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Power of prayer: an all-women mosque in America
MUSLIMS praying in a synagogue is as rare to hear about as the concept of an all-women mosque. But both have a long history, organisers of the Women’s Mosques of America insist, and that it needs to be invoked more often. Every Friday, women from the Muslim faith gather to not only pray but speak about what matters to them the most in Pico-Union’s oldest synagogue in central Los Angeles.
It is noon when one of the organisers and leading lights of the project, Craig Taubman, meets me in the historic building. In the main hall, the pews have been replaced by white sheets, the Torah has been replaced by the Quran, and prayer mats of all colours and sizes are spread on the white sheets. Women start filing in for Friday prayer. Ordinarily photography is not allowed, one of the organisers informs me. This became the rule when some women objected to being photographed in the media frenzy after the news of a women’s mosque first came out a few months ago.
Within a few minutes, there’s silence, and one of the women goes up to the stage and makes a call for prayer. There’s no dress code in this space. The space is not dedicated to a particular school of thought, either. The women sitting on the floor are either coming from offices, shops and homes or are curious visitors from another street nearby. All have congregated to listen and to pray.
At the end of the main hall, as we are on our way out, Craig speaks about how the building came to be a congregation place for people of all faiths. Built in 1909 as a synagogue, it was sold to the Welsh Presbyterian community in 1926. “Three years back, I found out that the dwindling Christian community was looking to resell it to the Jewish community once again. That’s when I stepped in, thinking it’d be a place to meet and do things that ought to be done,” he says. Craig opened the place up for people from all faiths; from musicians to writers to poets to people coming together to pray, the space is open to any and everyone. As he says himself, “I’d rather sing about peace than speak about violence and terrorism.”
Speaking about how they settled for the place, Aziza Hasan, executive director for NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change, says the organisers were looking for a space to pray and approached her. “I asked Hasna [Maznavi], who is the founder of the mosque, to look at the Pico-Union project by Craig. Interestingly, the synagogue is built in the exact direction of Makkah, so it became easy to facilitate prayer,” she adds.
It is an initiative that brought together people working on the same agenda but belonging to different faiths to bolster the first women’s mosque of Los Angeles. But they want you to know that the space is not for male-bashing. As Hasna, founder of the mosque, pointed out in her recent article for The Huffington Post, “Muslim men have been one of our greatest supporters. Imams have come forward offering us to congregate in their mosques. There’s nothing sensational about the creation of the mosque as tempting as it may sound.”
In her Friday sermon, Aziza speaks about tolerance, of accepting the differences and the power of praying together. The Friday before that, the sermon was about sexual violence and the need for compassion and justice. Speaking about the women’s mosque and the sermons, she says, “There’s a great deal of pressure on women to raise good children, nurture family and build community. While these are incredibly important roles, how do we as a society support women in being able to fulfil such significant work? The short answer is we really don’t, or we don’t do it well.” In order to thrive and have healthy lives, Aziza says, we need a space where women can be inspired, learn from each other and serve as resources to each other. Other reasons to congregate include having a female perspective on Islamic knowledge and spirituality.
“This is our call to the doers, as well as the haters,” says Craig. “Please come and take a look and, if need be, sit and talk with us.”
Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2015
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Comments (33) Closed
An innovation in the basic principles of Islam. I think qualified Islamic scholars need to be consulted for the legitimacy of an all women congregational salat.
@Najam Why should legitimacy be determined by Islamic Scholars? Are these women challenging faith or spreading any hate or involved in anti regelious activities? All they want to pray and mind peace within . Women are more than capable of spreading justice, love and explain true meaning of religion. They should be applauded..
Did not happen in the times of The Holy Prophet PBUH or his Khulafa. Where has this concept come from? Also strange is the fact that a synagogue is being used. Aided and abetted by the Jews.
It is an innovation but not a bigger innovation than the men-only mosques. In fact, women-only mosques are a logical consequence of the men-only mosques. We remained silent on men-only mosques, so we have to bear with this one too.
How is the lady doing Imamat of the jamat by standing in front of the row? In a congregational prayer for ladies, the one who is leading the prayer has to stand in the front row with others who are praying. Not alone, ahead of the rows. Also women cannot have a Friday prayer of their own.
Innovation in religion will lead them astray.
@Najam By qualified Islamic scholars- you mean men. Since when praying by women alone or together is an innovation.
@saif The men only mosque was approved in the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). While women only mosques are not supported by any holy revelation.
We need a religious opinion/ruling on the legitimacy of a woman imam for prayer by those qualified for Sunni and its Shia denominations if there is no bar in the Book.
@Sunil "Why should legitimacy be determined by Islamic Scholars"
Because this involves Islamic jurisprudence so a learned scholar of Islamic Shariah is best suited to address this. If you want to get brain surgery done, will you go to a brain surgeon or a butcher?
This is a right step in the right direction. Some one commented that the organisers should consult for the "legitimacy of all women congregation" from qualified scholars. Come on brother these so called qualified scholars have all their lives promoted men's superiority over women, they believe women is inferior to a man and hence not qualified to lead such an occasion. This is simple common sense, please keep these religious hate spreaders (Qualified Scholars) away from our lives, we will be better Muslims.
@saif Just because there are men only mosques does not mean that there should be women only mosques. Why not change the wrong practices and change men only mosques to accommodate women?
@Dr. Syed Innovation is the women only mosque. Women can pray together or alone in home or in mosque behind a male imam.
@saif There is no such thing as men only masjid. In America masjid is center of of lives for the families. Women also join almost all jamaat, and according to the what was done in prophet's 23 years. Peace be upon him.
@Dr. Syed It can also mean woman, who would look at the prophets way of life over the 23 years, what he witnessed, what he allowed. Islam is not a new religion, but shareeha of Muhammad is the one Muhammad (peace be upon him) witnessed over the 23 years.
This is just opposite to the teachings of Islam as it does not allow a woman to lead prayers.
@Mahmood Is there a proof of the Porphet's approval for men-only mosque?
I am not a Hindu nor knows anything about the issues related to Hinduism and therefore I do not comment on those issues. Make sense ?
US is a free country and the constitution guarantees beliefs, faiths, sects, divine or no divine....follow your faith & do not touch others.
@Muhammad Yaqub This concept came from Asra Quratulain Nomani an Indian-American journalist, author, and feminist, known as an activist involved in the Muslim reform and Islamic feminist movements.She is also the author of numerous articles, including "Islamic Bill of Rights for Women in the Bedroom", the "Islamic Bill of Rights for Women in the Mosque", and "99 Precepts for Opening Hearts, Minds and Doors in the Muslim World".
What is all this fuss about? Let them pray. Isn't every one answerable on the day of judgement? Who is right and who is wrong, will be decided that day.
I suspect this is a natural consequence when immigrants bring a culture of male dominance to a country where women are given equal rights. Rather than be treated as second class within the mosque they decided to create their own ... Kudos to them.
Before anyone talk about all-woman-mosque, please think about as what went wrong in Islamic Teachings of the past which has created this situation. In Islamic history of last 100 years, or even anyone examine the present scenario of our society, we have created man & woman supremacy struggle. God has created man & woman as human being, no one among them is supper human unless he/she proved to be. Please keep away those so called Religious Scholars on such matters, enough is enough.
Great. Love it!
This might be a good step, but still isnt allowed in Islam. In Islam, a woman can only pray at home, or if in a public place... than behind men only. This is what Islam teaches, so no innovation is needed!
Misguided and misinterpreted .
@Najam I am a woman in USA and totally agree what brNajam has said. Liberty doesn't mean tearing of principles but practicing them as they are learned not influenced by the ones who don't believe in any.
@Dr. Syed your answer has been given by Khan. Women can not call for prayer and cannot lead them by standing in front of them. She can lead them by standing in the first row , only. It can be done only at home and not in masjid. Can you lead a meeting just because you and couple of your colleagues don't want your boss to do so?would everybody be appreciating your action in your organization? Only if you delete the word dicipline
@Sunil ::: Islam is complete religion, it has respect, role and responsibility assign to every one either men, women, old or young. The problem comes up these days is when some one try to patch up the religion which is complete by all means with their own imagination thinking that I am correct and it will benefit the followers. Anyone who think of that kind of activity should be left alone and should be discouraged.
@Khan, USA
Brother! Please do not be furious. Do what you seem right; please let others what they want. There is no compulsion in Islam.
@Mahmood "not supported" is a very strong word. There is a huge technical difference between "not supported" and "not reported". "Not reported" in Islamic history does not invalidate that action, rather it keeps the door (of approval) open for that action. What you and other "orthodox" commentators are referring to is, in fact, that our beloved Prophet (PBUH) approved the congregational prayer of men WHEN it happened. But the "known" Islamic history does not report women congregational prayer, so this issue presumable never came in front of our Propher (PBUH), so he did not also show any actions (of approval or disapproval) towards it. therefore, it CANNOT be generalized the He (PBUH) did not approve of women congregational prayers....
Good positive, logical, progressive, and innovative step..Bravo ladies for showing us the light and leadership.
Not a new phenomena , All women mosques / sections are aplenty in the Middle East ........ a norm !!!
nice practice