Shia in Kuwait and its impact on religious ties with Iran

Abstract

Kuwait’s country is located at south of the Persian Gulf .In 1961 it has become independent.
According to the last census conducted in July 2001, its population is 2,254,954 of which 30% are Shi'a. Course of the most political, social and cultural of Kuwait’s people is derived from the Shiites. The overall trend of Kuwait’s developments show that Shiite’s influence in these developments is undeniable. Among the most important developments that the Shiites involved in it, we can point to mutations in the discussion of religion so that existence of official and unofficial Shiite’s mosques have provided fertile ground for these activities. Many cultural events are organized in Shiite’s mosques .Shiites have different institutions, political, religious, social and cultural organization and in proportion to their population in Kuwait’s developments are considerable force. So the purpose of this paper is to examine the Shia religious in Kuwait and its impact on religious ties with Iran, which is descriptive - analytical and written by the library references.
Keywords: Iran, Kuwait, religion, Shi'ism

Introduction

Distribution of the population of Kuwait indicates that Shiites are willing to stay in places that the Shiites make up the majority. After government’s action with the use of oil revenues, Most Shiites were transferred into new areas like Qadesiyeh, Mansouriyah, Daeeyeh, Dysmeh, Ramysyh, Salemiyeh, Holi, jabryeh. The feature of this area was the extension of mosques, so that the number of Shiite’s mosques became more than 28 mosques and 60 religious site (Hosseinieh). Hosseinieh has great value for Shiites because this place is like a social club, a school or a library which is used to restore religious occasions such as memory of Muharram Ashura and also has an important role in political movements that have occurred in Kuwait and Shiites held protest gathering in it. Hosseinieh has a significant role to Shiite’s gathering in political organization. This is similar with the beginning of the 50s that happened in Bahrain and Hosseinieh was the center of movement marches and stimulate the mobilization of political opponents against of governments. During the struggle efforts of Shiites that living in Kuwait, Kuwait government allowed to build mosques and hosseinieh to Shiites even in the Sunni’s place. Moreover, Shiites can invite Shiite’s clerics and scholars from Qom and Najaf except during the Iran-Iraq war. This was not unlike the situation in some neighboring countries that Shiites cannot do Religious action because of suffering from lack of freedom.

Appellation of Kuwait

The name of Kuwait is diminutive of the word "Kut", which means "little castle". The term "Kut" is said the city that exist fortress around it. In The Abbasian period, Kuwait is said "Kazma Albhar" but sailors and tourists from Portuguese, Dutch and English are read it also “Qarin”. Europeans probably due to the proximity of the island “Qurain” with it, they named it to “Qarin”. Somebody said that Kut was a series of small houses, as well as local village usually located close to the sea. The original inhabitants were people that came from central Arabia. In the past, Kuwaiti was like an ordinary place for Arab people that defend and protect it by small castle.

Weather in Kuwait

Weather in Kuwait like other ports of the Persian Gulf. It is cold in winter, in summer sea breeze almost soften heat of sun and desert is very cold at night. In 1905, the first well of sweet water was discovered in Holi. In 1951, Kuwait Oil Company built a small station in Port Ahmadi that provide sea water to drink, and gradually these station expanded. Kuwait has a very flat land. It means that the highest point above sea level is 300 meters tall and has no rivers and mountains. This country has a long and hot summer and winter is similar to spring. The average summer temperature is 45 degrees in the shade and in the sun is 80 degrees. The maximum temperature recorded is 52 degrees and minimum is 4 degrees It has Between 22 and 352 mm of rainfall per year (average rainfall is 108 mm) and the humidity is not too much, except in the southern winds .Kuwait’s land is the vast plains, sandy soil, during which time there is a low-lying hills. Most of this sedimentary plains has covered with sand .This situation, with a gradual slope from the highest elevation means three hundred meters in the far western region from the "Al-Salem and Altqaya" prolong to the eastern coast of the Persian Gulf. The northern region of the country can be distinguished with the scattered hill. The hills approaching the shore, form a chain along the north coast with its attached. The hills approaching the shore, like a chain along the north coast that is named "John Alzoor". The height of the chain -shaped mound is about 145 meters and ends to the desert "om Alramam". Natural effects such as mountains and rivers isn’t in Kuwait. Despite the weather conditions in Kuwait, its strategic importance should not be ignored. Kuwait is situated at the end of the Persian Gulf, it means at northwestern of Persian Gulf and is located among the three powers, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, geographically has special significance. There are huge reserves of oil and natural gas reserves discovered in Kuwait because of global energy supply is important for the industrialized countries. The importance of Kuwait during the Persian Gulf is its coast beaches that are quadrupled in proportion of Iraq’s coast beaches and for this reason Iraq’s government always think about adding Kuwait to their country and prolong Iraq’s beaches.

How Shi'ism arrives at Kuwait

About the arrival of Shi'ism at Kuwait should also know that society of Kuwait is composed of nomads, urbanites, the Shiites and Sunni. The Shiites make up about 30 percent of the population in Kuwait. Much of what is now the traditional Kuwaiti the Shiites are from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iran that have migrated and scattered almost everywhere in Kuwait so that in many areas, it is difficult to separate from the Sunni. Kuwait is one of the areas that have a long history of civilization and people of different races have always lived there. About arrival of Islam in Kuwait should know that the origins of Islam in this region became to the Prophet and Imam Ali.
About the entry of Shi'ism must be acknowledged that the Kuwait’s Shiites are mainly connected to the Shiites in southern of Iraq and the Shiites in Iran's Khuzestan. Iranian-born Shiites known as "Kuwait Ajam", commonly have come to this country from southern coast of Iran, Bushehr, Fars, Khuzestan. Most Iraqi Shiites have come from southern Iraq, Basra, Najaf and Karbala. Saudi Shiites have come from Sharqiyah Region and the Alahsa. Group of Bahrain Shiites have come to Kuwait are famous as “Baharneh” and “qalalif”. Pointing this subject shows that the beginning of the Shiites that coming to Kuwait by immigrants who have migrated to Kuwait from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain that these migration is conducted for various reasons, including economic recovery and business is conducted and hence it can be considered as an integral part of the Arabian Peninsula and infer that although the Kuwait Region was a separate part from Iraq, many Iraqi Shiites in the first centuries have migrated to Kuwait And even they settled and were thereby causing spread of Shi'ism in Kuwait. Islam is the official religion of Kuwait so that: 45% are Sunni, 40% of the population is Shiite and the rest are from other religions. However, we can say that one of the divisions in Kuwait, the sectarian divide between Sunni and Shia and that is why the Shia community living in Kuwait have been different and include groups from different parts of Iran and Bahrain have gone to Kuwait. Moreover, in the context of Article II of the Kuwaiti constitution states: "Islam is the country religion and the Islamic sharia is the main source for legislation." But in matters which of Islamic law has not ruled, the legislator can refer to other sources. In Kuwaiti, because of Shiite’s religious freedom, they can hold their religious rituals and have some knowledge for the guidance and teaching of religion in public. In addition, a small number of Iranian born in Kuwait that their religion is Baha'I, also have accommodated in the past. Religious freedom in Kuwait are relatively good and Christian have several churches in this country. However, the Shiites and other religions face with the evident limitations for spread religious centers and propaganda activities. Arabic is the official language in Kuwait. Arabic is the official line in Kuwait.

Shiite groups residing in Kuwait and how they work

The rights of Kuwaiti Shiites in this community are good and their right are recognized but it must be admitted that the goals of the Shiite community differ with other Shiites targets in different countries and In fact is "more advanced". For example, while it is still not recognized by the Saudi Shiites religion and they do not have the freedom to act the rites of Shi'i and build Shiite’s mosques, in Kuwait do not have these limitations. Despite the relatively active Shiites in Kuwait, but in 2000 only one person of the Shiite was in cabinet of Kuwait’s government and the number of mosques they have, reached to 30, but in contrast, Sunni mosque was 2000. It should be noted that most Kuwaiti Shiites Twelver Shiite religious but there are four sects that include the following: 1. Sheikhiyeh: followers of Shaykh Ahmad Ahsaee, who has sacred vision about prophet’s inmate. They believe that God has placed inmate in the holy level and has allowed them to distribute the aliment of all people. But now that belief is not more common. 2. Akhbariyeh: they are Bahraini and they are imitators of Mirza Ibrahim Jamaludin. 3 - Osoliyeh: Not only this group are among Kuwait’s Shiites but also they are common among Shiites of other countries such as Iraq, Iran and Lebanon. 4 - The number of people who follow Ayatollah Khoi: which includes the Shiites Iranian who live in Kuwait and they imitated from Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei who had lived in Najaf. Given the multiplicity of Shiite’s religious schools in Kuwait, leading to the plurality of emulation, some mimic the Iranian clergies, some others follow Ayatollah Sistani in Iraq and Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fazlollah in Lebanon. Legally, the Kuwaiti constitution, according to what is written in the name of freedom of religion, the right of freedom for doing Shiite’s religious rites and ceremonies was given and governments protect from religious activities based on traditional habits and does not disturb public order and Is not contrary to the norms of society .But In fact, the Kuwaiti Shiite’s religious freedom among Shiites in Bahrain and Saudi Shiites are in the middle position. They are upper than Saudi’s Shiites and in ratio of Bahraini’s Shiites are in second place. Perhaps the most positive things that can be noted in relation to this, include these following: 1. Kuwaiti Shiites about personal issues such as Bahraini Shiites visit. Courts with their law of Shia religion. 2 - Kuwaiti Shiites freely perform their rituals and they can construct their mosques and Hosseinieh even in Sunni region and therefore the number of Shiites mosques in Kuwait up to 56 mosque and 116 Hosseinieh, although based on other sources, the Shiite’s mosques are 35 or 38. In general, it isn’t possible to accurately determine the number of Kuwaiti Shiite’s mosques because their number varies according to time. 3. Some Kuwaiti government family are very interested in the visit the Hosseinieh on Shiite’s special occasion like Ashura day.4- After that a bunch of mourning was banned in Kuwait ,In 2006 the government agreed to set up a bunch of mourning in Ramysyh and provide security support to it and In 2003, the Kuwaiti’s government established a commission to monitoring the Shiite’s property but despite of that the complaints raised by the Shiites for this reason that The government's practice for allowing the construction of Shiite mosques is so rare and also the religious principles taught in the public schools is based on Sunni religion. Moreover, they demanded that the government put Shiite Ashura Day as an official holiday in the country. Kuwaiti Shiite scholars have complained from educational practices of Ministry of Education, which contains material which is described Shiites as a non-believer until the government has formed a committee to attempt for removing this parts of the educational practices in which they would knock the Shiites. Despite all these limitations, the Kuwaiti Shiites in comparison with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia Shia have greater religious freedom.

Religious relations between Iran and Kuwait and the results of its

Two events leading to the close relations between Iran and Kuwait, including: 1- The cult of these nation that from inception of Islam have linked two people together as an unbroken string. 2- Neighboring Iran and Kuwait which is another source of strong solidarity and friendship with others. After declaring independence of Kuwait, Iran was the first non-Arabic country that recognized the independence of the country and sent a delegation of dignitaries and eminent personalities for the congratulations.
So we were analyzed the history of relations between Iran and Kuwait about their government in two separate sections: Part of the relationships formed during the Shah's rule and this chapter shows the movement in the interest of both parties and also with the same direction with the interests of the great powers. Despite the Kuwaiti Shiite before the Islamic revolution had different organizations and associations, they did not make up the political opposition from the 30s of last century until the Islamic Revolution, unlike the Shiites in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Kuwait's relations with Iran before the Islamic Revolution have said after the declaration of independence of Kuwait in 1961, Iran was among the first countries that recognized Kuwait. However, although in this period of the monarchy, Arabs were upset, the behavior of Iran and America and its close relationship caused that Arab people couldn’t oppose. By analyzing this time, we can realize that good pace and conformity with the powers from the monarchy caused that Arabic countries couldn’t oppose any more. It seems that this treatment resulted in some of the Arab countries of the Arabic ruler’s feelings of inferiority that when Islamic Republic established, they wanted to revenge. This identification due to this fact that some countries had doubts about the independence of Kuwait and even Iraq claimed sovereignty over Kuwait, a major effect arose with the relations between Iran and Kuwait. After identifying of Kuwait Iran sent a delegation to Kuwait and that caused strengthen the foundations of friendship between the two countries.
First Ambassador of Kuwait "Muhammad Hajeb dolou" that he held the position from January 1340 to May 1342. On January 1340 with the establishment of the Iranian embassy in Kuwait, this relation has entered a new phase because that was based on mutual Governments connection and good neighborly relations and full support of the rights of Kuwait. From that year many trips was performed in various fields of politics, economy, and culture. Determination of limitation of the continental shelf, which its negotiations was started in 1344, continued and in 1346 it was agreed that experts have been examined both sides of the issue and determine the general principles. In 1346, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company traveled to Kuwait and discussions were held regarding the appointment committees of experts from both sides. But relations between the two countries after the Islamic Revolution was in some way that the events of the end of 1978 and beginning of 1979 due to a lack of understanding about evolution, create a "fear" and "anxiety" for the Kuwaiti authorities. Existence Shah's regime as regional gendarme caused that governments of Kuwait feel of trust and confidence in dealing with regional forces. This helped to Kuwait to opposite with the wishes of Iraq during the in 1961 and 1973. Despite the volatility and cold official reaction, the Kuwaiti authorities have confirmed that the events of Iran is an internal problem And shall specify the manner in which Iran would deal with it. On the other hand, Kuwait is not involved in these events. However, Kuwait was among the first countries that recognized the Islamic Republic of Iran. Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad visited Tehran in June 1979. This was the first meeting of foreign ministers from the countries of the Persian Gulf in Tehran. The purpose of this visit was to evaluate the safety and development of relations between Iran and the Arab region. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction with this meeting and declared that the relations between the two countries will be better in future.

Conclusion

Kuwait country with an area of 17,818 square kilometers means 880/6 square miles has been in north of the Arabian Peninsula and north-west of the Persian Gulf, between 29 and 30 degrees north latitude and 5/46 and 5/48 degrees east longitude and classified among small countries that has more than two and a half million people and gained its independence in 1962 and Al-Sabah family has ruled from 1962 until now. Shia of Kuwait constitutes an important part of society. Shiite based on race and roots can be divided into two categories: Arab Shiites and Iranian Shiites. Arab Shiites are from the Arabian Peninsula, and specifically the eastern region of Saudi Arabian country and because of relation from “Al-Ahsa” region, called them “Hassaviyeh” and also another group of Shiites are Arabs who migrated to Kuwait and called them “Al-Baharneh”. Plus a small group of Shiites who arrived from southern Iraq. But the Iranian Shiites have come to Kuwait and called them “Ajam” And they are an important part of Kuwait's population. Accordingly, Shiites are substantial population of Kuwaiti citizens. According to official statistics, 30 percent of the population are Shia compared with 45 percent of the population that are Sunni, population of Shia has been significantly and so the use of “minority” for this population is far from fair. Thus, since the time of entrance of Shiites in Kuwait, attempt to enter the topics of religion and religious beliefs and desires are always concerned with Kuwaiti Shiites. Finally, after continuous efforts and resolute; they have an important role to play in this regard. Therefore, it can be said that the positive interaction with the Shiite minority, among other Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, Kuwait is considered as a model because they have political rights in the Islamic State of Kuwait's parliament and also benefit enough from the oil wealth means Kuwaiti Shiites has been used substantially the distribution of this wealth.