Religion in Kuwait

Kuwait is a country in the Middle East where people follow many different religions. The most common religion is Islam, and most citizens are Muslim. Islam is also the official religion of Kuwait.

Besides Islam, some people follow Christianity, Hindu, Buddhist, and Baháʼí beliefs. Many people in Kuwait come from other countries and have their own religious traditions.

Religions help shape the culture and traditions for many people in Kuwait, making it a fascinating place to learn about different ways people live and believe.

Islam

Main article: Islam in Kuwait

Kuwait's official religion is a type of Islam called Maliki Sunni Islam. Most Kuwaiti citizens who are Muslim belong to this group. There are also many Shia Muslims living in Kuwait, along with a few other smaller Muslim groups. The rulers of Kuwait, known as the Al Sabah family, follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam.

Many people living in Kuwait who are not citizens are also Muslim. Because Kuwait does not keep exact records of people's specific Muslim beliefs, the numbers of Sunni and Shia Muslims can change over time.

Christianity

Main article: Christianity in Kuwait

Our Lady of Arabia Parish in Al Ahmadi.

Christianity is a small part of life in Kuwait. In 2020, only about 289 Christian citizens lived there. Kuwait is special because it is one of the few countries where local Christians can be citizens.

Many people who are not citizens are Christians, making up a small part of the population.

The government allows several Christian churches to operate. These include the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, the National Evangelical Church Kuwait (Protestant), the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church, the Anglican Church, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some smaller Christian groups can worship privately.

Baháʼí

In Kuwait, some people follow the Baháʼí Faith. In 2013, only 18 were counted in a group called "Other," but reports say there were about 400 Baháʼís in 2022.

Judaism

Main article: History of the Jews in Kuwait

Before the 1950s, a few Jewish families lived in Kuwait. By the 1980s, all of these families had left the country.

Hinduism

Main article: Hinduism in Arab states

Kuwait has around 300,000 Hindus, but most of them are not citizens of the country.

Buddhism

About 100,000 people in Kuwait who are not citizens follow the Buddhist faith. Most of these people are expatriates living in the country.

Sikhism

There are about 10,000 Sikhs living in Kuwait. They are not citizens of the country.

Religion by Nationality (2020)

Religion by Nationality in Kuwait (2020)
Nationality	Islam		Christian		Other		Total
Nationality	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%
Kuwaiti	1,459,656	99.97%	290	0.01%	25	0.00%	1,459,970	31.25%
Arabian	1,188,738	93.97%	69,574	5.48%	9,108	0.71%	1,267,420	27.13%
Asian	798,297	42.98%	728,000	39.19%	330,928	17.81%	1,857,224	39.76%
African	16,250	35.05%	22,874	49.34%	7,227	15.59%	46,350	0.99%
European	6,640	39.66%	9,043	54.04%	1,050	6.29%	16,733	0.35%
American & Australian	13,722	59.62%	8,095	35.17%	1,198	5.20%	23,015	0.49%
Kuwait	3,483,300	74.57%	837,874	17.93%	349,539	7.48%	4,670,713	100%

Conflicts

Kuwait has sometimes had disagreements because of different religious groups. The country's laws protect people's right to believe and practice their religion as long as it doesn't go against local customs. There are rules against trying to start fights or spread hate because of religion.

Sometimes, people have faced consequences for saying things that hurt others' religious feelings. The country works to balance letting people practice their faith with keeping peace among different groups.