Hajj 2011
Spaces of Equality On the road to Mecca By Tammy Gaber
I
t seems strange to think that hajj, the most sacred ritual for Muslims, could be a different experience for a woman than a man. It seems strange only because this ritual is a requirement of all able-bodied Muslims, and each is accountable regardless of gender. There is an expectation, however, that the experience would be different for women and men only because most mosques in the world, in the Middle East and elsewhere,
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have through time and culture, developed distinctly gender-segregated spaces that often affect and undermine the experience of a Muslim woman in worship. I performed the hajj in 2010. We arrived in Medina first, given the chance to recover from travel and to enjoy the sublime beauty and peace of the Prophet Muhammad’s (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) city and resting place. The mosque, throughout history, has been expanded several times and in
its current form is a massive horizontal space kept in impeccable condition. The mosque is divided, with wooden lattice screens separating the men’s and women’s area and with separate entrances for each. The lattice screens allow the first few rows of women near-complete visual access to the main space and allows for the receding rows of women complete privacy. The space for women is quite large, an expanse that roughly covers one-third of the mosque, which although not at parity, is ample considering the sheer size of the mosque. The space for women is vast, complete with the same architectural quality and finish as the rest of the mosque, which creates a sense of inclusiveness. The architectural division of space is through the use of open wooden lattice screens. More than one fatwa decrees that the impairment of visual and audible connection to the imam constitutes a bida (innovation) that has no religious precedent. The thousands of mosques all over the world that subjugate its female constituents to basement spaces, separate rooms and far-removed balconies, all break the basic requirements for access to the main space. The basic right to have visual and audible access to the main space is twofold. The first is that every member of the community, who chooses to go the mosque to pray, should have access to what is being said and be able to follow appropriately. Second, the mosque is more than a place of worship, but is a center for the community; thus all members should have unrestricted ability to participate in that community. Regardless of gender, all members of the Muslim community are equal; there are ample hadith demonstrating the sensitivity of the Prophet to congregants including women and children. However, there are always a group of women who prefer some sort of privacy when in the mosque, often because they use the mosque to rest between prayers. Therefore, it is ideal to have some sort of organizational division of space in the mosque, but one that is visually and audibly permeable, allowing for those who want complete access to the main space and allowing others to recede for privacy.
Islamic Horizons November/December 2011