Posted on 02/24/2010 6:37:38 AM PST by La Lydia
Some women who protested at the Islamic Center of Washington, wanting to be able to worship in the main prayer hall with their male counterparts, were asked to leave by the police. But they say their struggle will continue. Carpets with intricate designs cover the floors of the main prayer hall and turquoise tiles line the walls. But the source of contention is a small room created with seven foot high wooden walls. Jannah B'int Hannah describes how she feels in there where she cannot see the imam, or leader of the mosque, speak.
"Boxed in, stifling, suffocating and totally a second class citizen," says Hannah.
Over the weekend, Hannah and approximately 20 other women prayed in the main hall, but D.C. police were called. They asked them to leave or be arrested.
Syed Burmi, the imam of Islamic Society of Western Maryland, says the physical separation helps maintain women's privacy and modesty as well as keeps the focus on prayer...
In two out of every three American mosques, women of separate prayer spaces around the country. Asra Nomani is a leading Islamic feminist...
"We have this generation of American muslim women who are saying look you want us to go to Harvard, to rise to the highest level of Wall Street firms and you want us to sit where in the mosque?," says Nomani.
Women activists say they will continue to try to pray in the main hall until this policy changes.
(Excerpt) Read more at wamu.org ...
I think they have a very strong case. This could get very interesting if they have the stregnth go to court!
I get your point, but haven’t their been churches and synagogues were men sat on one side, women on the other? Religious institutions have the right to set their own rules. People who don’t like those rules should worship elsewhere.
Well, they could always stop worshiping a false prophet and become a Christian. Funny thing about those Chrisians, they actually revere women, and guess what, they treat them like equals. I know this is all crazy talk to the zombies, but just sayin.
Fu— the police and the 5-0 to... Working on the wrong side of the law as usual.. I worry for our country when the police act this way...
There are some Christians on this site that don't. They believe that a women's place is in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant and do not believe that the women has a right to divorce even in the case of physical violence by her husband on her.
my message to Jannah B’int Hannah - if you want to be treated as an equal, become a Christian.
It was women, after all, who led the conversion of the Roman Empire, one home at a time - because women suffered most under Paganism
No mans law but gods law... Many police seem to take the wrong path nowadays.
Jannah B’int Hannah describes how she feels in there where she cannot see the imam, or leader of the mosque, speak.
“Boxed in, stifling, suffocating and totally a second class citizen, a real Muslim woman.” says Hannah.
See also:
bint: (British slang) n. “woman”, in the loosest sense of the word. One step short of a prostitute, a bint is a bird with less class, less selectivity, more makeup and even more skin. Blokes don’t talk to bints unless they’ve had at least eight pints of beer, which is why bints turn up in free-for-students nightclubs at 2:45 a.m. with their faked student ID and dance around their Moschino rucksacks. The word derives from the Arabic for “woman.” Well, I say “derives from” – it is the Arabic for “woman.”
http://septicscompanion.com/showletter.php?letter=b
Hrm...I believe the point here is the PUBLIC law enforcment has been used to enforce a CHURCH rule on church property..
This is a clear voilation of the 1st amendment.
I agree with you that religious institutions have the right to set their own rules and that people who don’t like those rules should worship elsewhere. But I have a problem with bringing the police in to enforce the separatist rule. If the women are otherwise respectful and well behaved and law-abiding, then the mosque should enforce the rules itself. The police should not be enforcing a rule that would be illegal in any other institution in this country.
‘Jannah B’int Hannah describes how she feels in there where she cannot see the imam, or leader of the mosque, speak. “Boxed in, stifling, suffocating and totally a second class citizen,” says Hannah.’
Honey, this is the religion. It is a religion of rules that were developed back in the 6th century.
Come into the freedom of Christ. He does not care what you wear on your head or if you are sitting next to a man.
Leave or be arrested? Arrested for what? Being in a mosque. The participation of the DC police in this is shameful and embarassing.
Asra Nomani is a leading Islamic feminist...
An Islamic feminist? WTF? The only way femininity is served in Islam is by leaving it (and risking one's life by doing so).
Wow, I must have missed that thread. Could you provide a link?
They either need to obey the rules or get out. Feminists will not support them, not since 9/11. They did prior to 9/11 but leftists would rather support our enemies than remain true to their “beliefs”.
I think that there is case law regarding “separate but equal.”
You will be waiting a while.
I kinda like that sound of that “pregnant” part, though.
Not allowing women preachers treats them as equal?
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