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It is mindset not the religion that stops women not being allowed in religious shrines

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New Delhi, Oct 12: Even the issue of allowing women in Sabarimala Temple in Kerala has not yet died down but Kerala-based Muslim women's outfit have decided to go to Supreme Court seeking its intervention in allowing women to offer namaz in the mosques.

But Muslim scholars are saying that there is no any restriction for Muslim women and there is unanimity among Islamic clerics on this that Muslim women can offer namaj in mosques.

File photo of a temple

But it is a reality that women in India don't go to mosques or for that matter not allowed. Social activist Amber Zaidi told Oneindia, "There is no discrimination between men and women in the eyes of God. Moreover, it is very much in Quran that women can go to mosque to offer prayer. They are allowed to go to mosque and testimony to this is that in Mecca both men and women offer namaz together. They perform haj together but patriarchal society and mindset in India is stopping people not to allow women in mosques."

Amber further said, "Women are not allowed to go to temples, mosques and mausoleum for a particular thinking and mindset. Women offer namaj in Kaba with men but not anywhere in India. There is no restriction as per Islam and Quran that women cannot offer namaz with men. A social norm has been established that women should not be allowed but not religiously."

['No special arrangements or toilets for women pilgrims in Sabarimala']['No special arrangements or toilets for women pilgrims in Sabarimala']

Manzoor Alam general secretary All India Milli Council told Oneindia, "Women go to mosques in Mecca and Medina and a separate provision for women is made in the mosques and separate for men. Segregation is important of this practice. There is no restriction but segregation is necessary."

Manzoor Alam said, "When you are going to offer mosque in a mosque, there is a need to understand that human body is sensitive and they have senses also so the real part of the worship is that we must go beyond all our senses and if body of men and women touch this will definitely impact the worship. Anyone saying that it does not impact worship, it is absolutely wrong to say it impacts socially, psychologically, mentally and physically. It must be looked into the perspective of anatomy of human being but no one is stopped from visiting mosque."

[Not only Sabarimala: Women are not allowed in these temple][Not only Sabarimala: Women are not allowed in these temple]

Since segregation facility is not available everywhere but wherever new mosques are being built such arrangements are being made to provide these facilities. Mecca and Medina a big part is given to women for offering prayer. But women outfit seeking intervention from the top court for getting entry into Sunni mosques is actually politicizing it. All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali said that woman are allowed in mosques but some people are trying to spread misinformation and want to create unnecessary division.

NISA, Kerala-based Muslim women right group, wants women's entry in every mosque in India. The group plans to seek permission from the court for women to offer prayers at mosques. The group also wants women to be appointed as imams which has been campaigning for gender equality within Islam. It wants to curb the practices of polygamy and 'nikah-halala'. Chairperson of NISA V P Zuhra said that there were no records stating that the Quran and Prophet Muhammad had opposed women entering mosques and offering prayers. Zuhra praised the SC verdict lifting the ban on the menstruating women from offering worship at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple as 'historic'.

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