While one might think Kuwait is far more progressive than countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran, there are still certain elements there that want to keep women subjugated, and in this case -out of the political realm. It seems Kuwaiti’s conservative Salafis have issued a fatwa calling it a sin to vote for women, in the upcoming parliamentary elections and have called on Kuwaitis to boycott all 19 female candidates. According to Fuhaid al-Hailam,

of the Islamic Salafi Alliance politburo, according to the Salafi’s interpretation of a saying by the Prophet Muhammad to the effect that a nation will not prosper if a woman leads it.

He is calling on the women to withdraw, because what they are doing is un-Islamic. What isn’t un-Islamic, these days, one has to wonder.

The sad thing is female candidates running for office have slowly dwindled- down from 28 in 2008, and 31 in 2006. Perhaps they gave up because they never won, but hopefully this year they will. Then again, women weren’t allowed to vote until 2005!

How’s that for progressive?!