Why are women not allowed into the main prayer hall in most mosques?

How could they see them in all those rags?

 

Women don't have to pray in "rags". Many women pray with shirt/pants with the headscarf.

 

Mathloom covered most of it although I don't agree with all of what he said. The separation is to avoid distractions that could potentially occur if women stood in front of or next to men. It's not out of disrespect, its just that prayer is very important in Islam and less the distractions, the better. I can't speak for the Blue Mosque but if women are not allowed in the main area of the mosque where tourists are allowed, then I don't agree with it.

 

Hopefully just East German women.

 

Mosques have separate halls for men and women. Women usually pray on their side and vice versa.

It is encouraged to pray in a mosque esp in what is known as Jamad namaaz (prayer). That's when you pray in rows of ppl behind a leader but it only takes 2 people behind the leader technically to make it jamad.

It is said that if one person's prayer is accepted, then everyone in the jamad namaaz will have their prayers accepted.

 

You don't believe in Hadith but just to make it clear for everyone else: praying at the mosque in congregation has around 27 times more reward than praying at home. This is a hadith that is widely accepted and agreed upon even though Mathloom doesn't necessarily believe in Hadith. If you "want" to pray but don't put forth the effort of getting up out of your house and walk/drive to the mosque then you don't get reward of praying in congregation.

 

Same reason why Orthodox Jews seperate the men from women during worship it's distracting. I love the God of Abraham as much has the next guy, but giving a choice between doing my prayer or looking at the chick in front of me's ass as she bends down, I'm going to go with the latter.

 

Yep, 2 side by side sections. This is not symbolism of superiority or anything like that.

 

If I had a dollar for every world war that Germany started I could retire a wealthy man.

 

Why does the bride's family and the groom's family sit on opposite sides at a wedding?

Isn't that segregation? Isn't that wrong in today's world?

Why can't some things just be cultural and not anything more?

 

Duly noted, but I would argue that if you don't go (and you were able to go) then you didn't really want it.

Therefore, there's really no such thing as "I wanted to and was able to but didn't".

Also, this would indicate to me that the temple mount (not specifically the mosque) is also a place where someone could get 27 times more reward even though its not a Muslim place of worship. Wouldn't that be odd?

Wouldn't it also be odd that women could very well build their own mosques, but they are instead told to stay home? I mean, if the point is to segregate, why place them way in the back covered with a wall? Why not their own shiny mosque?

I know we'll agree to disagree here, I'm just saying there are many practical issues to consider with this thing. My view is radically different than the Sunni view and I acknowledge that.

But even with Sunni Islam, the mosque has been overhyped. The Prophet PBUH allowed non-Muslims people to do tribal dances in "his" mosque. How would that go over with us today?

 

do i know you?

 

I gotta get some sleep, I'll make it quick...

1) This issue is completely separate from avoiding arousing anyone lol. When you pray, you should be in a state of complete meditation. Remember, you are trying to connect to something outside the universe. Hard to get into the mood if Vida Guerra is getting spiritual in front of you. As for the 10%, I don't know honestly. It hadn't occurred to me at all.

But again, it's only become that way recently (one century). The women in the back behind a wall is an import from pre-islamic Arabism re-manufactured by Salafis.

2) Because it's meant to be done in unity, feeding off each other's souls. The space between people in mosques is considered symbolic of "space where the devil may come in between you." It's like when you watch a football match with 30,000 other Bayern supporters - it's different.

3) When you say texts, you must be careful to differentiate between Hadith and Quran. The quote from the Prophet PBUH which you posted is Hadith. In Islam, the Quran is timeless it is meant to apply to every generation. The same can not be said about Hadith IMO, and there are few who believe otherwise.

4) I know Friday prayer is mandatory for all. I think it's mandatory for men to do it at mosque. Exceptions can be made. Generally speaking, I don't see why that's an issue. Are you saying women should demand the right to do something which doesn't net them any more "points" but has them do more work? Maybe I misunderstood this part.

5) No that would not make sense frankly. Divine law does not get altered based on "today's world". Don't you think that would be very hypocrytical if the divine law could be or needed to be altered/adjusted?

Also, I don't think they're the lowest common denominator or whatever. They don't cause any harm to anyone, so just because I disagree with them doesn't mean I should marginalize them. My opinion.

6) That would take forever but in summary, considering mosques at the Prophet's time didn't have a roof, a minaret, segregation walls, air conditioning, microphones... and considering that there are stories of people dancing, wrestling, and dogs roaming around the Prophet's mosque PBUH.. and considering the "ascent to heaven" of the Prophet PBUH was, and I quote from the Quran, from a "mosque" and there was no mosque (by today's definition) there at the time... I'd say things are quite different. It's become a way for a scholar to make money since they usually are not educated or active in other fields, which again, is in STARK contrast to scholars of the early years of Islam who were experts in many fields and had jobs and did not rely on charity or government funding to do what they did. Without going into detail about each thing I mentioned, you can get a general idea of the inconsistencies, development, and conflicts of interest which mosques are ridden with usually. Ofcourse, there are always exceptions.

A masjid, to me personally, is anywhere. You can pray sitting down if you have a good reason. You can do the ablution (cleaning up) with sand if have to. You can combine 5 prayers into 3 if you have to. It's such a fluid concept which has been made rigid by those who think that "if you do it EXAAAAAAAAAAAAACTLY like this, it's a 3-pointer".

I don't mean this as disrespect to anyone's beliefs, but it saddens me when people reduce God's judgment of humans to a very humanistic thing. If it were that simple, we would just conduct trials while we're alive and sanction people to hell... oh wait, there ARE some who do that. lol

Anyways, peace out, good night, sorry if it's messy, I'm sleepy as hell

 

Awesome question. I had a thought the other day.

I think God, through Islam, hates culture, nationalism, racism and tribalism.

It occurred to me that Culture is the practice of doing things from the past.

Islam came to do the exact opposite. The Prophet PBUH was sent to teach us to quit following the past and start focusing on the future.

Just a quick, underdeveloped thought. I think it makes sense. What do you think?

 

Interesting thought, but let me argue the other side a bit...

I would argue that this can be interpreted as evidence that God does not want us to be one people (in terms of cultural practices, nationalism, etc.)

However, I see what you are saying, so I would propose that God wants specific cultural/racial/national practices that are against his commandments, abolished.

 

Same thing as if a man tried to be nun? If a woman tried to be a priest in the Catholic church?

 

I have no idea what you are talking about to be honest with ya. But I am also not really religious. I just think people who believe whatever makes them happy and it's silly to give people a hard time over their beliefs when one's is just as ridiculous.

 

Lol...I don't know, do u?

From CL jk. There are quite a few Ismailis on this board.

 

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