Ma’a Sabeel Map
In and around the neighborhoods of Kuwait you come to find water fountains offering passersby free cooled water. These fountains date back to 1876, when the first public water fountain was established in Kuwait City. This fountain was the first of many that now appear all over the city and nestled in residential neighborhoods.
The fountain has become a tradition in Kuwait serving several purposes. These neighborhood water fountains are placed by private citizens where the main purpose is offering passersby cool water. With temperatures reaching more than 50 degrees Celsius (more than 122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer months, water becomes an urgent necessity. The second and third purpose is to serve as honor of a passed loved one and as a good deed encouraged by the faithful in the practice of Islam.
Locations for the fountains are usually on the sidewalks in front of houses and schools.
The design of the fountain takes many forms. Some are more traditional with Quran sayings inscribed and/or a devotional statement of a passed loved one.
All are welcome to stop for a drink or to refill a vessel.
