Re: RE: ProgressiveMuslims digest, Vol 1 #362 - 8 msgs

My masjid is the Foundation for Islamic Education in Villanova, PA in 
the US.  And I have to say that I thought all mosques worked in the same 
way until I started reading this list!

Joyce

Chawdhury, S Minhaz wrote on 2/4/2004, 1:14 PM:

 >
 > Alhamdulillah! May Allah accept our prayers and guide us to his Grace
 > and Light. May we all come to know true Islam and be a true Muslim.
 > May Allah free us from hate and hypocrisy. May Allah bless us with
 > understanding to serve his command and love his creation. And above
 > all may Allah save us from the whisper of the evil whisperer.  May I
 > ask sister Joyce where is this wonderful masjid is located??
 >
 >
 >
 > --- On Wed 02/04, Joyce Lionarons < [email protected] > wrote:
 >
 > From: Joyce Lionarons [mailto: [email protected]]
 >
 > To: [email protected]
 >
 > Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 11:21:53 -0500
 >
 > Subject: Re: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] RE: ProgressiveMuslims
 > digest, Vol 1 #362 - 8 msgs
 >
 >
 >
 > To me the problem isn't praying at the back of the mosque or in lines
 > <br>separate from the men.  I've got no problem with that, and would
 > prefer <br>not to bow or prostrate in front of a bunch of men who
 > might be staring <br>at my behind.  The problem is being segregated in
 > separate rooms where <br>we can't hear properly unless the PA system
 > (if it exists) is working <br>properly, being obliged to walk through
 > alleys and garbage to enter the <br>mosque at all, and never having a
 > woman's perspective voiced in the <br>ummah -- at least not in any
 > public way.<br><br>I'm lucky, I suppose, in that women at my mosque
 > pray in the same room <br>as the men most of the time (at the back,
 > with no barrier in between <br>except space), moving to a separate
 > room only on Fridays when the main <br>room fills up entirely with
 > men.  But the separate room affords a view <br>of the main room
 > through two large sets of double doors, and can be <br>entered either
 > through the main room or through an outside door at the <br>front of
 > the mosque, next to the main door.  We speak at monthly <br>meetings
 > and can therefore have input into the running of the mosque. I
 > <br>would love, however, to hear a woman lead prayers or give a
 > khutba, and <br>I don't expect that to happen anytime soon.<br><br>I'm
 > a relatively new Muslim and haven't travelled much since I
 > <br>converted, so I have to say this list is giving me quite an
 > education as <br>to how women are treated
 > elsewhere!<br><br>Salaams,<br><br>Joyce<br><br>