ShareKUWAIT: Kuwait brings together people from all walks of life, yet within Islam, differences fade. In prayer halls and daily acts of faith, individuals of all backgrounds stand side by side, bound by something deeper than nationality. An Asian and an Arab pray together, an African and a European share a moment of reflection and voices with different accents blend in the same supplications. After speaking with Islamic outreach volunteers from various backgrounds, Kuwait Times discovered that, for many expatriates, this shared faith turned a foreign land into a place that feels like home.
For Filipinos like Sadjiarah Garangan, this experience has been particularly eye-opening. Coming from a country where Muslims make up only around 6 percent of the population, she had never encountered such cultural diversity within Islam until she moved to Kuwait. “The diversity in Islam here is something I wouldn’t have experienced elsewhere,” she shared with Kuwait Times. “The only other time I see such a mix of Muslim nationalities together is during umrah.”
Living in a small country with a vast and interconnected Muslim community has strengthened Garangan’s connection to the global Ummah. “Here, I feel like I have a family — a sister, a mother, a brother. If my car breaks down, I can call someone from my group, and they will come to help,” she said. Her sentiments reflect a broader trend, with 28,541 Filipinos embracing Islam in Kuwait, a testament to the welcoming and supportive nature of the Muslim community.
This kind of support is not forced, but it’s part of Islam’s teachings and core values. Atif Nasim, and Indian expat said on that: “As one Ummah, we don’t see nationality or background — we see brothers and sisters in Islam. We support, befriend, and live alongside each other,” he said. “What unites us all is our belief in Allah.”
India, with over 200 million Muslims, is home to one of the world’s largest Muslim populations. Yet, for Asim, living in Kuwait offers a deeper connection to Islam, one that goes beyond a label and is truly embedded in daily life. “You see Islam reflected in people’s actions. In how they treat one another — with honesty, kindness, and respect for both the law and Islamic values,” Nasim shared. The impact of this environment is evident, as 15,663 Indians have embraced Islam in Kuwait.
Similarly, Sri Lankans have found a strong sense of belonging in Kuwait, with 15,610 embracing Islam. “Kuwait feels even more like home because we have the freedom to practice our religion in its truest form, Alhamdulillah,” said Sumaiya Shafideen, a Sri Lankan resident in Kuwait since 2010. “We don’t find this kind of diversity in our own countries; most of the time, we only meet our own people,” she added, noting that Muslims make up around 10% of Sri Lanka’s population.
The cultural diversity in Kuwait has played a significant role in making the spread of Islam more accessible. Ethiopian expatriate Bortukan Mohamed Omar attributes this openness to Islam’s unique ability to transcend cultural barriers. “Here, Islam is spoken in every person’s language, so people understand its message without barriers,” she explained.
Islam’s reach extends deeply into Africa, where approximately 15 percent of the continent’s population is Muslim. Yet, for many African expatriates in Kuwait, the sense of religious community here is uniquely strong, with over 1,723 Africans having embraced Islam in Kuwait. For many, the ability to practice their faith freely in Kuwait is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Garangan recalls how, in the Philippines, dedicated prayer rooms in public spaces are scarce. “But here, Subhan Allah, wherever you go — whether it’s a mall or a grocery store — you will always find a mosque nearby,” she said.
According to Islam Presentation Committee (IPC), which has facilitated these conversions and is the source of all the previous statistics, Kuwait’s welcoming Islamic environment continues to attract people from different backgrounds who find a sense of unity, community, and faith. Shafideen beautifully encapsulates this spirit with a verse from the Quran: “As Allah (SWT) says in Surah Al-Hujurat, ‘We created you from different nations and tribes so that you may know one another.’ In Kuwait, we get the chance to learn about all cultures, it’s a beautiful thing.”
