as soon as it was announced that there was a gathering of indian sikhs in a shed in sulaibiya and considering that they were practicing worship, forces roared demanding reform and morality (sarcasm), considering it an infringement on the constants of religion and challenge to the faith. the first of those who attacked the sikhs was mp m u h a m m a d hayef who considered that they infringed on his religion and he did not explain how?
this place, and perhaps dozens alike have existed for years, so what is the transgression or harm these places have caused during this period? has number of citizens turned to sikhism, for example? did the number of worshippers in the mosques decline because there is a shed in which a number of sikh residents in sulaibiya sit or spend some time? did the temperature increase and the sky stopped raining or the udders of the ewes dried, the fertility of kuwaiti women decreased, or the burgan well dried up as a result of the presence of such places?
this mp or any other has the right to request what he wants assuming that the photos published in the press are for a hindu temple, and there is no evidence to prove so, but the government has no right to be dragged into the demands of tightening the noose on expatriates, the text of the constitution is clear and the mp has to remember the most important text because he reached the seat of the national assembly through that constitution.
if the government is willing to concede to the pressures of these extremists to restrict all followers of sects and religions in the practice of their rituals, we must accept the possibility of other countries to restrict muslims there and perhaps demand that they close their mosques and religious centers. each fanatic action has equal fanatic reaction.
more than one ambassador friend told me how much pressure was exerted on different countries to allow us to build our religious centers. just as we have the right to practice our rituals in their own countries, they have the same right in our countries. what makes us “better than others”? what this mp does not want to understand, or understands but wants to tickle the feelings of the ignorant and half-educated people that these are the guests of the state and did not enter as invaders as long as they are welcome among us.
there is also an explicit provision in the constitution that gives them the right to practice their rituals in the way that suits them. the practice of rituals for many is as important as food and drink. we hope that this contrived and ridiculous incident will be an opportunity to expand in allowing various communities to practice their religious rites within the law, in a way that pleases them and does not harm others. it is better for us to do so in a civilized manner and with our consent before the various countries of the world press us to allow their communities to practice their rituals in the way that suits them otherwise they will close the islamic centers in their countries.
we are certainly not right and the rest of the billions of other people are wrong, especially if we know, the constitutional expert nawaf alyassin said that there is no explicit law prohibiting third parties from practicing their rituals in kuwait. the explanatory memorandum of article 35 of the constitution stated that the meaning of the word religions in the article concerned the three religions, islam, christianity and judaism does not mean, for example, preventing the followers of other religions from practicing their rites, but it is up to the discretion of the public authority.
we reiterate and hope that this will be the beginning of allowing all the followers of different religions, living among us, to practice their rituals in an appropriate manner, within the public order, and openly, away from hiding and kuwait would indeed be a homeland of freedom and humanity.