Saleh Ashour
Encyclopedia
Saleh Ashour is a member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly
, representing the first district
. Born in 1952, Ashour studied economics and served in the Kuwaiti Air Force before being elected to the National Assembly in 1999. While political parties are technically illegal in Kuwait, Ashour affiliates with the Justice and Peace Alliance
, a Shia party.
Ashour further requested that the non-citizens who took part in the incident be deported: "the young persons who took part in the incident were not small children who did not know the results of their actions or the consequences of attacking a house of God."
Ashour charged that besides stoking sectarianism, the serial insults and distorts the Shia faith by mocking temporary marriage, a valid, sanctioned concept in Shiism despite the controversy and social taboos surrounding the practice.
every year. Ashour voted against the law, arguing that it was discriminatory and that Shiites should demonstrate against it: "Passage of anti-minority laws in the Parliament will force us to voice out our objections through demonstrations and we will exhaust all legal means including the media to oppose such laws."
In the lead-up to the vote, Ashour, Ali Al-Daqbaashi
, Musallam AlـBarrak and Hussein Muzyed spoke against the minister while Khalaf Al-Enezi
, Ali Al-Rashid
, Mohammed Al-Sager
, and Adel Al-Saraawi
spoke in her defense.
Subeih had to defend herself against allegations that she had attempted to deceive the nation when she denied a press report that three male students had been sexually assaulted by an Asian worker at a state school. She explained she had been misinformed and issued an apology.
Islamist lawmaker Saad al-Shreih also accused Subeih of not showing enough respect for Islam when she did not punish a 14-year-old girl who had allegedly drawn a cross on her religion text book and scribbled notes on it that she hated Islam. The minister told the house there was no evidence the girl had actually done that and so she was just referred to counseling. Shreih, however, still managed to gather the requisite signatures of ten lawmakers to force the no-confidence vote.
. Ashour told the group that sharia
discriminates between men and women only over a very few matters and that the Kuwaiti Constitution states that equity is a core pillar of society. Ashour blamed discrimination on habits and customs which have nothing to do with Islam. Ashour also hailed women’s acquisition of political rights in Kuwait as a positive step.
On August 11, 2008, Ashour submitted a bill that called for granting children born to Kuwaiti mothers and non-Kuwaiti fathers the Kuwaiti citizenship. He stressed that Kuwaiti women should be treated equally with men, as the Kuwaiti law automatically grants citizenship to children born to Kuwaiti fathers.
National Assembly of Kuwait
The National Assembly of Kuwait, known as the Majlis Al-Umma , is the legislature of Kuwait. The current speaker of the Assembly is Jassem Al-Kharafi. The Emir unconstitutionally dissolved the National Assembly in 1986 and restored it after the Gulf War in 1992...
, representing the first district
Kuwait's First District
Kuwait's first district comprises nineteen residential areas starting from Sharq and Dasma, passing through Salmiya and Rumeithiya and including Bayan, Meshrif and Hawally among others. It has a total of 66,641 voters of whom 36,571 are women and 30,070 are male...
. Born in 1952, Ashour studied economics and served in the Kuwaiti Air Force before being elected to the National Assembly in 1999. While political parties are technically illegal in Kuwait, Ashour affiliates with the Justice and Peace Alliance
Justice and Peace Alliance (Kuwait)
The Justice and Peace Alliance is a moderate Shia political bloc in Kuwait. Of the fifty elected members of Kuwait National Assembly, only one belongs to the Justice and Peace Alliance: Saleh Ashour....
, a Shia party.
Response to Attack on Shia Mosque
On October 10, 2005, Ashour asked the authorities to ensure protection for a Shiite mosque which was attacked by a fifty-person mob on a Friday night. The teenage mob set fire in a car in front of the mosque in al-Jahra city and threw stones at worshippers. Ashour added that the gathering raised banners against the Shiites, accusing them of helping the American forces in Iraq.Ashour further requested that the non-citizens who took part in the incident be deported: "the young persons who took part in the incident were not small children who did not know the results of their actions or the consequences of attacking a house of God."
Critical of Redistricting
On May 13, 2009, the parliament voted 60-2 to reduce the number of districts from 25 to five. Ashour was critical of the redistricting on the grounds that the districts were uneven in size: "No one in the chamber is opposed to the five constituencies, but there are differences about the geographic distribution." Later that week, Ashour held a rally outside the parliament building, telling the crowd: "The government bill is unfair and racist. It discriminates between Kuwaitis. It gives 70,000 Kuwaiti voters twenty MPs and the remaining 250,000 thirty MPs. Is this fair?" Ashour also argued that the redistricting would promote tribalism.Shiite Miniseries Controversy
On September 16, 2007, Ashour and fellow Shia MP Adnan Abdulsamad spoke out against a planned Ramadan soap opera miniseries titled ‘’Sins Have a Price’’ which was to revolve around and criticize the Shiite form of temporary marriage known as "Mutaa.” In a public statement, Ashour declared that, "This would spark more disputes especially amid the spread of sectarianism in the region, evident by events in Iraq and Lebanon.”Ashour charged that besides stoking sectarianism, the serial insults and distorts the Shia faith by mocking temporary marriage, a valid, sanctioned concept in Shiism despite the controversy and social taboos surrounding the practice.
Opposed Zakat Law
In November 2007, the parliament voted 51-2 to approve a law requiring all Kuwaiti public and shareholding companies to pay ZakatZakat
Zakāt , one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the giving of a fixed portion of one's wealth to charity, generally to the poor and needy.-History:Zakat, a practice initiated by Muhammed himself, has played an important role throughout Islamic history...
every year. Ashour voted against the law, arguing that it was discriminatory and that Shiites should demonstrate against it: "Passage of anti-minority laws in the Parliament will force us to voice out our objections through demonstrations and we will exhaust all legal means including the media to oppose such laws."
Criticized Education Minister Nouria al-Subeih
On January 22, 2008, the parliament voted 27-19, with two abstentions, against the impeachment of Education Minister Nouria al-Subeih.In the lead-up to the vote, Ashour, Ali Al-Daqbaashi
Ali Al-Daqbaashi
Ali Al-Daqbaashi is a member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, representing the fourth district. Born in 1965, Al-Daqbaashi studied management before being elected to the National Assembly in 2003. While political parties are technically illegal in Kuwait, Al-Daqbaashi affiliates with the Islamist...
, Musallam AlـBarrak and Hussein Muzyed spoke against the minister while Khalaf Al-Enezi
Khalaf Al-Enezi
Khalaf Al-Enezi is a member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, representing the second district. Born in 1952, Al-Enezi worked at the National Council before being elected to the National Assembly in 1981. Al-Enezi is an Independent deputy and is on good terms with the royal family...
, Ali Al-Rashid
Ali Al-Rashid
Ali Al-Rashid is a member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, representing the second district. Born in 1967, Al-Rashid worked as a lawyer before being elected to the National Assembly in 2003...
, Mohammed Al-Sager
Mohammed Al-Sager
Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager is an award-winning journalist, former member of the National Assembly of Kuwait, and former chairman of the Arab Parliament.-Background:...
, and Adel Al-Saraawi
Adel Al-Saraawi
Adel Al-Saraawi is a member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, representing the third district. Born in 1962, Al-Saraawi studied accounting before being elected to the National Assembly in 2003. He is considered an Independent deputy, but affiliates with the Islamist members...
spoke in her defense.
Subeih had to defend herself against allegations that she had attempted to deceive the nation when she denied a press report that three male students had been sexually assaulted by an Asian worker at a state school. She explained she had been misinformed and issued an apology.
Islamist lawmaker Saad al-Shreih also accused Subeih of not showing enough respect for Islam when she did not punish a 14-year-old girl who had allegedly drawn a cross on her religion text book and scribbled notes on it that she hated Islam. The minister told the house there was no evidence the girl had actually done that and so she was just referred to counseling. Shreih, however, still managed to gather the requisite signatures of ten lawmakers to force the no-confidence vote.
Supports Women's Rights Reforms
On April 21, 2008, Ashour addressed a seminar on women’s civil rights at Kuwait UniversityKuwait University
Kuwait University was established in October 1966, five years after Kuwait's independence from British Colonization. KU started with only two faculties, namely the Faculty of Science, Arts and Education; and a Women's College. The university had 418 students enrolled and 31 faculty members. By ,...
. Ashour told the group that sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
discriminates between men and women only over a very few matters and that the Kuwaiti Constitution states that equity is a core pillar of society. Ashour blamed discrimination on habits and customs which have nothing to do with Islam. Ashour also hailed women’s acquisition of political rights in Kuwait as a positive step.
On August 11, 2008, Ashour submitted a bill that called for granting children born to Kuwaiti mothers and non-Kuwaiti fathers the Kuwaiti citizenship. He stressed that Kuwaiti women should be treated equally with men, as the Kuwaiti law automatically grants citizenship to children born to Kuwaiti fathers.