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 7-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," Hannah said.

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.

...

Asra Nomani is a leading Islamic feminist who led a similar protest in West Virginia.

"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?," Nomani said.

Women activists say they will continue to try to pray in the main hall until this policy changes.

Last month, a Muslim woman by the name of Jannah B’int Hannah led a group of Muslim women in gatecrashing the main prayer hall of the Islamic Center of Washington to demand an end to sex segregation in mosques in America.  That demonstration was broken up by Washington DC police but the Muslim women said they would continue with their struggle on this matter.  This week, true to their word, risking arrest, the Muslim women returned to the Islamic Center of Washington to repeat their action and their demand for an end to sex segregation in mosques.

Whereas the February protest managed to gather 20 Muslim women, this time round the demonstrating group consists of 6 Muslim women.  According to press reports, this group is led by Fatima Thompson, an American Muslim who converted to the faith 18 years ago.

The 6 Muslim women, with hair covered by headscarves, entered the prayer hall of the Islamic Center of Washington through the main door. They then joined 20 other Muslim men present to pray.  The main prayer hall is the domain of male worshippers.  Female worshippers have their own prayer room at the side, which is much smaller, the entrance door of which is hidden behind a screen.

What is the purpose of this demonstration?  Fatima Thompson explains: “Wooden barriers have to be taken down and women have to be allowed to join, to pray behind the men in the main praying area. That’s our request.   We are against gender segregation, against the fact that women are put aside or in a totally different room at the mosque.”

Fatima Thompson added: “The general issue we are pushing is gender segregation and the ramifications it fosters. It’s not healthy, and not reflective of our society here. It’s very reflective of very restrictive, ultra orthodox societies.”

Asra Nomani, a leading Islamic feminist who led a similar protest in West Virginia, said last month: “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?’”

Speaking about this month’s protest, Asra Nomani said: “If you are black in this country they can’t tell you to sit in a corner but if you are a woman they can.”

So how did the protest end?  Well, like the way the first protest last month ended.  DC police were called in to evict the Muslim women.  The imam presiding over the prayer meeting announced:  “We are going to wait, because some people came to disturb the prayer, until the police come and take care of this issue.”  Then he added: “It’s disgusting.  If they are Muslims they have to follow the rules.”

The police came, and promptly ordered the 6 Muslim women out or face arrest. So what did the women do?  Well they left alright, but they regathered on the street outside facing the metal gates of the mosque to perform their prayers. One male onlooker offered this hopeful advice to the women: “Build your own mosque.”

quote:

ORIGINAL: luckydawg

But what if its just a bus driver thing and you want the darkies to sit in the back behind a sheet?

Hypothetically...

quote:

Should the police be party to maintaining this discriminatory practice?

quote:

Isn't this similar to the black "lunch counter" sit-ins of the civil rights movement?

quote:

Do the women have a point, or should they just shut-up, sit down, and let their betters do what's "best for them"?

quote:

ORIGINAL: xkittenx

I'm not saying I agree that the women should be segregated from the men but then again, I'm not Muslim so it doesn't matter if I agree with that or not. I think what bothers me is the idea that we've gone to all this trouble to enforce a separation of church and state but certain people don't want that separation to apply here.

I don't see this as a women's rights situation. The Muslim religion has specific rules for men and women. Its a religious thing and as long as no one is being killed or injured over it, I don't think its the business of someone who isn't a follower of that faith to get involved.

quote:

Isn't this similar to the black "lunch counter" sit-ins of the civil rights movement?

I believe this should be protected under the idea of separation of church and state. It's not the state's job to tell the church what its doctrine should or should not be.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterCord
Perhaps people will see this as a women's rights issue?

quote:

ORIGINAL: luckydawg

well this is in a grey area, actually.


The state outlawed Polygamy in Mormons. Or should that be overturned.

And as devils advocate, why should the state set doctrine for a lunch counter?

quote:

ORIGINAL: xkittenx

quote:

ORIGINAL: luckydawg

But what if its just a bus driver thing and you want the darkies to sit in the back behind a sheet?

Hypothetically...

Bus driving isn't a matter of religion, dawg.

If we start allowing the government to order Muslims to alter their religious practices how long until the government takes over ALL religious practices? No. There's a reason we decided to have a separation of church and state. Many reasons, as a matter of fact.

I'm not saying its right or fair or that I agree with the practice but like I said; as long as no one is being killed or injured, I believe this is a matter best left to members of that faith to work out on their own.