Subservience, Silence and Seclusion
On a recent Friday night a young woman goes to service.
She wears a pink veil and a long coat. She is a single, working,
mother with a son. She entered the main section of the mosque,
sat down with the men and began to pray. She triggered an immediate
negative reaction. The mosque was the Islamic Centre of Southern
California.
What did she do that was so terrible? She stepped across a low
partition in the mosque that separated the men from the children and women.
This is the year 2005. Again - directly from the newspaper front
page - we are confronted with a story that is straight out of the year 1005.
A Mosque - in Southern California - not in the Middle East - still
separates women and children from the men in the main prayer sanctuary.
This is - now matter how you look at it or describe it - an exclusionary
act. It is very close to bias, prejudice and ’separate but equal’
bigotry. It may not be considered as bigotry, bias and prejudice but this is
seemingly not an isolated event in a single mosque. This is - according to the
article in the Los Angeles Times - a policy and practise of Islam.
This is not a practise of the Catholics, the Protestants, the
Lutherans, the Episcopalians or even the Baptists. Not even the Anglicans of the
‘Church of England’, nor even the ‘Mormons’ of the Seventh Day Adventist’s do this. This is
supposedly a practise of Islam. Why? According to the article it is because “The
Prophet” ‘Muhammad’ purportedly said for men and women to sit in separate benches
or rows. Men with the men and women and children apart. Not a very family
oriented thing to do - now is it? Perhaps it’s just because I am not Islamic/Muslim
that I do not understand this. But even in my earlier years as a ‘mainstream
denominational’ this was never seen. It was never even mentioned or thought of. It
simply was not done. Family sat with family and sometimes friends would come and sit
in. You did not break up the family unit for the Sanctus service. And in
the Pagan Circle this is - to be as diplomatic and cautiously discrete as possible
- an absolute absurdity. The Circle is the Circle. Even in ‘normal’
‘mainstream’ Faiths and Denominations you have Prayer and Worship Circles.
Exclusionary Separation of the women from the men is unheard of. But not - evidently
- for the Islamic/Muslim Faith.
According to the article as soon as Asra Nomani stepped across the
low barrier and knelt down she was accosted by a male. She was told she was not allowed
to pray there. Her place was back over the barrier with the rest of the women. Asra
stayed where she was. She did not move. A female elder tried to coax her back across
the barrier. Asra would not move. A man - according to the article - muttered that
she must be mentally ill. Asra still would not move. She was eventually cordoned
off - separated by a wide red ribbon - and the services began.
In the year 2005 this still happens? In Los Angeles of 2005 this
happens? I am not yet fully and completely Pagan. I amy never be fully and
completely Pagan. I still have - and carry within me - ‘aspects and elements’ of
my earlier ‘mainstream denominational’ history and background. Part of what I once
was I may always be. I am only recently come to the Circle. I sat in a hard,
wooden pew for many years. There was also - let’s be accurate and honest here - a long gap
of years since last I last sat in a hard wooden pew. But a pew is where once I sat.
And when I sat there I sat with family. I even remember - on occasion - a female friend
sat with me.
As the article suggests this is not how the Islam/Muslim Faith
always worked. But over the years since ‘Muhammad’ changes were made. This is a
pattern. Changes were made in all the Denominations and Faiths since their Development
and Inception. None of the Faiths and Denominations are as once they were. Sometimes
change is required - as has been noted in some of the practises and policies of
the Catholic Faith. So thus it is that the Islamic/Muslim Faith has been altered and
adapted from it’s initial inception. Men have made the changes. Men - seemingly -
always make the changes. Changes for Power, Prestige and Control. And now - as
Asra demonstrated so aptly - it is now a man’s - not nearly so much a woman’s or even
family’s - ‘religion’. It is a ‘religion’ of subservience, silence and seclusion
for the women and children.
Find the Article from the Times.
Read the Article from the Times.
It is well worth it.
You will learn.
You will question.
You may not understand.
I learned.
I questioned.
I did not understand.
Perhaps it’s the not understanding and questining that matters
most. This is what is happening in our world. This is what is happening in our cities
and towns. This is what is happening in our mosques - if we even have any
local mosques. We of MysticWitch are Pagan - more or less. We do not do
this. We do the Circle where all are welcome. We also do not confront or
condemn. We question. That we can do. We may not understand. That also we can
do. So do it. IF you do not understand - question. Seek answers and guidance. Do not
challenge or confront. We are Pagan. We don’t do that. We do
question, study and learn. We accept. We include - we do not exclude. We welcome - we do
not separate. We are the Circle.. In the Circle there are no corners and there are no
barriers. In the Circle - as we all have learned - All are One….
Welcome to the Circle…..
Here we are all Family……
Allahu Akbar {God is Great}
Blessings Be.
Original Article: ‘Breaching the Wall at Prayer’ -by- Teresa Watanabe
Monday - 6/27/2005
Page One - Column One
latimes.com/columnone