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Islam
Islam is the official religion of the State. Islam means
total submission to the will of Allah. Islamic law (Shariah)
is the major source of legislation. The basic tenet of
Islam is that there is no deity but Allah and Muhammad
is the last messenger of Allah.
There are 5 basic pillars of Islam :
1 - Shahada or Profession of faith
2 - Salat or Prayers
3 - Zakat or Almsgiving
4 - Saum or Fasting
5 - Hajj or Pilgrimage
Quran is the holy book of Islam. It not only provides
complete way of life and guidance for the whole of
mankind but defines every aspect of life through social,
commercial, political and judicial set of rules. Islam
is the first religion to grant men and women equal
rights and they have been specified with different
duties to perform.
Although Kuwait follows the Western calendar for
business purposes, Islamic feasts and festivals, which
follow the lunar Islamic calendar, dominate the year.
Though Muhammad (PBUH) is the final prophet of Allah,
muslims believe in all the previous prophets. People
such as the Jews and Christians to whom prior
revelations were made are called as the "People of the
Book". Non-muslims living under Islamic Government are
regarded as Ahl-Addimmah (Protected People) and are
allowed to practice their own faiths. Sunni Islam is
dominant in Kuwait, with 60% of the total population.
The Shi'is have a representation of about 30%, and is
therefore a large minority. Christians represent 10%,
but these are mainly expatriate workers. Only Muslims
can be citizens of Kuwait.
Before the spread of Islam in the seventh century,
Eastern Arabia and the Gulf region was truly at the
crossroads of religious belief. The population consisted
of nomadic tribes that were Jewish, Christian,
Zoroastrian or pagan, influenced by the variety of
religious beliefs found in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and
Persia. The prominence of these faiths, however,
dwindled when the majority of the Arab tribes embraced
Islam. By the late seventeenth century, the Bani Khalid
tribe had gained control over Eastern Arabia, and in
building the first city that lies in present day Kuwait,
began to establish the permanence that Islam has
maintained in the area until today.
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