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Monday, October 20, 2008

Woman Leads Friday Prayers In UK

OXFORD, England: A handful of protesters demonstrated Friday against a woman leading a Muslim prayer service for both men and women — the first time such a service has been held publicly in Britain.


U.S. scholar Amina Wadud led about a dozen male and female worshippers in prayer at a conference hall in Oxford. The service took place before a university conference on women and Islam.


Critics said Wadud should not have led the service, because she is a woman and because men and women attended. Muslim practice holds only men should lead services in which men are present.


"We believe women are equal in Islam," countered Taj Hargey, the chairman of Muslim Education Center of Oxford. The group sponsored the event.


Wadud, an author and scholar at a seminary in Berkeley, California, received death threats for conducting a similar service at a church in New York three years ago.


"The purpose of prayer is a relationship with God, and it has been politicized by people who see it as a power dynamic," Wadud said after the service. "It is important that British women take up the mantle, and feel able to take the lead in prayer."


Muslim leaders in Oxford urged people not to demonstrate publicly Friday, saying that doing so would give Wadud publicity. Though only a few protesters turned out, several people voiced their opposition to Wadud's actions in interviews.


"When prayers are offered by Muslims and other religious people, we believe they should be offered in the divine way he (God) has prescribed," said Mokhtar Badri, vice president of the Muslim Association of Great Britain. "As far as we know — in all our scripts, in all our mosques, in all the different continents where Muslims exist, women do not lead the prayer."


He pointed out that other religions, including Catholicism, also give men and women different roles.


Wadud has her defenders, including Hargey.


"There was a specific example during the life of the prophet himself where he let a woman lead a mixed-congregation prayer," Hargey said. "The lady was Umm Waraqah. She was also one of the first women who memorized the entire Quran. Certainly she was a woman who was learned, erudite in religion and a devoted follower. The Prophet Muhammad allowed her to lead the prayers in her neighborhood. "


To learn the truth about this hadith, read here: http://www.bakkah.net/articles/muslim-women-leading-prayers4.htm

For full article on this news from UmmahPulse click here.


I googled for images of the lady in question, Amina Wadud, & in some of them she's not even wearing hijab properly! I question how people can call her a scholar in any way. Below are 2 pictures of her:





8 comments:

Ange said...

thats sooo wrong. we shouldnt play around and change the religion. it wont be pure anyore if we do it. thats what happened with christianity. people started playing around with it and now they ave soo many DIFFERENT versions of christianity.
keep islam the way it is.

lala said...

wow, how disgraceful of her to morph the issue into "women and men are equal." im right there with you doubting how much of a "Scholar" she really is! instead of attacking real issues of concern within the muslim communities she's pulling this.

بنت بيتر said...

It is really phenomenal isnt it? I cant believe what a circus ppl are making Islam out to be. So sad :( May Allah guide them and us, to the right way...ameen.

Anonymous said...

Salam Alaikum
no comment for her leading prayers but really it's not for you to question her knowledge or complain how she doesn't wear her hijab properly

S.E.A. NiQaBi Nelly said...

ange, m.j. & umm travis: thank you for dropping by sisters. it really is disgraceful when someone as "highly regarded" as this lady does something like this to islam. it is an attack on islam. the way they sensationalise the whole thing for the whole world to get the wrong idea about islam. may Allah guide us all inshaallah.

salafi: 'alaikumsalam sis. i am not complaining on how she chooses to dress. she may be highly knowledgeable but it is not right for her to do such a thing especially when some people think highly of her & call her a scholar. she should instead use that belief in her to make a difference to the world by setting a good example.

Anonymous said...

It all come back to her "iman". Surely iman is strenghten by deep understanding of Islam. Then again there is the devil's evil force to mislead all of us. The stronger one's iman is the stronger will be the devil's force to mislead/ misguide him/her.Allah help us to stay on the straight path.InsyaAllah.
What I am trying to say here is this lady may(may not) be knowledgeable in Islam. She probably equipt herself with the necessary knowledge in Islam to be the devil's servant!Allah forbid!
As the devil's servant her mission is ONLY to mislead the human kind. What she is doing is to mislead and devide the muslims. Allah keep us all in the straight path.Ameen.

S.E.A. NiQaBi Nelly said...

i agree with you anon. it would be a shame if her intentions are only to mislead. Allahu'alim.

Anonymous said...

'She probably equipt herself with the necessary knowledge'

Shame on you...she's spent almost her whole adult life dedicated to Islam...not for the devil, but for the same Allah you pray to.

I pity such closed minds.

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