Are Mosques really sister-friendly?

[Reality Check]

Muslim Women Seeking a Place in the Mosque

 

 

Comments?

[Viking]

Devil's Advocate,

Sis, don't let media like the New York Times be your source of information. It is owned by the mogul Zionist Rupert Murdoch who is also owner of the misinformation network known as Fox News. For God's sake, even the author of the article is Jewish. Since when did Zionists have anything positive to say about Islam?

[Reality Check]

viking,

 

It's great to hear your opinion, but I'm here to discuss the validity of this article.

 

 

Are mosques women friendly?

 

The reason I posted this was because I know quite a few girls who feel uncomfortable with the mosque situation. Have you ever been to the women's side of the mosque? do you know what conditions are like on that side? Why are the entrances located on the side at some exit door, while the men have the main entrance? Why are the facilities smaller, even though it is the women who usually take the kids with them (and in this case, it should be the same size as the men's side if not bigger)? Why do the men congregate outside of the mosque (especially near our neighborhood) and literally hunt for a wife after prayers?

 

These are REAL issues, hence why its in the debate section. But here you are arguing about the authors motives for the story........

[Blessed]

No, Not all mosques anyway.

 

Viking,

Even Muslims have addressed this issue. Daud Warranby discussed it recently accusing certain Muslims of adopting the 'western' way treating woman as objects. And a few sisters and sheikhs have addressed this issue. We really need to go back the the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw)...!!

 

 

***I'm going home now. Will explain my reasons another time insha Allah.

[Reality Check]

Originally posted by Ameenah:

No

, Not all mosques anyway.

 

Are mosques different in your city? Where the facilities are similar on both sides...and no one has complaints?

 

I've seen mosques in three different cities, and it's pretty much the same theme...but maybe its just a North American Phenomenon?

[sheherazade]

It is NOT a North American phenomenon. The women r relegated to corners and confined spaces. At the mosque I've prayed at the most, Eid morning, the corridors turn into manic, congested alleys. Prams, women and children fight to go in and fight harder to get out. Unorganised and uncomfortable, u get trampled upon, people raise their voices and some turn sour. It takes something away from the occasion. It puts one off going. How can that be good?

 

The modern mosque is performing only one of its functions for the women(space to pray) and not very well at that.

[Viking]

I am not downplaying the importance of the issue, but just explaining to Devil's Advocate about the source of her news. There are a few reasons which I think might have led to the current situation...

 

-Women, unlike men, are not obliged to offer their daily prayers in congregation.

 

-Friday prayers are mandatory for men and optional for women.

 

-Women are not allowed to pray during menstruation. So for about a week a month, she cannot attend congregational prayers.

 

 

-The link between the Imam and the congregation should not be broken. This rule does not incule women.

 

 

I have been to the women's side of the mosque and the condition in the mosques that I have seen from Nairobi to Stockholm have been quite satisfactory. This issue is not new, I have heard complaints from women who want to attend the congregational prayers. In India, there was even a group of women who after complaining of their situation, decided to start their own mosque, a women's mosque.

[sheherazade]

have u been there while the women have been there and seen it at its maximum capacity? Were the number of potential female attendees going to be accommodated comfortably?

 

India does not have many mosques that allow female worshippers. At the largest mosque in India, some 25,000 worshippers can be accommodated. The women pray at the mosque but there are no separate wudu areas for them. They come having completed their ablutions or use the pool in the middle of the mosque, in full view of all.

The women's mosque is probably a one of a kind in India.

[Reality Check]

Viking,

 

First of all, even though its optional, women choose to go to the mosque to pray. Obligation or not. Our menses should not be brought up as it is a private woman issue that you don't have the slightest inclination about. Even though a woman is experiencing menstruation, she can go to the mosque and listen to the lecture. Now that that's cleared up, in your post, you are pretty much downplaying a woman's right to go to the mosque or rather that it is a man's mosque and women are just welcome to come. That is a sad mistake brother, as the mosque is the house of God, where everyone is equal in his eyes.

 

How did you see the women's side of the mosque? Did you go when it was populated, or when no one was there.

 

As for sources, I found nothing wrong with the article, but I can see why muslim men and some women would be pissed to see a non-muslim speaking on something that so few muslims can bring up.

 

 

Sheher,

 

Max female capacity + the children!

[Baashi]

DA,

There are two separate issues here.

 

The first issue is the accommodation. There are many legitimates points the article raised namely the accommodation problem. Yes, the parking lot can be bigger; the women’s section can be more accommodating, etc. The point is there will always be room for improvement. As always, there is budget shortage for maintaining or expanding these facilities.

 

The second issue is the gender politics and feminists tendencies to bring their polarization venom into the spiritual quarters. Mixing genders is something that so called “progressive†Muslims (I’m in loss what that really means) might find appealing. It is true that Mosque is for all Muslims regardless their gender. It is also equally true that there are rules and guidelines that Muslims should adhere when in the Masjid. These guidelines are not ad hoc rules and they are not open for reform, for instance, who leads the prayer, who delivers the sermon, and who seats where (front vis-à-vis back).

[Reality Check]

This issues are not separate, bashi, I totally disagree.

 

If there is a lack of accomodation for the female facilities in one mosque, then your budget theory will fly. But if its a wide-spread problem like this (even in the remote west virginia) one wonders who the owner of the mosque was trying to accomodate......men first. Hence, it does become an equality issue. And viking over there is using our ability to bleed every month to justify lack space and general comfortability one should feel at the mosque. Imagine trying to listen to a qudba, but you can't see or sometimes hear the Imam? Some women are choosing not to go to the mosque, not because they are not obligated to, but the passive way in which they are told that they take the back seat of the bus. And its really not about men and women co-mingling in the mosque, as you have suggested.

[Khayr]

Originally posted by Devil's Advocate:

one wonders who the owner of the mosque was trying to accomodate......men first. Hence, it does become an equality issue.

-Equality btwn genders are notions and gimmicks

Why? You just have to look around the

MODERN FAMILY and how kids are turning up into Giant Kids (and not ADULTS) as a result of the gender roles being BLURRED.

 

Question-WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT TO THE MASJID and HOW OFTEN DO YOU GO SO THAT YOUR CRITICISM CAN BE THE LEAST BIT VALIDATED?

 

People who write these articles are coming from a

WESTERN LIBERAL BIAS worldview, where if something is not done according to their 'VIEWPOINT' then its NULL/VOID and NEGATIVE.

 

issue is the gender politics and feminists tendencies to bring their polarization venom into the spiritual quarters. Mixing genders is something that so called “progressive†Muslims (I’m in loss what that really means) might find appealing. It is true that Mosque is for all Muslims regardless their gender. It is also equally true that there are rules and guidelines that Muslims should adhere when in the Masjid. These guidelines are not ad hoc rules and they are not open for reform, for instance, who leads the prayer, who delivers the sermon, and who seats where (front vis-à-vis back).

I agree with you saxib.

We live in an age of SENTIMENT, wherein if something is 'DISLIKED' then it has to be WRONG b/c individual and the collective judgements

are deemed SACRED.

[AYOUB]

Originally posted by Devil's Advocate:

Originally posted by Ameenah:

Are mosques different in your city? Where the facilities are similar on both sides...and no one has complaints?

 

I've seen mosques in three different cities, and it's pretty much the same theme...but maybe its just a North American Phenomenon?

Most Masjids in SW London have excellent womens' section and other facilities and services available for them (UK Nomads please check the MUSLIM DIRECTORY ) . Thornton Heath's women section is located at the most beautiful and coolest part of the Masjid. I hear the Wimbledon Park women's section of the Masjid is very good as well thanks mostly to the Pakistani community (may Allah repay them gererously for their efforts).

 

As for the topic generally, I find it sad the issue is being presented as a civil rights case and not dealt with as a religious one.

[OG_Girl]

... "We did not even know the prayer had ended," said Mrs. Aboobaker, explaining that the sound system had failed. "We were locked up like sheep and cows."

Damn women! you are lucky if they even let you go to the Masjid!!!.

 

We live in Moslim country and 95% of mosques have no women's room. see I said women's rooms!! just small room beside wash rooms let it alone facilities and services .

 

I noticed discrimination even when worshiping Allah!!... Shame on them

 

Salam

[-Serenity-]

Originally posted by Devil's Advocate:

But if its a wide-spread problem like this (even in the remote west virginia) one wonders who the owner of the mosque was trying to accomodate......men first. Hence, it does become an equality issue.

Ditto DA. This very issue has crossed my mind over the years more than once. Quite honestly, except for Ramadan, I've never even attempted to go the mosque. Simple Reason = the women's section is jammed, tiny and not properly managed.

I'd give the owners the benefit of doubt and put it down to financial difficulties, but the men's section is far better in comparison.

Its simply a case of MUSLIM men threating muslim woman as second class citizens in every front. And as much as they deny it, muslims women are not given their due rights. The sooner women realize this, the better.