Muslim Women Must Stand Up for Their Rights to Worship in Mosques

In Jackson, Michigan, is a small masjid made from a converted house. Most people would never suspect that this is a place of worship but for the influx of cars in the large parking lot every Friday afternoon.

Shortly before the sun reaches its apex on Friday afternoons, storm doors on both sides of the large front porch are thrown open and men of every age, race and socio-economic background file into the only place of Muslim worship within 30 miles. As the small masjid fills, one wonders at the lack of women going inside. The answer to that mystery lies in a nearly hidden basement doorway near the rear of the building.

Ducking into the basement doorway, one finds a narrow stairway leading down to the women's area of the masjid. The walls are bare of decoration, but for an expired notice about something less than memorable. There are a coat rack, a shoe rack, and about six female worshipers.

As the service commences, a voice is heard through a small speaker on the floor. Having no visual cues that the service is about to begin, the women have to scramble to get into a position to hear the sermon. They miss the first several sentences. The process is repeated when the noon prayer is started. As the imam begins the prayer, the women scramble to get into the line that is part of the congregational prayer ritual.

This sort of situation is not restricted to the small city of Jackson. In Ypsilanti, Michigan, is another masjid inside of a converted house. In that masjid, the women are sent to a tiny upstairs room. They pack into the smallest room because the larger room would "put them in front of the imam". What imam? The Ypsilanti masjid, known as At-Tauba, is worse because the speaker is often broken, so the women have to sit by the door hoping to be able to hear when the noon prayer starts.

The Islamic Center of St. Augustine, located in St. Augustine, Florida, is somewhat better, though they also put the women in a separate room. This room is large, well-lighted and comfortable. It has books and Qurans for the women to read. There are beautiful works of calligraphy on the walls. Chairs are offered for those sisters who are not able to sit on the floor. The barrier between the women's area and the men's area is less of a wall than a screen made of lattice. Still, the barrier is there, reinforcing that women are less than men and should be relegated to a back room.

Even worse than masjids who keep women segregated in small, unpleasant rooms are those places of worship that exclude women altogether. In one apartment complex in Ypsilanti are two masjids that are for men only. These men-only places of worship are becoming more and more common.

The argument for men-only masjids is that they don't have space for the women. When this writer pointed out that keeping women from the mosques is forbidden in Islam, one man, known only as Mustafa, was quick to say that it is a bigger sin for women to be close enough to touch a man during the prayers than it is to keep the women out altogether. This sounds like a logical argument until one reads the words of Muhammed, peace and blessings be upon him, when he says, "Do not stop the maid servants of Allah from going to the mosques of Allah." The truly logical argument would be to buy or build a larger place of worship.

Many Muslims, men and women alike, are more comfortable praying in separate places. For those who wish pray in the same room, as was the practice during the time of Prophet Muhammed, there are options.

First, women should speak with their husbands and find one who is qualified and willing to be imam to a congregation that prays together. Without an imam, there is no congregation, and it is absolutely forbidden for women to be imam to men except in their own homes and under certain circumstances.

Next, women should take an active part in organizing fund-raisers and seeking out a new place to pray. In Deerborn, Michigan, is a new mosque-the largest in the United States-that was built completely from funds raised by the members of the Muslim community. Women had a very large part in raising that money and they are recognized for their efforts.

Thirdly, the people must be willing to sacrifice for their ideals. If no new place of worship can be immediately found, then make one. Homes can be opened for the Friday prayer if the new congregation is small. Prayers can be conducted outside in good weather, or under a tent if there is rain.

The earliest Muslims struggled and suffered for their right to worship almighty God in the manner they knew was right. They did not keep the women separate, but worked, prayed and even consulted with them on important matters. It is time for Muslim women to stop allowing ourselves to be shut out of our place of worship. It is time for us to take back our rights and become the respected, productive members of Islamic society that Allah intended us to be.