Supernova Nebula
13-07-05, 06:05 AM
:rolleyes: Woman leads Islamic prayers in mosque, a first for
Canada
By JEN GERSON
Saturday, July 2, 2005 Page A9
Friday prayers were conducted by a woman in a mosque
for the first time in Canadian history yesterday, a
move many liberal Muslims are hoping will open the
door to greater equality between the sexes in the
Islamic community.
But some are calling the event media circus used to
denounce conservative Muslims.
About 100 people sat on the floor of the United Muslim
Association mosque in North Etobicoke as Pamela
Taylor, co-chair of the New York-based Progressive
Muslim Union, led the mixed-gender congregation in
prayers and offered a sermon on the importance of
equality between races, genders, sexual orientations
and persons with disabilities.
"Canada is the Islamic ideal," said Ms. Taylor, 40,
who has been a Muslim for 19 years. She said Canada's
lack of "imperialistic escapades" could allow its
people to act as the conscience of the Muslim world
and to speak out against the oppression of repressive
regimes.
The organizers of the event chose Ms. Taylor, a U.S.
citizen who has a divinity degree from Harvard
University and took East Asian studies at the
University of British Columbia, to lead the prayers.
Last November, Maryam Mirza, a York University
student, delivered part of the sermon marking the end
of Ramadan at the liberal UMA mosque.
She did not, however, lead the prayers.
The first Canadian woman to lead a mixed-congregation
in prayer was Raheel Raza.
She led the prayers in April, but said the
congregation was so hounded by those opposed to the
prospect of having a woman lead prayers that they were
held in a back yard in Cabbagetown.
"My reaction [to yesterday's prayers] can only be
positive," Ms. Raza said.
But Mohamed Elmasry, national president of the
Canadian Islamic Council, said while the UMA is free
to have whomever it chooses to lead its prayers, it's
a fringe group.
"This is a non-issue for Canadian Muslims and must be
ignored by the community," he said. "It usually
becomes a media circus and an opportunity to label
Muslims."
The issue of women-led prayers is one of tradition,
not sexism, he said. Women are free to give talks and
lectures but, traditionally, men lead the prayers and
most practising Muslims in Canada respect that, he
added.
Not everyone present was impressed by Ms. Taylor's
performance.
Ehab Lotayef, a native Arabic speaker, said Ms.
Taylor's recitation of Arabic during the prayers was
poor and her message during the sermon was unoriginal.
"I don't have a problem women leading prayer," he
said. But "many things were pushed beyond the envelope
in order to have the principle met.
"There was nothing explosive in what she said."
Tarek Fatah, spokesman for the Muslim Canadian
Congress, said by allowing a woman to lead prayers,
the UMA mosque is not trying to impinge upon how other
mosques choose to worship.
"Nowhere in the Koran is it prohibited for women to
lead the prayers," he said. "I am tired of people who
are dragging us backwards into history."
Rumoured pickets by conservative Muslims failed to
materialize during the afternoon.
Mr. Fatah said he and the congregation would not be
intimidated by threats, and should not be judged by
any other congregation.
"If Muslim men are scared of having women as imams,
they need to examine their own misogyny," he said.
Canada
By JEN GERSON
Saturday, July 2, 2005 Page A9
Friday prayers were conducted by a woman in a mosque
for the first time in Canadian history yesterday, a
move many liberal Muslims are hoping will open the
door to greater equality between the sexes in the
Islamic community.
But some are calling the event media circus used to
denounce conservative Muslims.
About 100 people sat on the floor of the United Muslim
Association mosque in North Etobicoke as Pamela
Taylor, co-chair of the New York-based Progressive
Muslim Union, led the mixed-gender congregation in
prayers and offered a sermon on the importance of
equality between races, genders, sexual orientations
and persons with disabilities.
"Canada is the Islamic ideal," said Ms. Taylor, 40,
who has been a Muslim for 19 years. She said Canada's
lack of "imperialistic escapades" could allow its
people to act as the conscience of the Muslim world
and to speak out against the oppression of repressive
regimes.
The organizers of the event chose Ms. Taylor, a U.S.
citizen who has a divinity degree from Harvard
University and took East Asian studies at the
University of British Columbia, to lead the prayers.
Last November, Maryam Mirza, a York University
student, delivered part of the sermon marking the end
of Ramadan at the liberal UMA mosque.
She did not, however, lead the prayers.
The first Canadian woman to lead a mixed-congregation
in prayer was Raheel Raza.
She led the prayers in April, but said the
congregation was so hounded by those opposed to the
prospect of having a woman lead prayers that they were
held in a back yard in Cabbagetown.
"My reaction [to yesterday's prayers] can only be
positive," Ms. Raza said.
But Mohamed Elmasry, national president of the
Canadian Islamic Council, said while the UMA is free
to have whomever it chooses to lead its prayers, it's
a fringe group.
"This is a non-issue for Canadian Muslims and must be
ignored by the community," he said. "It usually
becomes a media circus and an opportunity to label
Muslims."
The issue of women-led prayers is one of tradition,
not sexism, he said. Women are free to give talks and
lectures but, traditionally, men lead the prayers and
most practising Muslims in Canada respect that, he
added.
Not everyone present was impressed by Ms. Taylor's
performance.
Ehab Lotayef, a native Arabic speaker, said Ms.
Taylor's recitation of Arabic during the prayers was
poor and her message during the sermon was unoriginal.
"I don't have a problem women leading prayer," he
said. But "many things were pushed beyond the envelope
in order to have the principle met.
"There was nothing explosive in what she said."
Tarek Fatah, spokesman for the Muslim Canadian
Congress, said by allowing a woman to lead prayers,
the UMA mosque is not trying to impinge upon how other
mosques choose to worship.
"Nowhere in the Koran is it prohibited for women to
lead the prayers," he said. "I am tired of people who
are dragging us backwards into history."
Rumoured pickets by conservative Muslims failed to
materialize during the afternoon.
Mr. Fatah said he and the congregation would not be
intimidated by threats, and should not be judged by
any other congregation.
"If Muslim men are scared of having women as imams,
they need to examine their own misogyny," he said.