http://www.arabnews.com/?page=13§ion=0&article=78796&d=5&m=9&y=2006
Tuesday, 5, September, 2006 (12, Sha`ban, 1427)
Women in the Grand Mosque
Aziza Al-Manie . Okaz
The prayers in the two holy mosques can never be compared to
conferences and forums held by people. At prayers we really cannot organize
roles, define timings and arrange participation according to rank and
importance. Praying at the two mosques is an ultimate act of worship that earns
a person rewards multifold. Muslims always pray to God for His mercy and
compassion and therefore they jump at the chance to visit either of the two
mosques to worship.
However, it has been heartbreaking and painful to learn of
the proposed idea of shifting the present women's prayer area in the mataf
(circumambulation area) at the Grand Mosque in Makkah to two other locations on
the ground floor of the complex.
Women are equal to men in their desire to be close to the
Kaaba where their prayers are answered and where they can experience a better
sense of devotion and closeness to God. Women are not all young beauties that
rush to the mosque with an aim of seducing men. Among female visitors are the
ill, the old, tormented widows, the handicapped and disabled, and the ones with
problems desperately wanting God's help and mercy. They come from every corner
of the world enduring the hardships of lengthy journeys and perhaps even
spending their life's savings just to enjoy a few hours near the Kaaba.
It seems that the panel that has made this suggestion is
justifying their position on the basis of four things. To keep females away
from crowded areas, to ensure privacy and safety, to ease the movement of
people circumambulating around the Kaaba and to improve live broadcasting of
the mosque through satellite TV.
In my opinion, none of the above reasons are credible enough
to implement the decision. Wanting to keep women away from crowded areas or
achieving privacy are reasons that are neither rational nor logical.
The Grand Mosque has a crowded nature. People visit the
mosque day and night. Is preventing women from being in the mataf area the
proper way of giving them privacy and safety from crowds? The idea poses
another question. How come men's existence in the mataf area is not considered
to be a source of crowding?
There are no rules or laws that allow men the complete and
exclusive possession of this holy area with the exclusion of women. We can't
implement the same policies applied in ordinary mosques in the Kingdom to the
Grand Mosque in keeping women in the areas at the back. It's a totally
different case here that bears no comparison.
As for improving the quality of satellite broadcasting, I
don't think that this has more importance than females worshipping God in His
mosque.
Denying the rights of women being in the mataf is something
that has never happened before in the history of Islam. Executing the decision
will create a negative reaction among Muslim women around the globe. It will
also confirm the assumption that Saudi Arabia is an extremist country that
deprives women of their given rights. I hope that the authorities responsible
for the two holy mosques give thought to this issue. I hope they look for more
appropriate solutions to the issues they have stated - solutions that do not
deprive any group of people of their rights.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg
Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia
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