A reader from Kuwait sent me this:
"I was praying in a large, well-known mosque in a Kuwaiti residential area last Friday (Oct. 20, the last Friday of Ramadan). Between the Isha and Taraweeh prayers, when people were praying quietly, a man took the microphone and made a long, loud speech asking for donations for the Palestinians. He said he had the permission of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Municipality, etc. Afterwards, he laid his suitjacket on the floor and worshippers dropped money into it; it seemed like they were pretty generous. I was in the women's section upstairs; they didn't have a woman to come up and collect there, but they should have. I guess some women gave donations when they left. I assume he was from HAMAS; he had a short beard and mentioned mujahideen, etc. I was surprised, though, since the government says it's not supporting HAMAS."