DUBAI: With the holy month of Ramadan fast-approaching, Kuwaiti officials are expecting a large number of non-Muslims to embrace the faith. Last year, Gulf News reported a Kuwaiti association saying that 195 people embraced Islam in the first five days of Ramadan in Kuwait. “The number of foreigners who declared that they embraced Islam was 195 in the first five days of the sacred month," Jamal Al Shatti, the head of the Committee to Promote Islam, said. “We believe that many more people will announce their conversion before the end of the month," he said. For the country, a predominantly Muslim nation that has seen tension with non-Muslims increase in recent months after a member of Parliament called on the government to destroy Christian churches, the holy month of fasting is being seen by locals as a chance to amend and show non-Muslims the Islamic spirit. “We are very hopeful that the stupid comments made recently will not be a block to invite our Christian and other friends to break the fast,” said Kuwait City resident Omar Abdullah Hamed. He told Bikyamasr.com that “this year, with the heat in full force, we have to be even more aware and include our non-Muslim friends because it will show unity.”
