Kuwait Law: Ramadan

Ramadan Mubarak Fajer. Regarding working hours, your math (48 min. discount) isn’t right. 48 hours per week and 8 hours per day, translates to 6 day week. During Ramadan, 36 hour per week & 6 working days means 6 working hours per day. Hence, it is 2 hours less or only 75% of normal working hours. For comparison, you need to use same working days in both situations and not 6 days for one and 5 days for the other as you have done.

thanks just fixed it for her

Thanks for that although there is two different opinions on that matter. I could explain if you want, but its complicated and boring. My working hours for ramadan are 6.5 a day!

Ramadan Kareem everyone

I guess theres exception for pregnant women & kids if I am not mistaken, not sure though.

Not everyone has to fast, you just can’t eat in public. Eat food in your house and nobody will care. Some delivery places deliver before ftoor as well.

The law doesn’t apply to children, not sure about pregnant women.

Children are not punished for any crime (some punishments for teenagers though). Not sure about pregnant women, I dont recall reading anything on that but I can see how a judge would see that as an emergancy and therefore not punish that pregnant women. Nothing for sure in the law I mentioned but I will check when I have time in the office.

Hi Fajer.

Is swimming allowed during ramadan? Was thinking of going to the public beach during the day/afternoon with the family.
1. we wont be eating/drinking. (except for the kids ages 6 and 3)
2. I will be wearing shirt + shorts. Wife will be wearing sleeveless shirt and shorts. (no 2-piece swim suits whatsoever)

Wait I’m also curious about this. I personally think that’s perfectly fine no?

Hi, I go to corniche club during ramadan, The restaurant there is open during fasting time, they serve food and drinks, and the people over there wear whatever they want. That was last ramadan, I dont know if they would be doing it this ramadan, because people who did fast started to complain (I didnt complain :P, I just go to the gym and leave.) So yeah, you can go there and check it out for ur self!

that’s why I said check private beaches by law gyms are considered private and not public because they have memberships

Nothing in the law about swimming being a crime, and what is not written to be illegal is legal! LOL. But thats legally, and logically i dont advice you being in the heat without water! And as for the kids you could get punished for allowing them to drink/eat! See ii above. If you really want to go, check out private beaches

Females are allowed to wear a bikini in Kuwait. Many Arab girls wear bikinis at resorts, most people don’t swim at the public beaches due to health reasons.

Swimming in Kuwait’s public beaches is not safe because the water isn’t clean and it’s too hot. I don’t recommend swimming in the public beaches.

Kuwaitis, Lebanese and Westerners usually go to private beaches rather than public beaches. Entry to private beaches is not expensive, there are plenty of hotel resorts that are really nice.

Does this rule apply to pregnant women and feeding infants in public during Ramdan? Just curious..

If it applied on a European lady in her 70s who lived most of her life in Kuwait and was arrested for eating a biscuit while driving then I’m going to guess that it applies to pregnant women. lol . yes non-sense law results in non-sense application .

That’s a silly rumor, a European lady in her 70s was never arrested for eating a biscuit while driving hahahaha. She was arrested for being driving under the influence of alcohol.

That is the most stupid law EVER.

1st, as a Muslim who lived abroad… I never felt offended by the sight of people eating while I’m fasting. In fact, it made me enjoy my fasting even more especially during the days when I was really thirsty and saw people drinking those cool iced drinks.

2nd, i’m very ill at the moment and I have to go to work and hospital. I have to eat, drink, and take medication. This law makes it illegal for me to take my medication appropriately and it will make people abuse this law so i wont even be able to take my medication at my office.

this law is an example of islamists trading in religion. they passed it in order to look “cool” in front of their voters while in the background they made so many money deals with the government.

Islamists are not even in the Kuwaiti government, they only had three seats in the December 2012 Parliament and there are currently no Islamists in the cabinet and government itself.

It is perfectly alright for you to eat, drink and take your medication appropriately at a hospital and office. People often eat, drink and take their medication at HOSPITALS and health centres during Ramathan. It is also alright for you take your medication at your work office.

The no-eating law mostly applies to shopping malls, public parks and entertainment areas.

The law isn’t to make anyone SICK, it’s very rude and disrespectful to eat in front of people fasting, especially in a very hot country like Kuwait where fasting is 10 times harder than other countries.

It’s rude and disrespectful of you to violate my basic rights to eat and civil right to be punished like a criminal if I do so. U want to fast is ur right just as it is my right for me not to. So don’t hide behind words such as rude etc simply because u can’t fight ur cravings which to begin with is the reason why u fast in the first place. Look around u in civilized societies where they don’t force people to give up their rights to satisfy urs! Before I’m done, don’t dare come back with religious statements or any sort of referencing, this is strictly cultural and nothing to do with religion and clearly bigger than fasting, the problem is the capacity to accept others and accept that what’s right for u should not violate their rights.

I’m not religious, I’m a secular. It is very rude and disrespectful to eat and drink in front of people fasting. Westerners don’t really have much manners in Kuwait, they walk around like they own the place and look down on everyone else which is why this law is in place.

No one is putting a gun to your head and telling you to comply, last year only a few people had to pay 100 KD.

You can’t equate paying 100 KD to someone putting a gun to your head and telling you to comply.

Who are you to tell us we don’t live in a ”civilized” society? Who are you to judge us? Westerners have no shame, really.

Come on. Kuwait is a hot country, but nobody sits outside for no longer than 5 minutes. If you did, you would have a heatstroke or you would immediately go an air conditioned area. That’s just an excuse.

And atop of that, eating publicly used to be legal. Besides, isn’t the point of fasting is to understand what the poor felt like? I don’t see anybody stop eating in front of the poor because they feel bad for them. The point of fasting is resistance, and you don’t need to extinguish any form of activity to refrain you from resisting.

This law is implemented however for the sake of respecting other people’s choices. Not surprisingly, it’s one sided.

On the last note – there is no reason to assume that “westerners” are the one’s who violate the law. Last year, a Kuwaiti woman was arrested for chewing gum publicly. It’s not a matter of mannerisms, but cultural differences. There’s no need to point fingers.

It is a matter of mannerisms not cultural differences.

Most of the people who violate that law are Westerners and Indians, only a minority of Arabs have violated it.

Kuwait never had this sort of law before the Westerners came. there were many foreign non-Arab workers in Kuwait during the 1960’s and 1970’s yet there wasn’t a law banning eating in public during Ramathan.

I don’t believe that a woman was arrested for ‘chewing gum’ because ”Arab Times Online” isn’t a reliable news site. Their articles are poorly written and sometimes contain false rumors & fabrications. Their sources are questionable.

The reason I said Arabs don’t usually break the law and made no mention of other expat groups who do respect others is because non-Kuwaiti Arabs are the second largest expat community in Kuwait as of 2013 (35% of the population).

There are more Arab foreign workers right now than South Asians (9%) and Westerners (less than 7%): https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ku.html

Arabs don’t usually eat in public, including Christian Arabs, because they respect the people fasting. Whereas Westerners genuinely believe they are above the law and look down on us.

Eating in public at daytime during Ramathan is like flaunting your food in front of people.

I retract my chewing gum statement because arab times online really isn’t a reliable source of information, that I agree with.

But you need to stop giving putting us Arabs on a pedestal. Just because we’re a minority, it does not mean we are not violators of law. If we are less likely to violate law, it is because we are aware of it and we have a culture we abide to. “Westerners” are raised with a different culture. And come on. People don’t come here to show off how “superior” they are. They’re here to work. Nobody has time for that. They get on with their lives so they can pay rent/feed their families.

On another note, there were A LOT of laws that changed in the 1960’s-1970’s. They aren’t because of “western” influence. If anything, it’s to impose our “eastern” pride on everybody.

And you’ve disregarded the primary reason why people fast and you failed to answer my question: do you stop eating when you see a poor person who is possibly starving?

I really doubt that a Kuwaiti woman was ever arrested for ”chewing gum” in public.

Another silly rumor by arabtimesonline.com.

first u genius, i am not a westerner. second of all, u really dont want to go in the “civilized” discussion because u are light years ahead from being one!

Last…are u speaking of shame? depriving someone from his birth & natural survival right “food” is not shameful!…locking someone in jail for one month because he did the most natural thing “eat” is not shameful? its actually worst.

i will tell u mr civilzed whats worst..is that fasting is not Gods given right to you only, billions of people from different faith have fasting, but then again ITS YOU THE CIVILIZED ONE THAT LOCKS UP PEOPLE THAT EAT DURING THIS PERIOD! …

Christians, hindu, Buddhist, Jews all of them fast, but i dare u to name me one country of those that forbid u from eating! u are worried about heat or ur feelings.

i will tell u what differs, its laws! hear me mr secular…laws that protect civil rights…and this what measures how someone is civilized…

eh, …I think you missed the KD100 …AND/OR?

I fully agree me!

I am not sure how you think its 10 times harder to fast in Kuwait than other countries. In northern countries the sun sets at 10PM so they fast 3 hours longer than Kuwait for example. North Africa and other areas along the equator the temperature is as hot, hotter or nearly as hot as Kuwait. But even if the temperature outside is 50 degrees you’re not out there digging holes under the sun. You spend the whole day indoors with AC on.

It is a lot colder in the northern countries so people feel less thirsty and hungry. We get thirsty quicker outside in Kuwait than in the Northern hemisphere countries.

Some people don’t spend their entire days indoors with the AC on.

It is 10 times harder to fast in Kuwait than it is to fast in North African countries. Google the temperature of North African countries, they all currently peak around 32°C-37°C at daytime whereas Kuwait peaks at 49°C.

Even Qatar, Bahrain and Oman are currently colder than Kuwait at daytime. Oman peaks at 36°C and averages 32°C.

So you’re saying if Ramadan occured in winter we wouldn’t need a law? But when it was taking place in winter the law was still there so the law has nothing to do with how hot Kuwait is. Yet you’ve posted maybe 20-30 posts here with the excuse that Kuwait is hot and thats why the law exists.

I agree with what you say totally with the time, in Denmark it’s 21 hours of fasting. I think muslims live outside of Denmark for those how live there lol. But Kuwait is an official hottest country in the world, Kuwait City is the hottest capital city in the world with an average of 47 degrees and Kuwait’s desert areas averages about 48.5 degrees + Yes Libya has highest recorded (60 degrees) but the average is 44-45. This comment was just for the hotter than kuwait part lol. Kuwait, Ethiopian area, Libya, Death Valley and Apparently Thailand are hottest areas on earth but Kuwait exceeds higher average by 2 degrees of second being Libya. I will try my best to find you the link.. it will be hard though. But AGREE FASTING IN KUWAIT is one of the easiest places to fast if not the easiest, the GCC countries really as we are blessed with AC’s almost everywhere and shade thank god.

Seriously? The average weather in Oman right now is around 32°C and Oman peaks at .

Bahrain and Qatar are also currently colder than Kuwait and have AC’s almost everywhere.

Qatar currently peaks at 41°C and averages 36°C at daytime..

Bahrain CURRENTLY peaks at 39°C and averages 33°C-35°C at daytime.

Kuwait is CURRENTLY hotter than Libya, Google Libya’s current temperature. They peak at 38°C right now and average far less than Kuwait.

The ”hottest recorded temperature” isn’t an accurate indicator of how hot a country is on a daily basis this month (July 2013). Kuwait is currently hotter than the majority of Muslim-majority countries in the Southern hemisphere.

So you’re saying if Ramadan occured in winter we wouldn’t need a law? But when it was taking place in winter the law was still there so the law has nothing to do with how hot Kuwait is. Yet you’ve posted maybe 20-30 posts here with the excuse that Kuwait is hot and thats why the law exists.

PLEASE ADD PEEING AND DEFACATING IN PUBLIC TO THIS LIST! I DON’T CARE HOW HOT IT IS…FIND A TOILET! I don’t want to see your a** in Ramadan or after Ramadan!

Come on. Kuwait is a hot country, but nobody sits outside for no longer than 5 minutes. If you did, you would have a heatstroke or you would immediately go an air conditioned area. That’s just an excuse.

And atop of that, eating publicly used to be legal. Besides, isn’t the point of fasting is to understand what the poor felt like? I don’t see anybody stop eating in front of the poor because they feel bad for them. The point of fasting is resistance, and you don’t need to extinguish any form of activity to refrain you from resisting.

This law is implemented however for the sake of respecting other people’s choices. Not surprisingly, it’s one sided.

I entered twice, oops.

Some people WORK outside during daytime.

Fasting in Kuwait is VERY hard for less-privileged Muslims who have to stay outside at daytime to feed their families.

Really? Like who? Please, enlighten me.

Some people sit outside and work.

2013 and there are still rules like these being enforced. Why not just let people go about their business. Only weak mids will be influnced by others!

if you don’t like it leave the country. If you want to live here abide by it’s rules, this is not USA where you can say/do whatever you want. You’ll be more comfortable there

In reply to my own comment i didn’t mean USA is a bad place. Far from actually, just the people running it. Although that has nothing to do with the comment and this topic. Just to avoid unneeded battering and fighting

I will quote Danny’s post, because he put it well in words:

”Funny how it works.

Because you have no control on your urges, I am not supposed to eat or drink in public?

It would be a matter of respect if there was no law in place. But putting a gun to your head and telling you to comply defeats the purpose of good fasting.

The manners in which the month of Ramadan is practiced in Kuwait is laughable, because I have several Muslim friends who actually work very hard in other countries without any time leverage. They have to work just like everyone else. And frankly, it means so much more to see them fast than seeing people fast in Kuwait.”

Enough said 🙂

You are right this is not the USA. It never will be. Money can buy malls, not brains.

Oh no , here we go again.

Peace guy’s. Lets just abide by the rules. We are guests here.

too bad we don’t have their brains…..https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

lol, that is funny.

https://itthing.com/100-weird-laws-from-around-the-world Seems like many places with no brains?

YESSSSSSSS!!!

lol.. the majority of “brains” that I see in US aren’t Americans 🙂

I’m sorry, but the “if you don’t like here then leave the country” respond is the most ignorant kind of respond anyone can give. Please, next time if you don’t have anything meaningful to say, please, keep it yourself.

Hama, you’re clearly a House Arab. That idiot didn’t deserve a response from you. America has a dozen laughable laws, like arresting everyone who ”denies the Holocaust”. Whereas when Kuwait enforces a law that helps fasting, it’s apparently a ”laughable” thing. Kuwait is a very hot country, Ramathan is difficult and watching people eating in front of those fasting is disrespectful.

First of all, the funny American laws are not reinforced and most are from the 17th century that still haven’t been amended… second of all, fasting is not difficult.
I used to have a very crappy job a while ago. I was on my legs all day, had to go to work at 5am, and come back home at 8pm. I did not have any time to eat the whole day and I managed that for five months…just dinner. If I can do it, a fat man in an Air conditioned office and lavish limo can 🙂

Less-privileged Muslims who have to stay outside at daytime to feed their families don’t have the privilege of staying in a air-conditioned office. Stop generalizing, not every Muslim in Kuwait is privileged.

There is NO Holocaust Denial legislation anywhere in the US.

There is in several European countries and US legislation has some funny laws too.

LooooL obviously ignorant and uneducated. Thats the first sentence that comes out of ur mouth when u dont know what to say. That means u will have to go back to iran? Or iraq? Ha? Akhaf sij kuwaitiya enti? Hm? LoL if non kuwaitis leave our country, we will all rot in our own crap within a week. So shut ur hole and think before u talk. Racist.

How rude and racist, yes it is 2013. It’s very DISRESPECTFUL to eat in front of people fasting in a hot country.

Have some manners.

According to your reasoning if Ramadan falls during winter time in Kuwait then the law wouldn’t apply and people could eat freely in front of people fasting because it’s not hot.

Mark do you just wait to find one flaw in someone’s comment and finally comment yourself? Please just abide by the rules and have some respect and let’s stop this arguing.

Even as kids (allowed to eat in public, i think? I don’t know) Our mother told us to put our heads down in our car to eat sandwiches after school, It’s just out of RESPECT for others. Some people can resist temptation etc some can’t. Or whatever. It’s not like you’re going to die. Even in my school and other private schools (not sure about gov schools) they asked people of other religion/sick/not fasting to eat in a room of the principle’s choosing during break times in ramadan, the polish, serbian and lebanese kids didn’t complain they just respected the other muslim kids in the school , and since you’re in a muslim country please just respect this rule. Sorry if i offended anyone, i don’t know if i have but if i did (just don’t know what people might be offended by these days…)

Mark do you just wait to find one flaw in someone’s comment and finally comment yourself? Please just abide by the rules and have some respect and let’s stop this arguing.

Even as kids (allowed to eat in public, i think? I don’t know) Our mother told us to put our heads down in our car to eat sandwiches after school, It’s just out of RESPECT for others. Some people can resist temptation etc some can’t. Or whatever. It’s not like you’re going to die. Even in my school and other private schools (not sure about gov schools) they asked people of other religion/sick/not fasting to eat in a room of the principle’s choosing during break times in ramadan, the polish, serbian and lebanese kids didn’t complain they just respected the other muslim kids in the school , and since you’re in a muslim country please just respect this rule. Sorry if i offended anyone, i don’t know if i have but if i did (just don’t know what people might be offended by these days…)

Ramathan hasn’t happened during the winter time in a very long time.

As of July 2013, Kuwait is hotter than the vast majority of Southern hemisphere countries in the world. Google the temperature of North African countries right now (July 2013) and the temperature of other Arab countries this month. Kuwait is also currently hotter than Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and UAE.

Kuwait is also averaging slightly higher temperature than Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

Fasting in Kuwait is very hard for less-privileged Muslims who are cramped in derelict buildings.

Native Kuwaiti Christians didn’t eat in public in the early 1900’s because it’s like flaunting your food in front of other people.

So you’re saying if it did occur in winter we wouldn’t need a law? But thing is when it was taking place in winter the law was still there so the law hasn’t nothing to do with how hot Kuwait is. Yet you’ve posted maybe 20-30 posts here with the excuse that Kuwait is hot and thats why the law exists.

Where is the evidence that this law gets enforced during the winter-time?

um – try a couple of years ago?

A no-eating law was never actually enforced ”just a couple of years ago”.

Hahaha. Don’t you remember 2003?

Funny how it works.

Because you have no control on your urges, I am not supposed to eat or drink in public?

It would be a matter of respect if there was no law in place. But putting a gun to your head and telling you to comply defeats the purpose of good fasting.

The manners in which the month of Ramadan is practiced in Kuwait is laughable, because I have several Muslim friends who actually work very hard in other countries without any time leverage. They have to work just like everyone else. And frankly, it means so much more to see them fast than seeing people fast in Kuwait.

1. Fasting in other countries is easier than it is in Kuwait because Kuwait is a very hot country. The working hours law helps people fasting.

2. It is very rude and disrespectful to eat and drink in front of people fasting. Westerners don’t really have much manners in Kuwait, they walk around like they own the place and look down on everyone else which is why this law is in place.

3. No one is putting a gun to your head and telling you to comply, last year only a few people had to pay 100 KD.

4. You can’t equate paying 100 KD to someone putting a gun to your head and telling you to comply.

Really! And 1000 years ago without ac why such a law was not enforced. Plus, heat is ur argument? So because it’s hot u don’t want people to eat infront of u! And because it’s hot u can lock me up in jail and deprive me from my civil rights? Like seriously.

Also, lets follow ur logic which points to public places, here is a question…in ur office, ministry, buildings don’t u live with AC? so what heat are u taking about,

Conclusion, the only time u experience the heat is the point where u walk to ur car, if ofcourse not parked by valet…..

It has nothing to do with heat, simply being civilized and understanding religion well would end this joke.

what about the people in Germany or UK or Canada where fasting is almost 18 hours?

you guys are missing the whole point of Ramadan, it’s not about eating and sleeping, it’s about controlling your urges and delaying your gratification… among other purposes.
People in those countries do not get a break from their work week and I sure do not think they should, no one should, especially in our Muslim countries.
it’s really disgraceful to see Ramadan turn into a month of gluttony, sloth, and depleted productivity. now THAT is laughable.

disrespectful to eat in front of a fasting person? maybe so, but if you cannot control your urges then you better not be fasting to start with. if you cannot focus or concentrate at work because you’re fasting? don’t fast the entire day, build up your tolerance and patience.
i’m gonna stop ranting here

UK and Germany are VERY cold country whereas Kuwait is currently peaking 49°C.

It is very rude and heartless to eat in front of less-privileged Muslims in Kuwait who fast and have to work outside during daytime to feed their families.

Eating in front of people at daytime during Ramathan is like flaunting your food in front of people fasting.

You said:
”it’s really disgraceful to see Ramadan turn into a month of gluttony, sloth, and depleted productivity. now THAT is laughable.”

You do realize that Kuwait is currently peaking 51°C at DAYTIME.. Kuwait is also currently averaging higher temperature at daytime than the vast majority of Muslim countries in the Southern hemisphere, including the rest of the Gulf/Arabian Peninsula and North Africa.

Do you HONESTLY expect people to work at 49°C outside? Kuwait will peak 51°C today at mid-day. It is very dangerous to go out in that weather and many foreign workers are required to work outdoors, so the working hours laws prevent fainting and death from dehydration and excessive heat exposure.

”Depleted productivity”, Is it more productive to have people faint and die from dehydration and the heat exposure?

So you’re saying if it did occur in winter we wouldn’t need a law? But thing is when it was taking place in winter the law was still there so the law hasn’t nothing to do with how hot Kuwait is. Yet you’ve posted maybe 20-30 posts here with the excuse that Kuwait is hot and thats why the law exists.

ummm thats a copy and paste of what i said

Exactly, I was helping you out becasue lol kept posting the same justification.

Where is the evidence that this Ramathan law gets enforced during winter-time???

can you let go with the heat already? you’re answering every person’s comment with this heat nonsense.
if it’s too hot to work and fast during a super hot month, then don’t fast, as easy as that… our religion is a religion of ease. you protect your body from harm even if it means breaking the rules.

if you have to work outside but you physically cannot do both, then drop the fasting. Islam is meant to produce fruitful productive members of society.

Laborers/Gardeners/Drivers/Maids may feel like eating because they do manual labor unlike their “sponsors” who will wake up at 1PM and watch TV after a night of binge eating. It is not rude for someone to eat in public when they need it. And in your own words, Ramadan has fallen during a very hot period of time for the past few years and for more years to come, so if anything, the so called law needs to be relaxed as I find it inhuman to deny someone nutrition because you fall into temptation so easily and your commitment is weak.

3) metaphor

4) metaphor

The majority of laborers and maids in Kuwait are Muslims who actually fast during Ramathan. A working hour law doesn’t permit laborers to do manual work outside at daytime during Ramathan.

Some individual freelance workers voluntarily work to feed their families. It’s disrespectful to eat in front of them.

This law isn’t enforced often, last year only a few people had to face an actual penalty for eating in public.

NEWSFLASH! According to the Salon Company that comes to my home, none of their Kuwaiti female customers are fasting during Ramadan. But they hopefully will face this law if they go outside the home and eat and drink in public.

Amer: ”According to the Salon Company, none of their Kuwaiti female customers are fasting during Ramadan”: where is the evidence to substantiate these claims, what it is ”Salon Company” exactly, are they reliable and trustworthy and cater to a large number of Kuwaiti females that represent the 1.4 million Kuwaitis in this country?

Why just ”Kuwaitis”?

Not all Kuwaitis are Muslims. There are 300 native Christians.

Have you met the majority of the 85% Muslims in Kuwait to conclude that MOST Muslims are not going to fast during Ramathan?

And this law is not enforced often, last year only a few people had to face an actual penalty for eating in public.

No. Eating and drinking should be allowed in public during Ramadan. It is up to the individual to be respectful and that comes through awareness. Everyone should have this basic right and it should not be forced upon by any form of authority. Period.

This law is not enforced often, last year only a few people faced an actual penalty for eating in public.

https://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/kuwaiti-man-arrested-over-ramadan-shootings-of-three-indians

Remember?

Remember what? The link you posted leads to an article about a Kuwaiti man who ate in public at daytime during Ramathan.

My comment was ”I don’t believe a WOMAN was arrested for CHEWING gum during Ramathan” because Arab Times Online is not a reliable source. There’s a difference between chewing gum and eating actual food in public.

habibi, you need to read the article.

I read the article, there is NO mention of someone chewing gum.

Wait… you actually think Westerners don’t have much manners in Kuwait?

Let me ask you this, have you met any Kuwaiti like… ever?

Yes, I have met many Kuwaitis and they have far more respect for others in foreign countries than Westerners here.

That is because Kuwaitis in foreign countries have to obey the law unlike here where they can get away with murder.

Thanks a lot for this post Mark. I had a big doubt on the timings. Guess my company is very smart. They are making the max use of the law.

There are many private companies who have much lesser work timings. Maybe they are not aware of this law as they just have 30 working hours per week. Fri and Sat’s are off. I envy those guys 🙁

I posted this not mark, your welcome, even though mark is helping out a great deal. :))

Also, a business that is caught serving food/beverages to the public in daytime
So can I call the cop on the bakala or sultan center or lulu and other shops selling water bottle, drinks or food during day time ??
Or it’s only against Resturants ?? They both sell food and drinks ???

I did not explain properly. I meant serve in the daytime as in allow people to eat there! my bad.

https://www.kuwaitlaborlaw.com/

No food huh? Sultan Center serves fresh food during Ramadan.

it does not only you to eat in public though!

As a devout American Christian in Kuwait, I have respect for the devout Muslims that want to practice fasting. In both religions, fasting is a form of sacrifice and a form of getting closer to and understanding God more. But, it is supposed to be a personal journey between you and God. During fasting I do not expect others to not eat or drink in front of me. It is a journey of sacrifice and submission and in no way has any affect on what others do in my presence. Ramadan Kareem

+100!

NOBODY gets fined or jailed for eating in public places in countries where lent is observed! AND restaurants remain open as well…………

Just to make it clear to everyone that law was promulgated in 1968!

It wasn’t enforced until recently.

It doesn’t matter that the law is or is not enforced. It is still there where the state is not ‘advising’ you to not eat or drink in public, it is ordering you and is capable of fining and imprisoning you. If they don’t want this law then take it off the books and allow restaurants to open, if they want to, at any time of the day.

Fasting doesn’t mean as much when you have the state helping you out with your uncontrollable urges.

BTW it was enforced in 1996 when I came to Kuwait depends if you call that recent or not.

Just had to Google “Promulgation” 🙂

I’m really surprised that Kuwait is not deporting people who get caught drinking, eating and smoking in public like SA? I want to add to that list peeing/defacating in public during Ramadan. I saw yet another man peeing along the 40FWY this morning, I am sick of these people, especially during Ramadan!

I’ve seen the term “respect” utilized extensively here. I’ve always considered that respecting someone’s religion means that you allow them to practice it in a manner they see fit. It does not mean adopting the tenets thereof. Now back to my bacon. lettuce and tomato sandwich….

The ”law” is barely enforced. Only 5 people faced were ”arrested” last year. You’re all exaggerating.

Exactly. The whole “respect me because I can’t eat by not eating in front of me” has no grounds for respect. A personal choice to follow a tenet of a religion does not imply that others around you must carry the same burden. Is it nice if they don’t eat in front of you? Sure. But to be so pompous as to call someone who does eat in front of you disrespectful is hilarious and sad.

Don’t shift your own burdens onto others. I disagree with the law on those grounds.

This is a fair and tolerant nation (Dubai, UAE)
https://gulfnews.com/in-focus/ramadan/uae-restaurants-serving-before-iftar-1.1207106

This rule does not only apply to Kuwait, it is enforced in all Gulf States. Obviously a lot of you love to debate this matter, however the law is the law, you have to accept it, as you accept paying your taxes in the so called civilized world. Which by the way, the only reason they are civilized is due to the fact, that they abide by their law.

https://www.arabianbusiness.com/-warning-for-non-muslims-caught-eating-in-public-during-ramadan–409549.html

What is civilized?

You are such a racist. The vast majority of Kuwait’s laws are secular. This stupid ”no eating law” is barely enforced. Only 4-7 people were ‘penalized’ last year for drinking/eating in public.

Sorry, I misread your comment.

This rule is also enforced in some parts of Iraq.

And I wouldn’t say that it’s really enforced in Kuwait. Only 4-7 people were penalized for eating/drink in public last year.

Happy ramathan for all our guests in kuwait

Wow lol. You speak of manners and here you are stereotyping and generalizing. Shame on you.

In my university years in Lebanon we had exams during iftar time, and no one gave a damn if you ate or smoked in between.

I guess it’s harder to fast in Lebanon and elsewhere, as here we just sleep till iftar time.

Dumbest thing in the universe …law only apples to you ….you …not you or you but you and her and him but nope not him or her …lol wtf

That makes absolutely no sense.

good day. i am an emt for the EMS here in kuwait working for a private company. We are required to work for 48 hrs per week during ramadan but according to labor law working hours have to decrease during Ramadan.

“It is forbidden to allow workers to work for more than 48 hours per week or 8 hours a day, except in such events as are specified in this Law. Working hours during the month of Ramadan shall be equal to 36 hours per week”

my question is what are those events exempted from this law? any reply will very much be appreciated

also i would like to ask what are the eid al fitr holidays for this year? our company says its only aug 8,9 and 10 only but from the sites i searched on the net its aug 8 9 10 and 11

What if the private sector is not following rhe law of kuwait duromg this ramadam? Sample instead of ee work 6hours a day they do 7 hours a day… also do we habe some extra offs for this ramadan? Like in saudi arabia hey are giving the expats 5days off when its ramadan…

124 replies on “Kuwait Law: Ramadan”

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