Saudis Propose Restricting Prayer Space for Women at Ka'ba

The all-male committee that oversees the management of space and safety at the Ka'ba has proposed to remove the woman-only prayer space on the main floor. Their plan is to open a bigger woman-only space with a "good view" on another floor. In response to complaints from women and men alike, they explain that they have proposed the plan for women's sake alone. It is reported that Osama al-Bar has said,

Some women thought it wasn't good, but from our point of view it will be better for them ... We can sit with them and explain to them what the decision is.

I've got the coffee on, Shaykh Osama. What time can I expect you to come and explain? Please explain to me again why men get to choose something for my own good that somehow ends up excluding me from the thick of religious life?

When men alone make decisions about our lives and needs, they work from the assumption that women do not possess equal legal rights. They make decisions for our own good, as if they were our guardians and we their legal wards. Mohammad Fadel argues that legally it is not necessary to read the sources this way. I would like it if he would send these men a memo and let them in on that insight.

I'm never one for slippery slope arguments, but this really is a case of knowing what is next. They claim that women will still be able to circumnambulate the Ka'ba as before. But soon they will announce that is no longer allowed for our own good. I can easily imagine them making the second tier for women only. We would make our salat there. We would circumnabulate there.

Everyone is aware that the Hajj is crowded. Everyone is aware that women get harrassed by men while performing the rituals. Typically--or so it is told--the men who harrass women on Hajj are Saudi Arabs who are not restricted from the Ka'ba area. I am sure there are pilgrims from abroad who do not grasp the import of Hajj. I am also aware that some very wealthy Muslims who can afford the trip and get visas easily treat Hajj and Umra as if they are going skiing in Switzerland. No one questions that women are open to harrassment on Hajj because of its very openness.

I doubt that most Muslims who have saved their whole lives and waited in state lotteries to get their tickets and visa to perform a ritual that promises complete forgiveness from God are the main culprits.  Certainly the women are not doing it.  So why punish us?

Do not close us down, exclude us, or cover us up in order to protect us. As usual, the victims of abuse are made to pay for the abusers' behavior. We have to cover because you might rape us. We have to pray in back because you might look at our ass and jump us. We have to be isolated on Hajj because you see it as an opportunity for groping rather than seeking God's forgiveness.  How about the men look at the behavior of the men and address the problem from that angle?

We all know this is about the power of privilege.  One of the major arguments against woman-led prayer is that men will sexually overpowered by our presence before them.  But I recall suggesting that the women lead the prayer from the isolated women's section and pipe the sound into the men's section like the men do to us now.  Certainly that would handle the matter.  Surely that would be acceptable.  Men only respond with silence on that one.   

Women tend to get sidelined, patronized, or given a gracious nod in these sorts of matters. For example, a fellow I know would have liked it if his university's Muslim Student Association had sufficient prayer space so that women and men could pray side by side rather than behind and in front. They requested a larger space, but the space was not available. He tried. They tried. I suppose if he really cared, though, he would have gone to the Women's Studies department, the Women's groups on campus, the campus newspaper and said "This matters. We won't give up until we can provide men and women with an equal space." It is a famously leftist university. If they made such a fuss about such an issue, how long would it be before they would be provided adequate space? Not long, I imagine. His efforts were a gracious nod in the direction of women. We are supposed to answer, "Thank you for even thinking of us, even if you can do no more than nod in our direction and say that you tried."

It is not sufficient to simply nod, let alone out and out exclude and patronize us.

There is a petition on-line organized by the Muslimah Writer's Alliance. Men or women can sign that. They also give a list of these Saudi contacts one may write to:

The Islamic Affairs Department at the Saudi Embassy: iad@resa.org The Saudi Embassy: info@saudiembassy.net; or call 202-342-3800

Click here for more contacts.

     2. Share with the members of these organizations the link to the booklet, "Women Friendly Mosques and Community Centers:
Working Together to Reclaim Our Heritage" - http://www.womeninislam.org/Mosque.pdf - published by the Islamic Social Services
Association of Canada and Women In Islam, Inc. of New York. This project, originally published in November of 2005 was also acknowledged
as being supported by The Muslim American Society, and can also be shared in local communities, insha'Allah.