09 October 2009

Fatwa stirs heated debate over face-veiling in Kuwait

The controversy over a ban of fully-veiled women in Egypt is sweeping the Middle East region, including Kuwait, with some voices against the full veil, niqab, and some others in favor. Egypt's leading cleric, Mohammad Tantawi, has issued a fatwa (religious edict) saying that wearing a face veil was not an obligation for women under Islam. Salafist Kuwaiti lawmaker Mohammed Hayef Al-Mutairi on Wednesday lambasted the senior Egyptian cleric by branding Tantawi's statement as shameless. [Kuwait Times] Read more [via Religious Watch]