) according to the position of the sun; before dawn, at noon, during the afternoon, after sunset and in the evening. Calls to prayer emanate from loudspeakers at every mosque, reminding the faithful of prayer times.

The numerous mosques throughout Kuwait ensure that all Muslims have easy access to somewhere to pray, although women generally tend to pray at home. However, it is not uncommon to see the faithful praying at the side of the road or in the desert, and in prayer rooms located in shopping malls, hospitals and offices. Friday is the Islamic holy day and Muslims make a special effort to ensure that they pray at a mosque for the lunchtime congregational prayers.

There are five formal aspects of worship, known as the Five Pillars of Islam. Testimony of Faith, Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving and Pilgrimage. Every Muslim who is financially and physically able is expected to make the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca (Makkah), in Saudi Arabia, at least once in their lifetime.

Kuwait is tolerant of many other religions, a number of which are allowed to practise freely (see the box below). Kuwait is the only Gulf country to maintain a strong relationship with the Vatican.

Ramadan

The Holy Month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the month during which it is believed the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Special night-time prayers throughout Ramadan ensure that the mosques are particularly active.

Ramadan is a period of fasting during which all Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity during daylight hours. Pregnant women, children, the sick, and those travelling are the only exceptions. Westerners are expected, as a matter of respect, to comply with the requirements of the fast. It is a punishable offence to be caught breaking the fast between dusk and dawn; the penalty is jail for the remainder of Ramadan.

Each day at sunset the fast is broken with ‘Iftar’, traditionally consisting of dates and water or sweet laban, a type of dri...