Kuwaiti Shias demand teaching of Jafari jurisprudence

By: Sultan Ahmed

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s Shia personalities have demanded teaching of Al-Fiqh Al-Jafari, or Al-Jafari jurisprudence, in Kuwaiti schools and universities, as a completion for steps which are praised by the annual report of the US State Department about religious freedoms.

Kuwaiti Ar-Rai Al-Aam newspaper reported.

Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Baqer Al-Mehri said up till now the government did not agree on teaching Al-Jafari jurisprudence in schools, universities and institutes despite our repeated demands from the highest official in the country.

He added that we know well that there is no hindrance with the Ministry of Education in teaching Al-Jafari jurisprudence but it fears the fanatic extremist hard-line groups. He said time has come for government’s consent to teaching Al-Jafari jurisprudence as it agreed on the establishment of Al-Jafari endowment organization and Jafari court for personal affairs.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for a committee of 13 for Al-Jafari endowment Abdulhadi As-Salih said that appointment of director of Al-Jafari endowment and sharia committee is expected soon. 

In a statement to the newspaper, As-Salih expressed his fear of cancellation of governmental directions to opening field for Shias, giving them licenses for mosques, hussainiyaat, and establishment of religious institutes in addition to Ramadan Shia programs as a result of pressure from some those hard-line groups who does not want all this in the country.

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