Posted on 07/30/2004 9:00:19 PM PDT by CarrotAndStick
Indian Muslim Asra Nomani has found herself on the frontline of a battle for women's rights in Islam in the United States. She entered the local mosque through the front door and dared to pray alongside men, an act that has triggered heated discussions among America's Muslim community.
An all-male "tribunal" of the mosque in Morgantown, West Virginia, wants to banish Ms Nomani because they think she is a frequent trouble-maker.
In their campaign to silence her, she has been depicted as heretical, misguided and westernized, someone in need of reform.
They argue that women should only be allowed to enter a mosque through the back door, pray from the balcony and quietly go home.
In our mosque, only the men are allowed to use a microphone to address the faithful Asra Nomani
But a woman like Ms Nomani - articulate, deeply religious and independent-minded - simply does not fit their version of a true believer.
"I have demanded a public hearing but they denied it," Ms Nomani said.
"They pulled names out of a plastic bag to sit on the tribunal. It has been hell and it would have been easy to walk away.
"But I am finding support from many people who don't want to accept the status quo. And I find my answers in Islam."
Deeply religious
For Ms Nomani, who was born in Bombay (Mumbai) nothing would be more painful than being rejected as a Muslim by her local mosque.
She sees herself as a progressive modern woman who is also religious: there is no contradiction in her mind.
Ms Nomani comes from a deeply religious Muslim family, but one which she says tries to embody the spirit of Islam rather than the outward symbols such as wearing veils.
Her parents, originally from Hyderabad in India, moved to the US when she was four and today her extended family is spread all over the world.
Her father, a retired professor who helped build the mosque in Morgantown, supports her struggle to pray in the main hall and her larger quest to find her identity within Islam.
Nomani, a journalist who has written for The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, is today juggling life between finding a lawyer to help her in the dispute and looking after her 20-month-old son, Shibli.
Unwed mother
Support for her campaign outside her family within the Muslim community is muted: her demands for an open hearing with the mosque authorities have received little support.
She has however received backing in internet chat rooms and in articles that appear on liberal Muslim websites such as Muslimwakeup.com and altmuslim.com.
It is not just Ms Nomani's defiance of mosque prayer arrangements that raised local blood levels but also her status as a single unwed mother.
She says the Muslims in her area do not accept or understand her.
Members of the executive committee of the Morgantown mosque say Ms Nomani has challenged time-honoured Islamic traditions.
They say that men and women are separated because they have to kneel down to the floor and their shoulders can touch when they stand side by side.
Both men and women want privacy as a result, they say.
Some women in the mosque accuse Ms Nomani of being a "publicity hound," using her journalistic skills to write strong opinion pieces in support of her unfair views.
That she chooses to speak about her dispute has shaken the male-dominated world created by people she derisively refers to as "true believers."
She and six other Muslim women, all writers and academics, recently formed an organization to tackle what they say are interpretations of Islam which relegate women to a secondary role.
'Sexual provocation'
Ms Nomani argues that it is wrong that women are prevented from attending some mosques in the US, yet are allowed to pray together at Islam's holiest shrine in Mecca.
According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a growing number of US mosques are putting women behind a partition or in another room to pray.
A survey done by the group shows that segregated mosques rose from 52% in 1994 to 66% in 2000.
"In our mosque, only the men are allowed to use a microphone to address the faithful," Ms Nomani said. "When I asked why, a mosque leader said that a woman's voice is not to be heard in the mosque.
"What he meant was that a woman's voice - even raised in prayer - is an instrument of sexual provocation to men.
"Many women accept these rulings: their apathy makes these rules become the status quo."
Ms Nomani says that she is campaigning for a more inclusive Islam.
Part of that, she says, is created by underlying divisions between South Asian and Arab Muslims which came to the fore as she began questioning what she said were hate-filled sermons by Arab students who had taken over her mosque.
Ms Nomani argues that Morgantown is a microcosm of what is happening in mosques across the US.
Muslim women in California, Minnesota and Maryland are against the practice of "herding" women in small rooms like sheep where much of the time they cannot hear the preacher, she says.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/3926461.stm
Published: 2004/07/26 16:31:09 GMT
© BBC MMIV
Or maybe he's just interested in discussion like me?
I'm a rock solid Republican. Broken Glass, if you will. Maybe not a perfect conservative, and admitadly so, but what many would call a Bushbot, for SURE!! But I agree with a lot he's said here.
Calling him a disruptor from that hellhole DUhhh is just not fair and doesn't lead to very interesting discussions. Kind of like asking him if he's still beating his wife. I don't think discussions would be very interesting if we all agreed, would they??
Outstanding point!
None, I think.
Don't restrict Islamic hatred to Jews and Christians.
Muslims have also murdered, tortured and forcibly converted animists, Zoroastrians, Sikhs, Bahais, Buddhists, Hindus, you name it.
They practise equal-opportunity hate.
Agreed!
Children growing up without both parents is the worst thing plaguing our society today. It not only creates one bad child, but that child goes onto create more bad children and so on, and so on.
I firmly believe that we could end provery and most crime as we know it within one generation, if both parents simply read to their babies/children every night. Just an hour or so, but every night.
Am I nuts??
Yes...Keep spreading more hatred. That's always helpful.
Mohammed (Blessings be upon him) prayed next to his wives. He was the prophet and his actions should be seen as a template for worship. If women and men can pray together in the great mosque in Mecca (or Mekkah) why not in all mosques? This is good--maybe this reformation within Islam is what is needed to silence the nut cases who dominate now.
You got it wrong--Musselini had the trains run on time--The Nazis gave us Freeways and VW Bugs. The only trains they had running on time were to the death camps.
Well, one flaw is that the constitution was ammended to tax income. Then that privledge (to the government) blew out of control by do-gooders who taxed producers to give to non-producers -- the worst example being the welfare system. The constitution and the greedy greased the way. If it were written with today's understanding of how things get out of control, lanquage would have been clearer as to this issue. That's just one example.
Of course you are right.
Don't be silly, I am not a hateful person. Nor do I advocate anything hateful.
"...she has been depicted as heretical, misguided and westernized..."
She lives in the United States. She's supposed to be "westernized". If they hate our way of life so much, why don't they just stay in their Islamic paradises?
Except they cannot do that --- just like they cannot expel bin Laden or the terrorists even if they kill other Muslims. There is no such thing as an ex-muslim --- the only way out is death, no one can leave on their own either.
For the muslims the only way to silence her will be to cut off her head or torture or kill her in some way, they are a cult. With the other religions, there is some form of freedom of religious belief so that you are free to go.
That's kind of ironic --- Muslims cannot believe in the Constitution as their source of law --- they follow Sharia law and are working to have the entire world placed under the Koran. The Constitution gives freedom --- something they are opposed to --- there is no freedom of belief in Islam.
Thank you.
There's a mosque in WVA?!?! Yikes, this is hugh, series even. Damn, if the murderous minions of Mad Mo (piss be upon his head) have invaded W. VA of all places, then Houston, we've got a problem.
HI and PEACE (SALAM) to everyone not just you Mr. Paulson,
First off I'd like to confirm that I'm not an 'oily haired pighead' (Umm...Whoever's incharge isn't that 'racism' or is 'racism' against Muslims considered 'the American way')
Its rather painful to see how misinformed people are of Islam. Umm...if I give you a site would you please go visit it because I think it might help with the whole belief that 'Islam is a radical killing machine' FALSE MENTALITY.
What on Earth is wrong with a religion who says you're going to be questioned if YOUR NEIGHBOUR GOES HUNGRY! ??? I'm very curious? The following page informs about 'human rights'; so umm...if you're truly as American as you all claim to be I'm sure you'll check it out. Oh and umm...if you haven't noticed...a lot of us...'Slammies' or 'Islamics' are actually known as 'MUSLIMS' if I called a Christian a Christy or Christmas I don't think you'd be quite happy. SO please visit this page (oh and I'd like to tell you this also I'm not an 'oppressed' individual whose rights are infringed by my parents or whatever): http://www.islam-guide.com/frm-ch3-12.htm . Not to mention I really would not enjoying blowing people up for the fun of it before we start hating on Islam I suggest you hate on certain individuals who are mislaying the image of ISLAM by their falsity (I'm still waiting for evidence of the War on Iraq or Operation Iraq Liberation (as it was known before CNN had the sense to change O.I.L to O.I.F)
I am a young Muslim woman who has spent quite a lot of time around Muslim scholars (who are not <contradicting popular belief 'women slaves','slavedrivers', 'women haters', 'extremists' and any other foul name used to address Musllims in general.
The reason the women is not permitted to pray with the males is qite simple, and we're afraid our misinformed sister may not have told the reason behind the so-called 'transgression'.
In Islam women are given a very high status. Although many people wish to blaspheme Islam and say a lot of ill things about it. But the truth is Islam calls for equality of the sexes.
The reason women are told to pray behind the men is quite simple. Men are generally attracted to women, to protect her honour and dignity, women are told to pray behind them so that they're form could not be viewed.
About the issue of the 'leadership', women according to the Shafi'i school of thought are permitted to lead only women. Women are the leaders of their household, they're the ones responsible for their children. (That doesn't mean that Islam dubs women the social downtrodden image but the truth of the matter is being a mother, a matriarch is the biggest honour for any women)
I mean, we've all had mothers. Some of us may not have had the honour of knowing them, some of us may have argued with them, but our mothers hold a lot of love for us (mothers that don't go psychopathic or turn to drugs that is I've heard my fair share of horror stories just shows how much stupid drugs has affected our society. Fellow teens, DOn't DO DRUGS! ITS EVIL! AND SUICIDE! NOT TO MENTION ILLEGAL!) And Islam acknowledges the great status of women. By giving them such honour, in fact according to a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) Jannah lies under the feet of the mother. Now Islam isn't totally biased against men either, because according to another tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him): The Father is the door to Jannah.
Mothers are given three degrees over the fathers.
Doesn't that go to prove that Islam aknowledges women and protects their honour. If you're not convinced by my little reply Please Proceed to this article written by Dr. Jamal Badawi http://www.iad.org/books/S-women.html
And umm...whats wrong with approaching the 'Zina' issue with such extremes. Sex out of marriage has resulted in the most breakups in our social order today. Husbands are cheating on wives, wives cheating on husbands, ppl are playing a sexual musical chairs. And then everyone comes and plays on Muslims as if we're some sort of sheltered freaks.
Look I didn't mean to go all evil and loud mouthy etc. on you lot, you guys are a good bunch, raises a glass of root beer to everyone's health ;). But I just had to state the reason about this whole thing.
I'm sorry but certain people like to ridicule Islam. You know I'm sure fellow religion followers would agree with this thing.
You're supposed to follow God; God doesn't follow you.
With that in mind; those are my views so pls don't beat me up with flames and ill reviews; gives everyone a grin and a good natured wave, before scurrying out of the message frame.
Peace all and I don't want to kill you so please don't curse me...
(Seriously, I don't, if you live in Toronto or Mississauga I've probably said hi to you as I walked along the street or you might have either cringed {something thats really painful to see fellow humans cringing at others} or been the sane ones like those nice ppl who either smiled back or gave the initial smile (:D cheesy grin))
p.Ps hehe...you might like to check out this site for true facts about Islam some are run by ppl who claim to be 'Muslims' and don't represent the image of Islam. But I assure you this one is totally true!
http://www.islam.com/
Please visit this site (its got the info on Islam the real facts!) NOT some hate site...tanks all
^o) Raises eyebrow at Carrot and Stick...err...you're quite an odd individual aren't u? Honestly, if thats not profanity and racism than what is...
THE Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did not endorse the 9-11 attacks...if he was present he'd have such attacks condemned and deem justice to those responsible
more baloney 
There are a couple of clerics there to make sure her brains splatter properly, for the crowd.
apoligists for Islam make me want to puke.
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