Rabat – Basma Al-Kuwaiti has caused an uproar after publicly announcing her decision to convert from Islam to Judaism.
On Wednesday, Kuwaiti singer Ibtissam Hamid posted a video on her social networks, in which the former Muslim announced she had converted to Judaism.
Ibtissam, better known as Basma Al-Kuwaiti, also stirred cotroversy for her hostile remarks against Islam.
After introducing herself in the video, the woman described Islam as a religion of “terror and hypocrisy.”
She also claimed that Islam “despises, oppresses, and violates” women and their rights.
“[Islam] does not give them [women] their full rights and I am proud to say I am Jewish,” she said.
The Kuwaiti singer also publicly condemned the Kuwaiti monarchy, criticizing her country for refusing to establish ties with Israel.
“I also announce my opposition to the Al-Sabah family, which rejects normalization, freedom of religion, and freedom of opinion,” Basma Al-Kuwaiti said.
This was not the first time a Kuwaiti public figure has caused an uproar among Kuwaitis and Arabs.
In January, Kuwaiti broadcaster Mohammed Al Momen posted a video on social networks declaring his decision to convert from Islam to Christianity.
Twitter users condemned Basma’s move, questioning her motive to publish a video to insult Islam publicly.
“With you or without you, Islam is victorious,” one Twitter user wrote.
Some Twitter users even shared a copy of the artist’s ID online, claiming that her origin is Iraq.
Several media across the Gulf quoted a security source who said that the singer has Iraqi nationality.
The source gave a statement to local news Jaridatcom saying that Basma Al-Kuwaiti was born in Kuwait to a Kuwaiti mother.
The source also said that Kuwait refused to grant her citizenship.
