Kuwait enforces new fatwa banning commercial activities in mosques
Companies and banks which offer free meals not allowed to advertise in worship places
Dubai: Kuwait has issued a fatwa that prohibits companies and banks from marketing their products in mosques, a practice that included offering free services to worshippers.
According to local media reports, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Awqaf declared that mosques should remain free from any commercial advertising and marketing activities.
The ministry, which dispenses legal fatwas via its official website and through telephone consultations, has not specified how this fatwa will impact existing services provided in mosques.
These services range from the provision of food and drinks to amenities like air conditioning and mattresses.
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Kuwait is home to approximately 1,700 mosques, with over 1,000 of these hosting Friday prayers.
The new regulation could affect the 3.3 million foreign expatriates in Kuwait, who often benefit from mosque services such as drinking water and meals, traditionally sponsored by companies and charities.