girl_in_the_blue_jeans
05-Apr-2004, 11:43 PM
now i don't want to creat controversy but i can't help thinking about this.
first read this:
taken from : http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/opinion.asp?ArticleID=95794
Why does Islam separate men and women?
Many, though not all, Muslim societies practice some gender segregation - the separation of men and women - to various degrees, in public spaces such as mosques, universities, and the marketplace. Thus, in many mosques, men and women have separate areas for prayer or are separated by a screen or curtain.
Seclusion, which differs from the public segregation of the sexes, is the practice of keeping women within the home so that they have no contact with public space. Although gender segregation and seclusion are practiced in some Muslim societies, in many Muslim countries, from Egypt and Tunisia to Malaysia and Indonesia, men and women, especially in cities and towns, increasingly study and work together.
In our modern, globalising world, where two incomes are often necessary to maintain a household, women are increasingly joining the workforce and breaking down traditional notions of gendered space.
Practice of separation
The practice of separation has both religious and cultural origins. The Prophet's (PBUH) Medina did not practice gender segregation. Although an integral part of the community, because of their special status, the Prophet's (PBUH) wives were told by the Holy Quran: "O wives of the Prophet (PBUH)! You are not like any of the other women. If you fear God, do not be complacent in speech so that one in whose heart is a sickness may covet you, but speak honourably. Stay with dignity in your homes and do not display your finery as the pagans of old did" (33:32-33).
The Holy Quran later tells the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) to place a barrier between themselves and unrelated males. Muslim men are told: "And when you ask [his wives] for anything you want, ask them from before a screen. That makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs" (33:53).
There have been many debates about how these verses concerned with modesty and segregation should be interpreted with respect to Muslim women in general.
Modern scholars have pointed out that they specifically address only the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) rather than all of womankind. They maintain that jurists relied primarily on Prophetic traditions (hadith) as well as the belief that women are a source of temptation (fitnah) for men, to support women's segregation.
In recent decades, more ultraconservative/fundamentalist Muslim leaders have maintained that the verses addressing the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) apply to all Muslim women, who are supposed to emulate the behaviour of the Prophet's (PBUH) wives.
However, opinions today vary about the necessity of separation of the sexes. While many believe that the absolute separation of the sexes is unnecessary, many others believe that modesty requirements can be met through appropriate dress and limiting interaction with unrelated males to conversations such as those concerning professional and educational matters, since men and women attend both work and school in mixed company.
This holds true even in the religious realm, since women have come to play an important role in some Muslim countries in mosques, where they not only attend services and pray with men but also teach Holy Quran classes, run independent auxiliaries, and run for and hold elected offices.
Several Muslim countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Indonesia) have had women prime ministers or presidents.
then read this:
taken from: http://www.jewfaq.org/women.htm
The second thing that must be understood is the separation of men and women during prayer. According to Jewish Law, men and women must be separated during prayer, usually by a wall or curtain called a mechitzah or by placing women in a second floor balcony. There are two reasons for this: first, your mind is supposed to be on prayer, not on the pretty girl praying near you. Second, many pagan religious ceremonies at the time Judaism was founded involved sexual activity and orgies, and the separation prevents or at least discourages this.
The combination of this exemption from certain commandments and this separation often has the result that women have an inferior place in the synagogue. Woman's obligations in the home (which are the reason why women are exempt from time-based commandments like formal prayer services) often keep them away from synagogue. In several synagogues that I have attended, the women's section is poorly climate controlled, and women cannot see (sometimes can't even hear!) what's going on in the men's section, where the services are being led. Women are not obligated by Jewish law to attend formal religious services, and cannot participate in many aspects of the services (traditional Jewish services have a very high degree of "audience participation" -- and I'm not just talking about community readings, I'm talking about actively taking part in running the service).
now someone please explain to me why it is so difficult for women to pray in a mosque....
first read this:
taken from : http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/opinion.asp?ArticleID=95794
Why does Islam separate men and women?
Many, though not all, Muslim societies practice some gender segregation - the separation of men and women - to various degrees, in public spaces such as mosques, universities, and the marketplace. Thus, in many mosques, men and women have separate areas for prayer or are separated by a screen or curtain.
Seclusion, which differs from the public segregation of the sexes, is the practice of keeping women within the home so that they have no contact with public space. Although gender segregation and seclusion are practiced in some Muslim societies, in many Muslim countries, from Egypt and Tunisia to Malaysia and Indonesia, men and women, especially in cities and towns, increasingly study and work together.
In our modern, globalising world, where two incomes are often necessary to maintain a household, women are increasingly joining the workforce and breaking down traditional notions of gendered space.
Practice of separation
The practice of separation has both religious and cultural origins. The Prophet's (PBUH) Medina did not practice gender segregation. Although an integral part of the community, because of their special status, the Prophet's (PBUH) wives were told by the Holy Quran: "O wives of the Prophet (PBUH)! You are not like any of the other women. If you fear God, do not be complacent in speech so that one in whose heart is a sickness may covet you, but speak honourably. Stay with dignity in your homes and do not display your finery as the pagans of old did" (33:32-33).
The Holy Quran later tells the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) to place a barrier between themselves and unrelated males. Muslim men are told: "And when you ask [his wives] for anything you want, ask them from before a screen. That makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs" (33:53).
There have been many debates about how these verses concerned with modesty and segregation should be interpreted with respect to Muslim women in general.
Modern scholars have pointed out that they specifically address only the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) rather than all of womankind. They maintain that jurists relied primarily on Prophetic traditions (hadith) as well as the belief that women are a source of temptation (fitnah) for men, to support women's segregation.
In recent decades, more ultraconservative/fundamentalist Muslim leaders have maintained that the verses addressing the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) apply to all Muslim women, who are supposed to emulate the behaviour of the Prophet's (PBUH) wives.
However, opinions today vary about the necessity of separation of the sexes. While many believe that the absolute separation of the sexes is unnecessary, many others believe that modesty requirements can be met through appropriate dress and limiting interaction with unrelated males to conversations such as those concerning professional and educational matters, since men and women attend both work and school in mixed company.
This holds true even in the religious realm, since women have come to play an important role in some Muslim countries in mosques, where they not only attend services and pray with men but also teach Holy Quran classes, run independent auxiliaries, and run for and hold elected offices.
Several Muslim countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Indonesia) have had women prime ministers or presidents.
then read this:
taken from: http://www.jewfaq.org/women.htm
The second thing that must be understood is the separation of men and women during prayer. According to Jewish Law, men and women must be separated during prayer, usually by a wall or curtain called a mechitzah or by placing women in a second floor balcony. There are two reasons for this: first, your mind is supposed to be on prayer, not on the pretty girl praying near you. Second, many pagan religious ceremonies at the time Judaism was founded involved sexual activity and orgies, and the separation prevents or at least discourages this.
The combination of this exemption from certain commandments and this separation often has the result that women have an inferior place in the synagogue. Woman's obligations in the home (which are the reason why women are exempt from time-based commandments like formal prayer services) often keep them away from synagogue. In several synagogues that I have attended, the women's section is poorly climate controlled, and women cannot see (sometimes can't even hear!) what's going on in the men's section, where the services are being led. Women are not obligated by Jewish law to attend formal religious services, and cannot participate in many aspects of the services (traditional Jewish services have a very high degree of "audience participation" -- and I'm not just talking about community readings, I'm talking about actively taking part in running the service).
now someone please explain to me why it is so difficult for women to pray in a mosque....