Kuwait Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs

The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (MOAIA; Arabic: Arabic: وزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية) is the cabinet-level body responsible for religious affairs and Islamic endowments (awqāf) in the State of Kuwait. Its remit includes oversight of mosques and religious activities, issuance of fatwas, management of the official Hajj program for citizens and residents, and policy initiatives promoting religious moderation."About Us". Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Ministers – Current Ministerial Formation". Kuwait Government Online. Retrieved 11 November 2025.

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs

وزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية
Agency overview
Jurisdiction	Government of Kuwait
Headquarters	Kuwait City
Minister responsible	Mohammad I. M. Al-Wasmi, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
Agency executive	Bader Al-Mutairi, Undersecretary
Website	www.awqaf.gov.kw/en

Responsibilities

• Mosques and worship: regulation and administration of mosques and related services. In 2025 the ministry issued a circular requiring prior approval for installing surveillance cameras in mosques and placing systems under ministry supervision."No Cameras Without Approval: Ministry Issues Mosque Surveillance Rule". Arab Times (Kuwait). 18 October 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Kuwait tightens oversight on mosque surveillance: no cameras without approval". Gulf News. 19 October 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Fatwa services: operation of official e-services to submit questions for religious opinions."MOAIA eServices (Fatwa, Hajj registration, mosques finder)". Kuwait Government Online. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Hajj administration: organizing and supervising Hajj affairs for Kuwaiti pilgrims through the national Hajj mission."Kuwait's Hajj mission intensifies preparations for the season". Kuwait Times. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Kuwaiti pilgrims head to Mina to start rituals of Hajj". KUNA. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Moon-sighting (Islamic holidays): the ministry’s Moon Sighting Committee announces the beginning of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr."Kuwait moon sighting committee: Friday marks first day of Eid Al-Fitr". KUNA. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Kuwait moon sighting committee: Sunday marks first day of Eid Al-Fitr". KUNA. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Promotion of moderation and counter-extremism programs, including through the Center for the Promotion of Moderation (also known as the Moderation Center)."Country Reports on Terrorism 2022: Kuwait". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Kuwait keen on promotion of moderation, peaceful coexistence". KUNA. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Religious outreach: the Islam Presentation Committee (IPC) conducts proselytization/outreach under the authority of the ministry."International Religious Freedom Report 2009 – Kuwait". U.S. Department of State. 26 October 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2025.

Affiliated and related bodies

• Kuwait Zakat House – a public entity under the ministry that collects and disburses zakat, established by Law No. 5/1982."About Zakat House". Zakat House. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Kuwait – Zakat House legal basis (Law No. 5/1982)". Lexis Middle East. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Kuwait Center for the Promotion of Moderation – a MOAIA unit that runs programs on tolerance and countering extremism."Country Reports on Terrorism 2023: Kuwait". U.S. Department of State. 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation (KAPF) – an independent public foundation established by Amiri Decree No. 257/1993 to manage awqaf assets; it works in the endowments sector alongside the ministry."The Development Impact of the Awqaf Properties Investment Fund (APIF) – Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation" (PDF). Islamic Development Bank. 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Maximizing Social Impact Through Waqf Solutions – Kuwait country note". World Bank. 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2025.

Ministers

• Yusuf Al-Hadji, 1970s."Kuwait splits between conflicts of sheikhs, and sheikhs of conflicts". Middle East Online. 7 June 2011. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Yaacoub Abdulmohsen Al-Sanaa, 2015."Cabinet, parliament members meet in a cordial atmosphere". Kuwait Times. KUNA. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Mohammad Nasser Al-Jabri, 10 December 2016 – 30 October 2017."34th Cabinet of Kuwait – Ministerial portfolios". Wikipedia. Retrieved 11 November 2025. Lists Mohammad Nasser Al-Jabri as Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, 10 Dec 2016 – 30 Oct 2017.^[a]
• Fahad Mohammad Al-Afasi, 11 December 2017 – December 2018; again December 2019 – December 2020."Key post for Emir's son in new Kuwait cabinet". Gulf News. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Kuwait forms new cabinet after dissolution over row". Arab Times. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Fahad Al-Shula, December 2018 – December 2019."Kuwait names new ministers in cabinet reshuffle". Khaleej Times. WAM. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Emir of Kuwait calls on new ministers to apply the law". Asharq Al-Awsat. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Essa (Issa) Al-Kandari, 14 December 2020 – 1 August 2022."Kuwait government takes constitutional oath before parliament". Bahrain News Agency. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
• Abdulaziz Majid Al-Majid (Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs), 16 October 2022 – 26 January 2023."42nd Cabinet of Kuwait". Wikipedia. Retrieved 11 November 2025. Lists Abdulaziz Majid Al-Majid holding Justice and Awqaf portfolios, 16 Oct 2022 – 26 Jan 2023.
• Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi (concurrent portfolio), 2023."Information Min. congratulates Amir on ascending to office". KUNA. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2025. Refers to Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi as Minister of Information and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.
• Mohammad I. M. Al-Wasmi, 13 May 2024 – present."Brief CVs of Kuwait's newly formed government". KUNA. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Ministers – Current Ministerial Formation". Kuwait Government Online. Retrieved 11 November 2025."Al-Wasmi leads Kuwait at Islamic affairs summit". Kuwait Times. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2025.

See also

• Religion in Kuwait
• Awqaf

Notes

1. Primary confirmation appears in KUNA’s contemporaneous cabinet profiles.