Mosques' charter protects Kuwait from conflicts

The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has reportedly suspended an imam who was among six that the religious affairs committee was investigating over suspicions of violating the mosques' charter. According to an official source, imam Abdurrahman Al-Mutairi from the Al-Merjah mosque is suspended for three months after the committee found evidence through recorded tapes that he addressed political subjects during a religious sermon (khutbah). But the committee didn't take similar disciplinary measures against five other imams who were facing similar charges, but instructed them to refrain from using certain terms in future sermons. On Sunday, acting undersecretary Dr Mutlaq Al-Qarawi said that the ministry is compelled to stay firm against violations to the mosques' charter in order to avoid "putting Kuwait into unnecessary conflicts or dilemmas". "Suspending an imam is a very hard task for us to do... We understand that the subjects that the suspended imams address came from their compassion towards their fellow Muslims. We are not against them, but we can't leave the door open for Kuwait to be dragged into unnecessary conflicts," Al-Qarawi said during a press conference in which he stated that imams can express their opinions at the Irada Square or diwaniyas "but places of worship must not become a venue for political speeches". He further noted that many imams were successful in using hints in addressing the situation in Syria to avoid violating the mosques' charter.