Women’s Prayer Area in Haram Might Be Shifted

[Miriam1]

Women’s Prayer Area in Haram Might Be Shifted

P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News

 

JEDDAH, 26 August 2006 — The proposal to shift the prayer place of women within the circumambulation area (mataf) to two places inside the Grand Mosque, away from the Holy Kaaba, has drawn mixed reactions from both Saudis and expatriates. Some said the move was discriminatory while others said it would reduce overcrowding in mataf and facilitate tawaf (circumambulation).

 

Opponents of the proposal urged authorities to provide women wider areas inside the mataf instead of denying them the right to pray close to the Kaaba. According to the proposal made by a committee set up by the Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques Affairs, women will be given two wider prayer areas on the ground floor, in the northern part of the mosque overlooking the Kaaba; the first between Al-Fatah and Al-Nadwa gates and the second between Al-Madinah and Al-Hudaibiya gates.

 

“These two places are ideal for women worshippers and provide wider space for them,†an informed source at the presidency said. “The present area provided for women in the mataf covers 630 square meters but the new places offer them double the area,†he added. Suhaila Hammad, a member of the National Society for Human Rights and the International Union of Muslim Scholars, opposed the move, saying it would deny women the right to pray inside the mataf.

 

“In Islam, women have equal rights like men in terms of worship and devotion to God,†she said narrating a verse from the Holy Qur’an. “When we make a decision on this matter, we should also take into consideration the feeling of the thousands of Muslim women who come here from different parts of the world for Haj and Umrah. We should not deny them the right to pray inside the mataf,†she told Arab News.

 

Suhaila called upon authorities to allocate at least three more areas inside the mataf for women to pray and meditate comfortably.

 

Hatoon Al-Fassi, a Saudi writer and historian, expressed her confidence that the presidency would not accept the proposal that goes against the message and spirit of Islam that treats both men and women equally.

 

“I strongly reject this proposal and request the authorities not to implement it,†she said in comments published yesterday. Such a move has never taken place in the history of Islam, she added.

 

Hassan Misfar of the International Fiqh Academy called upon the mosque authorities to allocate special areas for women to perform tawaf. He said he feared that Western media would use the new proposal in support of their allegation that the Kingdom’s regulations discriminate against women.

 

“The move is unfair,†said Safiya Ali, an expatriate dawa activist, commenting on the proposal. She feared that once the present area for women in the mataf was shifted they would not get a chance to stay and pray closer to the Holy Kaaba. Safiya wanted wider prayer areas for women in the mataf with greater privacy.

 

Osama Al-Bar, dean of King Fahd Institute for Haj & Umrah Research, supported the plan, saying it would solve the problem of overcrowding in the mataf area, especially during peak Haj and Umrah seasons. “We have to take into consideration that the mataf has a limited area and is very difficult to expand it further,†he said.

 

Many other Saudis favored the move saying it was necessary to create more space for circumambulation around the Kaaba for the growing number of pilgrims.

 

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=78420&d=26&m=8&y=2006

[Modesty]

ridiculous, and sexist to say the least!

[- Femme -]

I'm waiting for the day they forbid women to give birth to more than one girl. It's close now.

[Miriam1]

Its a sad thing they are putting foward, I hope it doesnt go through, some good news though!

 

I am very proud of ISNA, inshallah khair this move will lead to great achievements.

 

DR. INGRID MATTSON ELECTED FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA (ISNA)

 

 

08-25-06 08:51

ISNA

 

Muslim organization elects Imam Mohamed Magid as Vice-President.

 

Plainfield, IN 08/23/2006 -The Islamic Society of North America (www.isna.net), the largest religious organization representing Muslims in North America, has elected Dr. Ingrid Mattson as its President. She is the first woman to head the organization.

 

Dr. Mattson, who earlier served as the first female ISNA Vice President, is Professor of Islamic Studies and Director of Islamic Chaplaincy at the Macdonald Center for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT. Dr. Mattson, born in Canada, studied Philosophy at the University of Waterloo, Ontario (B.A. '87) and earned her Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago in 1999.

 

 

Dr. Mattson has numerous publications exploring the relationship between Islamic law and society, as well as gender and leadership issues in Muslim communities. Her forthcoming book, The Qur’an: Its History and Place in Muslim Societies, is being published by Blackwell Press. Dr. Mattson lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.

 

ISNA members also elected Imam Mohammed ibn Hagmagid – popularly known as Imam Magid -- as the organization’s Vice-President. Imam Magid is the Executive Director and Imam of The All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS; www.adamscenter.org). He is also Chair of Fairfax Faith Communities in Action, member of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington Assembly, and Board Member of the Fairfax Youth Partnership. Imam Magid lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and five children.

 

Since its establishment in 1963, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) has been active in bringing people and communities together. Its goal has consistently been one of bridge-building between the Muslim community and the American society at large. ISNA is an association composed of Muslim organizations and individuals who aim to provide a common platform for presenting Islam by supporting Muslim communities, developing educational, social and outreach programs as well as fostering good relations with not only other religious communities but also numerous civic and service organizations. ISNA organizes dozens of annual national and regional conferences including the ISNA Annual Convention held over Labor Day weekend which attracts nearly 40,000 attendees.t go through.

[N.O.R.F]

Come on people lets not react as per usual. The authorities have the best interests of women at heart here. They dont want them amongst all the pushing/shoving and who knows what the statistics are for women who become hurt/ill while trying to pray near the kaba when thousands of people are making dawaaf.

 

Having said that, just to get to he designated prayer area may prove dangerous. Other factors such as splitting from their guides/guardians etc have not been considered.