Manama: A Kuwaiti religious figure has waded into controversy and possibly legal trouble after he posted a joke in which he called for performing mixed Friday prayers in parks and on beaches.
Abdullah Al Saleh said that he posted the joke on Snapchat, the photo messaging application, but did not mean to offend anyone.
“It was just a merry conversation with my followers and all I meant was to joke with them,” he said in remarks carried by local daily Al Seyassah on Sunday. “I am amazed by the number of people who suddenly became religious, particularly that everyone knew that I was not serious and that I was joking,” he said.
In the short clip, Al Saleh said that he would deliver a Friday sermon provided young women and men attended it. He said that he would wear Western clothes instead of the traditional Kuwaiti thobe, adding that another condition would be to deliver the sermon near the beach to facilitate the barbecue. “I want this day to be a day of fun and relaxation,” he reportedly said.
However, some social media users said that Al Saleh had made fun of Friday prayers and should be punished for his lack of sensitivity.
One lawyer reportedly said that he would take legal action against him for “denigrating the Friday prayers and mosques.”
Supporters of the cleric said the issue was being blown out of proportion and that Al Saleh was only using a humorous approach to make a point to his followers.
“It was just a joke and it should not be given a different dimension,” they said.
