KUWAIT CITY, Feb 17: “Next week I will present a draft law to remove all churches from Kuwait because Kuwait is an Islamic country where churches are not permitted to be built,” a source quoted an Islamist MP Osama Al-Monawer as saying. Another source, however, said Monawer is only against the construction of a new church.

According to the source he also stated, “the proposal is consistent with calls of the majority in Parliament to amend Article (2) of the Constitution to implement the Islamic Sharia law.”

In a press statement, Al-Monawer warned the Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of political questioning if his ministry approves the construction of a new church in Kuwait, in spite of the existence of the fatwa which has been issued by Awqaf which states “the building of any house of worship for non-Muslims in a Muslim country is not permissible. It is also not permissible to rent houses to be turned into churches.”

However, another source denied Al-Monawer has threatened to present a draft law on the removal of churches from Kuwait pointing out he knows such a thing does not apply to Kuwait.

The source said Al-Monawer will only focus on not allowing the construction of a new church. He stressed under no circumstances  will he allow the construction of a new church in Kuwait. He also threatened to grill the Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs if the ministry gives the approval to build a new church.

He added he will take up the issue with the Ministry of Awqaf which has recently agreed to allow the construction of a new church in Kuwait in violation of a standing fatwa from the Awkaf which forbids the construction of houses of worship for non-Muslims in Muslim land.

He said his vision stems from the fact that churches can be built everywhere except in the Arabian Peninsula. “That is not permissible because it is a Sharia rule and it is mentioned in the Hadith that: ‘No two religions can exist in the Arabian Peninsula.”

He added the late Islamic scholar Sheikh Bin Baz had presented a research on the prohibition of building churches in the Arabian Peninsula.

On a related issue, Islamist MP Mohammed Hayef Al-Mutairi warned that the permission given by the Awkaf Ministry to build a church in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh will not go unpunished.

Criticizing the ministry for giving permission to build a church in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Al-Mutairi stressed “this permit will not pass unnoticed. We will not allow this serious stumble. We will take all procedures to cancel this ill-considered decision.”

On the other hand, former MP Saleh Al-Mullah criticized the MPs who want to submit a proposal to remove churches from Kuwait in violation of articles 29, 30, and 35 of the Constitution which stipulate absolute freedom of belief. He said the state protects the freedom of practicing religion in accordance with established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public policy of morals.