[Agehoobionibe]

Women & Islam: The rise and rise of the convert

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...t-6258015.html


The following is written by scholar from gujrati background..

"Let me be clear that I am not an advocate of women leading prayers, delivering khutbahs. I am not in favour of men and women sharing the same prayer area, or even having the same entrances in Masaajid. I am not an advocate of mixed and open gatherings. My comments are based on experience, observation, living on the end of both extremes, and taking the pro's and con's of both.

We have to revisit the role of the Masjid in Non Muslim Lands. In Muslim countries, or countries that have a large Muslim representation (India), we find the role of the Masjid relegated to a place for congregational prayers, and maybe a maktab. In the West, a Masjid is an institution, a dynamic centre that caters for the needs of the Ummah, modeled on the structure of the Prophet's mosque in Madinah. It was a springboard for guidance, education, spirituality. It was a court, as Hadith of Bukhari suggests. Orators such as Hassan Ibn Thabit radhiyallahu anhu would stand and say poetry to defend the Prophet. It was where the injured were hospitalized as Sa'd bin Mu'adh was in khandaq, it was where expeditions were sent from, delegations were hosted, important political decisions were made. The Masjid was dynamic and the focal point for the Muslim community. It was where women went to ask for their rights. We have to bring back the role of the Masjid in light of the Madinan model set by Rasoolullah himself.

There has to be an acknowledgement that our Masaajid have not catered fully to the needs of women. Yes, we have Maktab's, we have Madaaris, but that's about it. We haven't empowered Muslim women, or made them feel like equals, or that they have a role to play in society. This sort of empowerment only comes through education, recognition, participation, inclusion and activism. We have reduced the role of women to mothers only. She has more to contribute to society. The talents Muslim women possess, their drive and determination, if channeled and utilized correctly, can work wonders for the Ummah.

Women need to have a prayer area in the Masjid, with a separate entrance for Hijab issues. They need to feel part of the wider community, the Ummah. They never feel or experience the meaning of community and ummah by sitting at home listening on their receivers. Some Ulama deprive them of this feeling even when they go for Hajj and Umrah by prohibiting them from performing prayers in Haramain Shareefain, the most noble of places on earth. How far are we from the real Sunnah? Subhanallah!

Women seldom get the chance to experience the spiritual uplift that men do in the month of Ramadhan. Women do not have access to genuine scholarship and Imam's to answer their questions, and counsel them in important affairs, and guide them. Hence, they turn to other sources, and we end up losing them.

The problem is, our doors are closed, our minds are closed. Ulama are not willing to engage the sisters and give them a platform. The problem lies with the leaders.

There should be a sisters committee in every Masjid, that can plan sisters events, form social service committees to help sisters in need, mobilize the community. Sisters can be involved in the civic engagements of the Masjid, as they are better at these things.

Masjid should set up an Ansaar program for revert sisters, so one Muslim (ansar) can be designated to a revert sister (muhajir) and their needs can be met. "