Important tips for new comers

Just out of interest... is this actually a law in Kuwait? Is there exceptions for people like the elderly, children and pregnant women? And does this law apply to tourists?
I believe that people shouldn't eat out of respect but a law makes it a different matter.
As I said I'm just interested to know, as Ramadan in Kuwait, in the summer months is tough for people with even the most strongest of body and mind!

Yep... this is a country where their religious beliefs MUST be your religous beliefs. I drive an hour and 15 minutes to work (one way) and it's over 100 degrees out, but I can't drink water... Yep... this is welcoming country... can't wait to get out of here!

Oh.. and yes... if you are prego or have some medical condition, you can get away with some of it.

sajjad the tone in your post is rather blunt, please attempt to rephrase some of your idioms that make it appear as tho the minute u step out of line some maniac will jump out of the shadows with a sword and hack off your head.

your "warning" to Europeans is quite condescending as well.

SCG, as we used to say in uni, it aint cheating if u dont get caught. trust me, i practiced rugby in the early morning (whilst fasting) and the guys & gals out there who dont fast would drink water, they made sure it wouldnt hurt ym feelings, which is preposterous, why on earth would it? im fasting, not u, why should ur need for sustenance affect my religious beliefs?

back in Egypt, Ramadan was totally different. this law of no food or drink for anyone only occurs in the Gulf. in my honest and humble opinion, it should be scrapped as it tarnishes the West's view of Islam.

Mrs. Ismail what they do here is either impose jail-time or a 100KD fine for eating in Public.

FFS i went to school here! during Ramadan all non-Muslim children were free to eat to their hearts content, so long as they did it in a shaded area (behind the canteen) so as not to "offend" those fasting.

try as i may, i cannot understand why that would be offensive.

so sajjad please, your contributions are much appreciated, but try to not make it sound so 'wrath-of-god-be-upon-you-should-you-transgress", ok?

Thank you Legacy for putting into words what I was thinking.
It is interesting to now know that Kuwait does impose fines and arrests in this matter... and a shame that it is like that, in my opinion.
Speaking as a Muslim one must remember the reasons for fasting and not worry about what non Muslims - or Muslims for that matter - are doing doing Ramadan.
Also I feel anyone who is a tourist in a Muslim country is aware of their surroundings and would be considerate if it was Ramadan, and wouldn't need such warnings.

Thank you MrsIsmail and many congratulations for your bundle of joy

I will be arriving at night during Ramadan so the next day I will need to go out for groceries.  Will the grocery stores be open during the day?  Also, as I tend to drink A LOT, if I were thirsty, if I keep a water bottle in my bag and then go into a bathroom and drink, will that be okay (for example what if another woman happens to hear me taking a sip of my water, will she report me)? This law is very intimidating as I have read that even drinking in your own car is against the law.  I don't want to get there and get arrested right off the bat.

I will also be arriving late in the month of Ramadan. I have the same questions as Ime.

I will be traveling 18+ hours and I know at the end of it I will be exhausted and probably thirsty and hungry. Will I be able to sneak drinks and bite at the ports of Kuwait without be reported?

This law is very concerning.

If your arriving at night, then it won't be so bad as I'm sure thats when everyone will be out and all the shops would be open. So that would be a good time to get your shopping in - not ideal after a long flight I know - but just get yourself a few essentials before doing a bigger shop the next evening.

... but I'm not in Kuwait so I'm sure the guys that know whats its like can advise you more

I understand your concern, I am also and I'm Muslim lol! But if I wasn't, I would be very anxious in that atmosphere that is described above.

ok time for damage control

People, please, it is NOTas it is made to appear

lme12, MrsIsmail & ksfm - as I told SCG above, it aint illegal if u dont get caught. trust me, no one is monitoring camera's in the streets in every nook and cranny waiting for u to take a sip of water out of a bottle to jump u.

so lme, yes, if u sneak into the ladies room for a drink (water ) it is perfectly ok, if u are driving it is ok (just make sure there are no cop cars around u as they could make a fuss about it), if ur amongst friends its ok.

fasting is from dawn to dusk, Muslims abstain from food and drink, that is what people are told. it is however, not entirely correct as during the month of Ramadan Muslims are meant to abstain from all transgressions, be it cursing, talking about people behind their backs, lying etc. consider it a month of spiritual and physical detox.

i know a few expat friends who call Ramadan "diet month", lme and ksfm once u arrive here i am sure ur colleagues will invite u to break fast gatherings (break fast as in ending fast at 6pm not breakfast in the am) so u will better understand the culture.

once more, yes, u can eat and drink in discretion. if u are around people u do not know who seem friendly, just ask them if it would offend them if u do so, that ur new etc.

Kuwait is not a land of strict conformance and punishment.

I hope this clarifies matters

and yes lme, grocery stores will be open. it is best to go in the early hours i.e. not in the afternoon or evening as they will be jam packed with fasting people who are very, very short tempered (i apologise, not all of them, most of them )

food courts and coffee shops however will not be open during the day "/ restaurants will be open a few minutes before Iftar (breaking of fast) in order to feed the masses who want to eat out. we can even arrange a breakfast outside once u guys arrive (all of u) to better introduce u to the culture

Thanks for the damage control legacy!

Oh and another thing, can I hug and hold hands with my husband in public????

Thanks so much for the information.  I knew you all would come through!  This forum should be required reading for newbies to Kuwait!

ksfm yes, hugging and handholding is not frowned upon, pecks on the cheek wont get u in hot water either. u may find a few of the older fuddy duddies giving u stern looks but pay them no heed, they were raised that way.

it is the excessive PDA that could land you in hot water. normal affection, not so.

what i will say is this, coz a lot of people wonder about what to wear, how to act etc. upon arrival, check out the malls, see what people are wearing, how they are acting etc. u'll find that misconceptions are just that, misconceptions.

ksfm i noticed your dp is rock climbing, if that is u, and u are a fan, u'll be pleased to know Kuwait does have a rock climbing wall in Marina, near the beach, with 4 different levels of difficulty

i started off with #2, then did #1, i attempted #3 and got half way up, and on #4 i merely got a quarter way.

:S

Legacy,

Yep, it is me! I am definitely a fan!! The rating scale on degrees of difficult is different here, ours goes 1-12 but so I am unsure what 1-4 mean. I will have to  just try it out!

This is very pleasing news!

hehe, by 1-4 i mean its a edifice-like building with 4 sides, each side varying in difficulty from the next.

you can check out this picture for a rough idea of what im trying to say