Shia Islam in Kuwait

Shia Islam in Kuwait constitutes 20% of Kuwait's Muslim population.[1][2] Many Shias are also of Iranian ancestry.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

In 2001, the US Department of State reported that there were 300,000 Shia Kuwaiti citizens and 820,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total thus Shias formed 36.5% of the Kuwaiti citizen population.[10] In 2002, the US Department of State reported that Shia Kuwaitis formed 30-40% of Kuwait's citizen population,[1] noting there were 525,000 Sunni citizens and 855,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total (61% Sunnis, 39% Shias).[1] In 2004, there were 300,000-350,000 Shia Kuwaiti citizens and 913,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total.[11] In 2008, the Strategic Studies Institute reported that 40% of Kuwaitis were Shias.[2] Shiites are usually under-represented in the National Assembly parliaments.[12]

Contrary to the expectations of the Iraqi government, Shia Kuwaitis founded the local armed resistance movement during Saddam Hussein's occupation of Kuwait in the Gulf War.[13][14] Most Kuwaitis arrested, tortured and executed during the occupation bore Shia names.[15] The Kuwaiti resistance's casualty rate far exceeded that of the coalition military forces and Western hostages.[16] The resistance predominantly consisted of ordinary citizens who lacked any form of training and supervision.[16]

Shia citizens as a group are well integrated into the Kuwaiti state.[17] Kuwaiti government policy, on paper and in practice, does not discriminate citizens on a sectarian basis.[17] [17] Kuwaiti Shia citizens are considered the most integrated Shia group in the GCC region.[17]

The Shia Kuwaiti community has produced a number of well-known individuals, notable in many fields, especially business and commerce, thus contributing significantly to the general economic development of the country. Kuwait's first female minister Massouma al-Mubarak is a Shia. One of the first women elected in the parliament, Rola Dashti, is a Kuwaiti Shia.[18]