In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a Muslim Kuwaiti singer named Ibtisam Hamid announced her decision to leave Islam and embrace Judaism.
Ibtisam Hamid, popularly known as Basma Al-Kuwaiti, said that she took the decision after realising that Judaism was more tolerant of women rights than Islam. “I am Ibtisam Hamid, also known as Kuwaiti singer Basma Al-Kuwaiti. I declare my apostasy from Islam,” she said in the viral video.
She further added, “Islam is a religion of terror and a religion of hypocrisy, which despises women, oppresses and violates them, and does not give them their full rights and I am proud to say I am Jewish.” The singer had also slammed the ruling Kuwaiti Al-Sabah family for not normalising relations with Israel.
Popular Kuwaiti female singer Ibtisam Hamid converts from Islam to Judaism. pic.twitter.com/6knfXFC7uC
— Raju Das 🇧🇩 (@RajuDas7777) February 14, 2021
Ibtisam Hamid emphasised, “My opposition to – and not belonging to – the Al-Sabah family, which rejects normalisation, freedom of religion and freedom of opinion. I show neither loyalty nor affiliation to them.” The decision of the singer, who had reportedly claimed that music was ‘Haraam’ (forbidden) in Islam and sought Allah’s guidance in 2018, to convert to Judaism has taken her fans by surprise. She had once claimed to have been one of the top 10 secondary school students in the country to memorise the Quran.
Her viral video, however, soon drew abuse from Islamists. In a tweet, one user said, “What a shame, she doesn’t represent Kuwait. The lies she said about Islam is disheartening but it’s common for Zions and other bigots to say so. Get out of Kuwait and never look back.” Another user condemned her to the burning pyre in hell. “From the frying pan into the fire,” he wrote.
Reportedly, Hamid does not live in Kuwait anymore. Her request for citizenship was turned down as she is originally from Iraq and the law doesn’t permit even Kuwaiti women to pass on their nationality to the children. Her decision to announce her conversion to Judaism on social media has been dubbed by many as a ‘publicity stunt’. Although several Arab countries such as the UAE have normalised relations with Israel, Kuwait has refused to establish diplomatic ties with the country.