Shiite parties of Kuwait

Shiites in Kuwait are Kuwaiti citizens who accept the doctrine of Shia Islam, but they do not have a very effective presence at the high levels of the government, and at the middle levels in some ministries, such as the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Kuwait University, the presence of Shiites is relatively good. In sensitive ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior, sensitive positions are not given to Shiites and their employment is limited, and they are less likely to be given a military rank higher than colonel.At the level of the Kuwaiti society, there are different political trends, each of which organizes open meetings on different occasions to discuss and examine current issues in political, economic and social dimensions.In recent years, the convergences of Shia groups inside Kuwait have been more than their divergences, and one of the important characteristics of Kuwaiti Shias is their strong influence from the Shia areas of Kuwait's neighboring countries.

Historical Context

Shiites in Kuwait are Kuwaiti citizens who have accepted the doctrine of Shiite Islam. The studies shows that Kuwaiti Shiites do not have a very effective position at the top levels of the government, and there is only one Shiite minister in the cabinet in each term, who is usually a liberal and pro-government Shiite.

At intermediate levels, in some ministries, such as the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Kuwait University, the presence of Shias is relatively good, and prominent Shia professors are active in the university. In sensitive ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior, sensitive positions are not given to Shiites and their employment is limited, and they are less likely to be given a military rank higher than colonel.

And only in some cases, Shiites, who were 100% trusted have been used by the government including Ali al-Momen, the former army chief of staff. Emir of Kuwait after the recapture of Kuwait, due to the resistance of the Shiites against Saddam Hussein's army in 1990,so a Shiite was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Kuwaiti Army.

Shiite groups and parties of Kuwait

The first Constituent Assembly of Kuwait was formed on December 30, 1961after Kuwait's independence from England in June 1961, and the election law considered the right to vote and run in elections for all Kuwaitis regardless of sectarian affiliation; And the Shiites in the Constituent Assembly allocated two representatives out of twenty.

The main task of this parliament was to draft a constitution for the country, which is known as the 1962 constitution. The group of Shiites in the parliament did not form a special political group, nor were they part of the political opposition within the parliament, but they were an important part of the government-friendly political complex.

This group were the friends of the government and the majority of the members of the parliament included Bedouin and Shiite representatives, on whom the government relied heavily on the approval of laws and plans that faced strong opposition from the Arab nationalist masses. At the level of the Kuwaiti society, there are different political trends, each of them organizes open meetings on different occasions to discuss current issues in political, economic and social dimensions.

In recent years, the convergences of Shiite groups inside Kuwait have been more than their divergences, and one of the important characteristics of Kuwaiti Shias is their strong influence from the Shia areas of Kuwait's neighboring countries. Kuwait's Shiite movements can be seen as an extension of the Shiite trends of Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and sometimes Lebanon. The most important movements and parties in Kuwait, are discussed as below.

National Islamic Coalition

In the shadow of the political atmosphere after the military occupation of Iraq against Kuwait, the "Islamic National Coalition" emerged, which, like a political framework, accommodated Shiite political, social, and religious forces in its ranks, despite the differences in their political tendencies. The "National Islamic Coalition" accepted the Islamic Cultural Association, independent Shia figures and representatives of Shia mosques within its organization.

One of the most important conditions for joining this coalition is to be committed only to the coalition itself and its specific ideas and not to a group that is politically affiliated with it. A member who joins the National Islamic Coalition must necessarily express its affiliation not only with Hezbollah Kuwait or the Social Cultural Association but also express the specific ideas of the coalition and this is to ensure that the efforts are not scattered and its incorporation into the national framework without any external extensions.

National Islamic Union

In 1998, it replaced the Islamic National Coalition, which was formed after 1990, but later suffered problems that led to its division into several groups and organizations. This organization believes in the theory of Velayat al-Faqih and in some aspects is known as the political branch of Hezbollah Kuwait.

The Islamic National Union participated in the 2003 elections and was narrowly defeated, and none of its candidates could succeed. The Islamic Union entered into a challenge with the Shiite groups that were known for their moderation.

Abdul Mohsen Jamal is considered one of the most important leaders of the Islamic National Union and emphasizes that despite the failure of the Islamic National Union candidates, this Union still plays an important role in politics. Sheikh Hassan Al-Matooq is another leader of the National Union.

Gathering of supporters of justice

The Gathering of Supporters of Justice was formed in 1998 as a branch of the National Islamic Coalition, and one of its most important goals is to resist oppression and spread justice, but this organization did not last long.

Freedom supporters movement

Freedom Supporters Movement was established in 1999 and is one of the Shiite groups that worked in the field of politics. Abdul Aziz Taher (lawyer), the general secretary of the movement, Dr. Mohammad Al-Fili, Engineer Abdul Hossein Al-Sultan, Dr. Hassan Al-Mousavi and Engineer Saleh Al-Salimi were among the most important founders of this movement.

This movement introduced itself with the slogan "the movement with thought and purpose and national leadership of Kuwait that defends the right and stands against oppression". This movement was centered around some ideas and goals,which the most important of its goals were:

Providing public benefits to the people of Kuwait
confronting oppression
creating social justice
eliminating oppression through the creation of democracy
adherence to values in Islamic laws
adherence to the constitution
and expressing the pain and suffering of the country's oppressed

But the activity of this organization did not continue for a long time and it withdrew from the political scene.

Board of Mahdi servants

Mahdi's delegation was established in 2000 and its goals and principles were based on;

Divine piety at its highest level
The absolute guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)
leaving the world and its pleasures completely
Belief in the Shirazi civilization project
Clinging to the spirit of courage and bravery
The effort to obtain a leading and privileged global position in various fields by the Shiites
Guiding different sects of humanity to the light of faith of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)

However, the committee encountered many problems due to its sectarian nature, and its founder Yasser Habib's attack on some of the companions and some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) caused him to be sentenced to 10 years in prison, but he He escaped to England, where the British government granted him political asylum, and still this group continues its activities.

It should be mentioned that Yasir al-Habib established a Hussainiyyah in England and on the occasion of Muharram mourning days and the martyrdom of Hazrat Zahra (peace be upon her), they cut machetes and chains

Jamaat Dar Al-Zahra

This group was formed by big Shia businessmen who are moderate and was formed within the organization of the Islamic National Coalition. Seyyed Haji Kazem, Abdul Wahab Al-Vezan and Dr. Yousef Zelzeleh are among the most important founders of this group. This group participated in the 2003 parliament elections and Dr. Yousef Zelzeleh was able to win over Seyyed Adnan Abdul Samad, the candidate of the National Islamic Union. This group participated in the elections of the 11th Parliament, but could not win in these elections.

The Group of Shiite Muslim scholars

The community of Shiite Muslim scholars of Kuwait was established on July 7, 2001, and its most prominent founders are Muhammad Baqer Mehri and Sheikh Ahmad Yaqoob. They were the official spokesperson of the rally. This group tends to the religion of Imam Jafar Sadeq (peace be upon him) and raises the flag of its defense. The most important goals of this group include:

Creating trust and solidarity in connection between the Kuwaiti society and the Islamic system.

Community education and support the Shiite projects in particular and Islamic projects in general within Kuwait.

Development of political activity in order to achieve political stability in Kuwait.

Emphasizing the role of Shia Jafari community in order to participate in the development of Islamic civilization.

Trying to solve the imbalance in the society that is due to the lack of Kuwaiti Shia identity;moral disorder and social corruption;religious extremism have been created.

This population supported the role of Shias in government organizations and institutions and at the head of that ministry.

Islamic charity groups

Each of these groups is affiliated to one of the political-religious movements of the society,and are mostly engaged in collecting people's aid and sending it to needy countries and institutions. In providing aid, they often promote their group's political line. The most important active groups in this field are:

Teachers' union affiliated with the social reform population.
Sheikh Abdullah Noori Charity Group (independent).
National Union of Students.
Committee of Aid Fund for Patients affiliated to Physicians Syndicate.
The group of peace clusters (women) affiliated to the women's committee of the social reform population.
The committee of guidance lights.
Social work committees.
Da'wah and guidance committees affiliated to Shiites.

The group of justice and peace

This group was founded in December 2004. Abdul Hossein Sultan, who is the general secretary of the this group, is the most prominent figure of this group. One of the reason for founding of this group is the revision of the political equation of the Shiites. One of the privileges of this group is the presence of women in it who also founded this group. Fahima Al-Eid and Soheila Al-Jadi are among them. This group follows the authority of Seyyed Shirazi.

Resources

Al-Shia's scientific and cultural base, Islam, Islamic countries. (fa.al-shia.org)

Al-Tayarat Al-Shi'iyyah Al-Kuwaitiyah. (alrased.net)

The status of Kuwait's Shias in the political structure of this country (shiastudies.com)

Categories: Kuwait -parties and groups –movements