A GROUP of six Muslim women almost got themselves nicked in Washington yesterday – for breaching segregation rules in the main area of the Islamic centre.
Police were called by an imam conducting a rug-butting session attended by around 20 men after Fatima Thompson, a convert to Islam, entered the male-only area with five “progressive” supporters.
Segregation refusenik Fatima Thompson
The imam interrupted prayers to announce by microphone:
We are going to wait, because some people came to disturb the prayer, until the police come and take care of this issue.
Within minutes, three police officers arrived and told the women to leave or face arrest.
Washington police enforcing sharia law? Who woulda thunk it?
Thompson, who converted to Islam 18 years ago, said:
Wooden barriers have to be taken down and women have to be allowed to join, to pray behind the men in the main praying area. That’s our request.
She added:
We are against gender segregation, against the fact that women are put aside or in a totally different room at the mosque.
The Sunday protest was the second time women have sought to share the main prayer area at the mosque in Washington DC, after a group of women first tried in February.
Thompson said.
The general issue we are pushing is gender segregation and the ramifications it fosters. It’s not healthy, and not reflective of our society here. It’s very reflective of very restrictive, ultra orthodox societies.
Their hair covered with headscarves, the group entered the mosque’s prayer area via the main door usually reserved for men. Women and children ordinarily enter the Washington mosque, located in the city’s embassy district, through a small door hidden behind a screen.
Asra Nomani, a Muslim feminist who has participated in similar protests elsewhere in the United States, said:
If you are black in this country they can’t tell you to sit in a corner but if you are a woman they can.
The source of contention, according to Bare Naked Islam, is a small room created with seven foot high wooden walls. Jannah B’int Hannah describes how she feels in there where she cannot see the imam, or leader of the mosque, speak.
Boxed in, stifling, suffocating and totally a second class citizen.
Last month, Hannah and approximately 20 other women entered the main hall to pray, but D C police were called. They asked them to leave or be arrested.
Syed Burmi, the imam of Islamic Society of Western Maryland, says the physical separation helps maintain women’s privacy and modesty as well as keeps the focus on prayer.
If I stand next to a lady or a woman stands next to me, maybe the focus will change and no longer be on God the Almighty. So that’s why we put the partition.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
March 8th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Personally, I agree 100% with this segregation.
These are the rules of the game. If you want to play the game, you play by the rules.
If you think the rules are stupid don’t play the game.
Not sure what business it is of the cops.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:34 am
Agreed David – and if this guy is supposed to be a holy man, how come he can’t even keep his mind on his imaginary sky-psychopath if a woman stands next to him?
Does he immediately start thinking of raping her or stoning her to death instead?
March 8th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Off comment for a mo’ regarding Harry Taylor the NSS sent me this to clarify the issue
Frances,
This is a difficult case because Harry Taylor wanted to be prosecuted and will, presumably, continue to claim that he did this as a deliberate provocation. Under the law, the court has little option but to find him guilty. Therefore, it is the law that needs to be challenged. We have been complaining about it from before it was even enacted. When the law was first proposed, the NSS argued that this is where it would lead. So, our campaign will have to be against the law itself.
Mr Taylor came to us originally with the cartoons, but it was unclear what he wanted us to do about it other than raise the issue in the press. He is a difficult man to deal with, and wasn’t seeking our advice about what he should do. He isn’t on email and is often out of the country, so trying to support him is next to impossible.
While we have every sympathy with him, we cannot say that he has innocently become ensnared by this law. He set out to deliberately challenge it. We would like to support him in some way, but, as I say, this doesn’t seem to be what he wants.
We will do our best to ensure that his case has the highest public profile we can manage, but our main energies have to be aimed at changing the law.
Hope this keeps you all up to date
March 8th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
“Not sure what business it is of the cops.”
Indeed, I’m trying to work out exactly what crime they would have arrested her for. It’s certainly not trespassing, and I don’t think it’s the police’s job to enforce “private” rules of establishments?
Public order offence, maybe, if she was kicking off a bit?
But yes, segregation isn’t something the police should be supporting.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Aye cheers – he does sound a bit of a wind-up merchant, but the law – defending the imaginary tyrants – is clearly lunacy writ large. Blasphemy under another guise.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
@ frankyv Thanks for that. Sounds like old Harry might be a bit of a loose canon after all. I’ll post whatever response the BHA comes back with – if they do actually reply to my ramblings. (Note to self: remember NOT to send emails after drinking best part of a bottle of red!)
March 8th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
If she has such a problem with gender segregation then why convert to islam??
March 8th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
“women have to be allowed to join, to pray behind the men in the main praying area.”
So lobbying for the right to pray behind a man is progressive? LOL! The brazen hussy – she’ll be asking to pray alongside them next!
March 8th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
“If she has such a problem with gender segregation then why convert to islam??”
Because she’s a moron?
Just a guess.
March 8th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
“Asra Nomani, a Muslim feminist….” Now there is an oxymoron!
If you don’t agree with certain aspects of a religion then don’t join, same as gay people wanting to be in the church.
March 8th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Fatima Thompson wants to eat her cake and have it. Convert to the one and only religion, which has a very bad track-record for promulgating the treatment of women like chattel and she expects to be treated like an equal. How confused can she be?
March 8th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Come on, folks, this is pure hyperbole. The police aren’t enforcing sharia law.
The legal owner of the property asked this woman to leave and she wouldn’t. That’s some form of trespass, the exact same way that Wal*Mart can call the cops if you don’t leave the store when they ask you.
Period.
Let’s not make any more of this than it is. Sure, there’s a battle going on about women in prayer and all that, but the police are doing their job, according to the law. If the didn’t do this when they were asked, just because it was about women in prayer, that would be a far larger problem.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Ah splendid – I didn’t know you could join Islam and then protest its implementation.
I would strongly urge everyone to sign up, then cause trouble by disagreeing on the interpretation of the holy books, particularly those things which go against progressive, liberal, secular concepts such as feminism, equality under law, freedom of expression etc.
Before long, it’ll be bogged down with protest from ‘members’ and every meeting will be unworkable, and no one in charge will have any time for generally being mean and unreasonable to whichever particular group is in the firing line that day.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
That’s not a bad idea, Michael. Just imagine the chaotic scenes if thousands of gays in this country joined their local mosques, only to turn up for prayers wearing pink fluorescent hot-pants! I bet Mustapha Fag and his chums would be BEGGING the women to come and bend down in front of them then!!
PS It’s “segregation” and not “segration”, Barry. I can’t believe that no one else noticed that; and I, too, fail to see why the police should become involved in this matter!
PPS I don’t suppose you might have a photograph somewhere of an attractive middle-aged man of rather solid build, wearing not-very-generously cut shorts, Barry?
March 8th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
If the lady doesn’t like being treated like this, why doesn’t she join another faith?
I’d be amused if there was some sort of schism where islamic women formed their own muzzie-club.
Who decided allah was male anyway? Could be Alison instead.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Typical of religion anyway: invites people to come to God and then erects wooden barriers to keep them away – hahaha!!!
March 8th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
I have the same problem as earlier posters about wooden-tops who join a cult that they know in advance will treat them like second class citizens and then whine about it.
Broadsword, “There is no Goddess but Alison and Alisha is her prophet” Could catch on. It will certainly bring a new meaning to the phrase battle of the sexes.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
There’s something decidedly odd about a feminist being named Nomani!!
March 8th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
How dare those brazen hussies go spreading their tuna smell in the inner sanctum. Distracting the men as they worship their pedophile prophet. Filling them with urges to drop trowel and start ripping off veils.
Women trying to feminize Islam, and gays trying to wrestle the word “marriage” away from the fundies. Isn’t it easier to reject something useless and offensive than to try to change it?
NeoWolfe
March 8th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Police threathening to arrest them!! That’s the f–cking USA!
Always slack. In Theran they would have been decapitated on the spot with a blunt knife those daughters of bitches.
Fatima! 18(eighteen)years Islam!! It’s not human.
You must love your husband a lot.
March 9th, 2010 at 7:24 am
@Angela_K:
You have reason – I am totally unable to understand why anyone (gay or otherwise) would want to marry in a church – thereby providing those who clearly despise them with more money and recognition.
However, I am also aware that many people have managed to be convinced, or have convinced themselves, that somewhere in the sky an omni-omni wants them to worship it. Their problem is merely a matter of disagreement with the tenets propagated by its shamans on the planet. So, they attack from within while we divide and conquer.
Meanwhile, we can only fight by insisting on the equal value of our tenets: freedom, equal treatment and mutual responsibility.
March 24th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
I am do not agree with Ms.Thompson or basically none of you. Learn about Islam, learn what is call “purdah’ ** separation of men and women. According with the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, separation has been implemented for 1,400 years. No one has ever complain and the Muslm women who do complain and call it opression don’t understand their religion. They want to imitate non-Muslims, which is no permited in Islam.
The oppresion of women has nothing to do with the religion of Islam. Is a matter of culture vs. religion. This is just pure ignorance.
And why would I like to pray behind a man, I am still in the back and I have to see men backsides or maybe smell some feet. Come on Ms.Thompson, acquire knowledge about your religion. You are very limited in your knowledge about Islam….
May 16th, 2010 at 2:26 am
CAN I MAKE UP MY OWN RELIGION AND HAVE MORE THAN 4 WIVES ?
June 7th, 2010 at 9:32 am
what is game you talk about? weak up this is the islam ,the real though scince it appear untill now not changed or adulterated like another thoug ,&our messanger MOHAMMED put areal rules that ALLAH learning him by angel Gibril…
did you know islam keep awomen just rule and respect them and ask men to keep women ,children,all failly safe .so if you belive in islam you must obay to his rule because we are very proud to fllow our prophit steps…pleas read good sources about islam and look for holly Quran.
June 22nd, 2010 at 12:01 pm
All of you are a bunch of racist, ignorant, mean -spirited excuses of human beings that hide behind your computers. I bet in real life you come across as open-minded, easy-going neighbors/co-workers.
Please open a book and read because you’re making the rest of us normal North Americans seem bad also.
Islam has been around for a long time and its not the religion that is messed up its the way it is interpeted by the media. You all are just mob followers. Wake up people and smell the conspiracy. Our government and media has done such a good job brainwashing you all that you dont even pick up a book anymore,you just turn on CNN.
I bet you’re all the same ones that have “support our troops” stickers
on your bumpers. Those people dont want you to support the troops,they just dont want you to rise up and protest their wars so their connecting troop support with government support.Unfortunately it seems to be working.
June 22nd, 2010 at 12:15 pm
“Islam has been around for a long time and its not the religion that is messed up its the way it is interpeted by the media”.
Are you seriously suggesting, Tamms, that the madness and atrocities inspired by Islam on a daily basis all over the world are manufactured to make Islam look bad? If so, I suggest you get your head examined.
See http://thereligionofpeace.com/
July 3rd, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Islam is nothing more than a parasite invading, destroying, and killing everything in it’s path. Mahommad was a war lord not a prophet of God.